Best of Lounge 2013 - Winners

And the 2013 Brian Paynter Award for Lounger Number One goes to ....
J. WALTER HAWKES,  Jazz Giant, Trombone man, and Ukulele Aficionado

The Loungerati readers have voted via Survey Monkey for the 2013 Best of Lounge Awards and the results are in:

Lounge Scene Awards 

Best Burlesque Act or Performer: DRUNKEN DRAGON FESTIVAL at MACAO (Calamity Chang, Minx Arcana, Gal Friday, and Perle Noire) 
Honorable Mention: Gotham Burlesque at the Triad Theatre, Nuit Blanche: Dolls After Dark at Beaumarchais, Take Back the 80s Burlesque (Francine The Lucid Dream and Minnie the Moocha), Coney Island's Enchanted Tiki Room (Left Lucy & Co.)

Diane L. Naegel Award for Best Lounge or Vintage Event: JAZZ AGE LAWN PARTY AT GOVERNOR'S ISLAND
Honorable Mention: Club Wit's End 5th Annual Black Cat Masquerade, Loungerati Staff Beefsteak Dinner, The Salon: New Year's Eve Eve Party at DL Lounge, Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala at NY Public Library

Viva La Musica Award for Best Jazz, Lounge, or Swing Band: TERRY WALDO, PIANO MAN
Honorable Mention: Michael Arenella & Dreamland orchestra, Dandy Wellington & His Band, JC Hopkins Biggish Band, Gelber & Manning

Most Sought After Ingredient for the Home Bar: DEAD RABBIT ORINOCO BITTERS by Dr. Adam Elmegirab

Honorable Mention: Leather Work Apron from Moore & Giles, Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters, Home Bar Basics (and not so basics) manual by Dave Stolte, Tuthiltown Distillery Barrel Aging Kit

Best Dressed Lounger: EFF BLANGIARDO of Loungerati
Honorable Mention: Robert Kennedy (Tie Man), Michael Haar (Barber Extraordinaire), Dandy Wellington (Song and Dance man), Grace Gotham (Scintillating Chanteuse)

Cocktail Bars and Lounges

Best New Cocktail Bar or Lounge: THE DEAD RABBIT GROCERY & GROG (New York)
Honorable mention:  Attaboy (New York), Golden Cadillac (New York), Sweet Leaf (Queens), Long Island Bar (Brooklyn)

Best New York Cocktail Bar or Lounge: CLOVER CLUB (Brooklyn)
Honorable Mention: Employees Only (New York), Death & Company (New York), Dutch Kills (Queens)

Best Barfood: Oyster Happy Hour - MAISON PREMIERE (Brooklyn)
Honorable Mention: Charcuterie - Employees Only (New York),  Bill's Burger - Bill's Food & Drink (New York), Scotch Egg - Dead Rabbit (New York)

Best of the NY Hotel Bars: THE RUM HOUSE at EDISON HOTEL (New York)

Honorable Mention: Library Bar at NoMad Hotel (New York), Lantern's Keep at the Iroquois Hotel (New York), Bemelmans Bar at Carlyle Hotel (New York)

David A. Embury Award for Best Cocktail of 2013: THE MIDTOWN, Bryan Schneider for Quality Italian (New York)

Honorable Mention: Brancolada by Jeremy Ortel for Donna Cocktail Lounge (Brooklyn), Spanish Crown by Maxwell Britten for Maison Premiere (Brooklyn)

Editor and Staff Picks:
Best Seat in the House: Parlour Bar Seat at THE DEAD RABBIT (New York)
Honorable mention: Standing room at the bar - Prime Meats (Brooklyn), Seat F14 at Clover Club (Brooklyn), Corner bar seat at Attaboy (New York)

Best Cocktail for the Road: Toronto Cocktail from Jillian Vose of DEATH & COMPANY (New York)
Honorable Mention: Manhattan on Tap at Saxon & Parole (New York), Cynar Julep, Sable Kitchen & Bar (Chicago), Daiquiri shots at Berkshire Room (Chicago)

