Friday, January 29, 2010
Death and Company
On a dark East Village street, behind dark wood doors with dark metal signs lurks Death & Co. A lone doorman (who looks more like a drug dealer than a host) loiters outside with a notebook and pen. With no windows or awning the building looks almost condemned. As I approach the door to read the sign, the man asks, "How many?" "Oh, it's just me," I reply. "I have one seat at the bar right now," he replies, checks my ID, and motions me in.
Thick black curtains separate patrons from the January wind and I am plunged into a world of black and white marble, dark wood, and candlelight. I grab the one empty seat at the bar (yes, the doorman knew the room that well!) and am promptly greeted by a tall, smartly dressed bartender.
It was a busy Saturday night, which fortunately gave me time to peruse their six page cocktail list, which is organized by base ingredient. While making four drinks, my bartender unnecessarily apologized for the wait, and steered me in the direction of a cocktail, the Frisco Club, with gin, Fernet Branca, grapefruit and lime. The cocktail arrived in a small martini glass, which was more than ample considering its potency. After informing the bartender that I liked weird liqueurs and new takes on things, this cocktail was an excellent choice. At first it seemed simple, but the Fernet gave it this smokey complexity and an incredibly long, bitter, finish. The more I tasted it, the more flavors appeared, and complemented each other. Like Fernet, I started off sipping the cocktail slowly, but soon guzzled it. Perfect.
Fear not growing hungry as you imbibe, though. Their food menu, though small, is delicious, and portions are surprisingly large for the price. I ordered the asparagus and proscuitto with mushroom sauce, which was a yummy addition to this classic. Food arrived piping hot and was more than enough to satisfy.
The experience was warm and enjoyable in a place that could ostensibly be anything but. Giving the bartender free reign over my next cocktail, and after a few more questions on what I liked, he was again on point. Down-to-earth staff and quirky music (everything from Lowrider to the Mambo) confirm this joint's tongue-in-cheek attitude.
Go for the cocktails, trust your server if you can't decide, and be sure to have a bite to eat to get you through another round.
Visit date: January 23rd, 2010
Thick black curtains separate patrons from the January wind and I am plunged into a world of black and white marble, dark wood, and candlelight. I grab the one empty seat at the bar (yes, the doorman knew the room that well!) and am promptly greeted by a tall, smartly dressed bartender.
It was a busy Saturday night, which fortunately gave me time to peruse their six page cocktail list, which is organized by base ingredient. While making four drinks, my bartender unnecessarily apologized for the wait, and steered me in the direction of a cocktail, the Frisco Club, with gin, Fernet Branca, grapefruit and lime. The cocktail arrived in a small martini glass, which was more than ample considering its potency. After informing the bartender that I liked weird liqueurs and new takes on things, this cocktail was an excellent choice. At first it seemed simple, but the Fernet gave it this smokey complexity and an incredibly long, bitter, finish. The more I tasted it, the more flavors appeared, and complemented each other. Like Fernet, I started off sipping the cocktail slowly, but soon guzzled it. Perfect.
Fear not growing hungry as you imbibe, though. Their food menu, though small, is delicious, and portions are surprisingly large for the price. I ordered the asparagus and proscuitto with mushroom sauce, which was a yummy addition to this classic. Food arrived piping hot and was more than enough to satisfy.
The experience was warm and enjoyable in a place that could ostensibly be anything but. Giving the bartender free reign over my next cocktail, and after a few more questions on what I liked, he was again on point. Down-to-earth staff and quirky music (everything from Lowrider to the Mambo) confirm this joint's tongue-in-cheek attitude.
Go for the cocktails, trust your server if you can't decide, and be sure to have a bite to eat to get you through another round.
Visit date: January 23rd, 2010
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1 comments:
Well-written. You may want to change "apoligised" and "free-reign" to "apologised" and "free reign" respectively.
And straight Fernet Branca still tastes Superfund-site runoff water.
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