Best Saloon: BAR X (Salt Lake City)
Honorable Mention: Daddy-O(New York), Grace 365 (New York), Ward III (New York), Alewife (Queens)

Best of the Internationals: ARTESIAN BAR at LANGHAM HOTEL (London)
Honorable Mention:  American Bar at the Savoy Hotel (London), Kelvin Grove Cafe (Edinburgh),White Lyan (London), Night Jar (London)

Best Dive aka "The Gutter Award": TRACKS in Penn Station (New York)

Honorable Mention: Jimmy's Corner (New York), Montero Bar & Grill (Brooklyn), Arthur's Tavern (New York)

Don't Bruise the Ice Award for Best Ice Program: SAXON & PAROLE (New York)

Honorable Mention: Dutch Kills Bar (Queens), Booker & Dax (New York), Little Branch (New York), Violet Hour (Chicago)

Brian F. Paynter Award for Lounger Number One: J. WALTER HAWKES - Jazz Giant
Honorable Mention: Robert Kennedy (OcTIEBer), Patrick Soluri (The Salon), Fredo Ceraso (Loungerati)

A Trifecta of NYC Kentucky Derby Viewing Parties

Saturday May 4th will be the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The "most famous two minutes in sport" unites classic fashion style, 19th century cocktails, gambling, and an age-old sport of kings in a quintessentially American event. The fellows suited up in seersucker, ladies in elegant straw hats, bourbon mint juleps in icy tins, and wagers on a long shot to win are a tradition. For loungers, it is a friggin' national holiday and expect us to be celebrating in full regalia, julep chalice in hand, at our favorite watering holes!

This Derby Day we recommend the grand daddy of mint julep variations adapted by historian David Wondrich from a recipe in an 1857 edition of Harper's Weekly and trifecta of authentic Derby viewing parties in New York City for the win!

Prescription Julep

1 1/2 oz of Cognac (VSOP or better)

1/2 oz Rye Whisky

1/4 oz of rich simple syrup

8-10 mint leaves

Tools: Julep chalice, jigger, bar spoon

Gently rub the mint leaves on the inside of the julep tin and discard. Add cognac, rye and rich simple and stir mixture gently. Fill cup with crushed ice and garnish with mint sprigs. Insert sterling silver straw in between mint sprigs.

Maison Premiere - 2nd Annual Derby Party featuring Four Roses Bourbon

12pm-8pm

Julep master Maxwell Britten and his crew of dapper drink slingers will be throwing one hell of a pre-race BBQ in Maison Premiere's backyard. Icy platters of oysters will be plentiful and an extensive menu of mint juleps served in silver beaded tins will be available. The Maison Premiere House Band starts at 3pm and goes to 7pm. This year there will be a fashion contest for the most Derby outfit. Prizes range from booze (hurrah!) to $100 gift certificates! The Derby will also be broadcast live on the cocktail den’s famous old-fashioned radio from 6:28 to 6:30.

Maison Premiere - 298 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn - 347-335-0446

Clover Club - 4th Annual Kentucky Derby Party featuring Bulleit Bourbon

4:30pm-8pm

Bulleit Bourbon will provide complementary passed hors d' oeuvres and mint juleps. Mixtresses Elayne Duke and Julie Reiner set up shop in the front of Clover Club with their julep bar again this year. They encourage guests to sport fancy hats, seersucker suits, and crank out juleps for all. Oh yeah, there will be a very short horse race shown;) Don't miss it!

Clover Club - 210 Smith Street, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn - 718-855-7939

Rum House - Derby Day Party featuring Larceny bourbon specials

5pm-7pm

The gang at Rum House breaks out the julep cups, crushed ice, and copious amounts of mint and partner with Heaven Hill  Distilleries' new Larceny Bourbon for $8 Julep and Old Fashioned drink specials. Come watch the race live on the big screen with Larceny bourbon cocktails. There will be food. There will be fancy hats. And there will be ponies.

The Rum House at the Edison Hotel - 228 West 47th Street, New York, NY  - 646-490-6924

Our trifecta picks for the 139th Kentucky Derby are All Other Three Ye (5:1) to win, Verrazano (6:1) to place, and Goldencents (7:1) to show!

Best of Lounge 2012 - Winners

Lounger Number One for 2012 awarded posthumously to the impresario, Brian F. Paynter.
(Artwork by Dave Stolte)

The Loungerati readers have voted via PollDaddy for the 2012 Best of Lounge Awards and the results are in:

Lounge Scene Awards 

Best Burlesque Act or Performer: THE MINSKY SISTERS
Honorable Mention: Francine "The Lucid Dream", Angie Pontani, Grace Gotham

Diane L. Naegel Award for Best Lounge or Vintage Event: JAZZ AGE LAWN PARTY AT GOVERNOR'S ISLAND
Honorable Mention: Club Wit's End - A Monthly Celebration of the Jazz Age,  Liberty Belle Fourth of July Spectacular at the Empire Hotel, The Salon's New Year's Eve Eve Party

Viva La Musica Award for Best Jazz, Lounge, or Swing Band: MICHAEL ARENELLA & HIS DREAMLAND ORCHESTRA
Honorable Mention: Gelber & Manning, Ray Gelato & City Rhythm Orchestra, Queen Esther & Her Hot Five

Most Sought After Ingredient for the Home Bar: PERRY'S TOT NAVY STRENGTH GIN from New York Distilling Company

Honorable Mention: Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters, Home Bar Basics (and not so basics) manual by Dave Stolte, Bittermens Amere Sauvage

Best Dressed Lounger: GIN MINSKY of the Minsky Sisters
Honorable Mention: Brian F. Paynter, Jack Newcastle, Dandy Wellington

Brian F. Paynter Award for Lounger Number One: BRIAN F. PAYNTER (Impresario)
Honorable Mention: Nicole Desmond, Eff from Loungerati, Mr. Gotham 

Cocktail Bars and Lounges

Best New Cocktail Bar or Lounge: THE SHANTY (Brooklyn)
Honorable mention:  Experimental Cocktail Club - LES (New York), Middle Branch (New York), Pouring Ribbons (New York)

Best Veteran Cocktail Bar or Lounge: CLOVER CLUB (Brooklyn)
Honorable Mention: PDT (New York), Death & Company (New York), Fort Defiance (Brooklyn)

Best Barfood: The Prime Meats Burger - PRIME MEATS (Brooklyn)
Honorable Mention: Deviled Eggs with Four Flavors - Clover Club (Brooklyn),  The Cubano - DeCoursey's Side Car (Brooklyn), Derby Cobb Salad - Astor Room (Queens)

David A. Embury Award for Best Cocktail of 2012: SAUVETAGE, Nate Dumas for The Shanty (Brooklyn)

Honorable Mention: Death & Taxes by Joaquin Simo for Pouring Ribbons (New York), KYPX by Franky Marshall for Monkey Bar (New York), Absinthe Colada by Maxwell Britten for Maison Premiere (Brooklyn)

Editor and Staff Picks:
Best Seat in the House: The "Regular" at EMPLOYEES ONLY (New York)
Honorable mention: Back window seat at Rum House (New York), F14 at Clover Club (Brooklyn), Any bar seat at the original Milk & Honey (New York)

Best Cocktail for the Road: Fernet Branca Bottle Service at BOURGEOIS PIG BROOKLYN (Brooklyn)
Honorable Mention: Underberg bitters at Prime Meats (Brooklyn), Hanky Panky at American Bar, Savoy Hotel (London), Boulevardier  at Lantern's Keep (New York)

Best Saloon: WARD III (New York)
Honorable Mention: Daddy-O (New York), The Richardson (Brooklyn), Manifesto (Kansas City)

Best of the Internationals: ARTESIAN BAR at LANGHAM HOTEL (London)
Honorable Mention:  American Bar at the Savoy Hotel (London), Happiness Forgets (London), Upstairs at Callooh Callay (London)

Best of the NY Hotel Bars: THE RUM HOUSE at EDISON HOTEL (New York)

Honorable Mention: Library Bar at NoMad Hotel (New York), Lantern's Keep at the Iroquois Hotel (New York), Breslin Bar at Ace Hotel (New York)

Best Dive aka "The Gutter Award": JIMMY'S CORNER (New York)

Honorable Mention: Jackies Fifth Amendment (Brooklyn), Montero Bar & Grill(Brooklyn), Arthur's Tavern (New York)

Don't Bruise the Ice Award for Best Ice Program: MIDDLE BRANCH (New York)

Honorable Mention: Dutch Kills Bar (Queens), Weather Up Tribeca (New York), Artesian Bar at Langham Hotel (London)

The back bar at THE SHANTY

Best New Cocktail Bar/Lounge: The SHANTY

This Week in Lounge: Kentucky Derby Destinations

The Classic Mint Julep at Maison Premiere

This Saturday, May 5th is a veritable tri-fecta of major drinking related events. Supporters of English football will soak in the lager while sporting heavy weights Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC battle for the silver in the annual FA Cup. Expect pubs to be showing the match and a sea of red and blue kits battling for supremacy.

It is also Cinco de Mayo, a national Mexican holiday celebrating the victory over an invading French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Tequila, Mezcal, Dos Equis, Margaritas, and even a few Mexican Firing Squad Specials will be flowing at the bars while revelers munch on mucho grande amounts of Mexican food.

When you are finished with England and Mexico, come back to your Ole' Kentucky home and celebrate a true American tradition in style at the most exciting two minutes in the sport - 138th running of The Kentucky Derby. The Derby party is as "lounge" as it gets and combines everything we love: a chance to dress up sharp, fancy cocktails in silver chalices, and a sporting wager.

We recommend the following destinations to enjoy the finest mint juleps in a crowd of clad in seersucker and elegant straw hats.

Maison Premiere - Annual Derby Party featuring Four Roses Bourbon

12pm -8pm

Fresh off the victory winning Best New Cocktails Award by TimOutNY, Maxwell Britten and his crew of dapper drink slingers will be throwing one hell of a pre-game BBQ in Maison Premiere's backyard. Icy platters of oysters will be plentiful and an extensive menu of mint juleps served in silver beaded tins will be available. The House Band starts at 3 and goes to 7. The Derby will also be broadcast live on the cocktail den’s famous old fashioned radio from 6:28 to 6:30.

Maison Premiere - 298 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn - 347-335-0446; 

Clover Club - Kentucky Derby Party featuring Bulleit Bourbon

4:30pm -7pm

Bulleit Bourbon will provide complementary passed hors d' oeuvres and mint juleps. Mixtresses Elayne Duke and Julie Reiner will set up shop in the front of Clover Club with their julep bar again this year. They will wear fancy hats, and crank out juleps for all. Oh yeah, there will be a very short horse race shown;) Don't miss it!

Clover Club - 210 Smith Street, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn - 718-855-7939

Rum House - Derby Day Party featuring Maker's Mark bourbon

5pm-7pm

The gang at Rum House break out the julep cups, crushed ice, and copious amounts of mint and partner with Maker's Mark for Julep drink specials. Come watch "the most exciting two minutes in sports" on the big screen with Maker's Mark cocktails and fabulous prizes. There will be food. There will be hats. And there will be ponies.

The Rum House at the Edison Hotel - 228 West 47th Street, New York, NY  - 646-490-6924

My money is on Stay Thirsty (20:1) to take the derby and Chelsea to win the cup!

(Photo courtesy of SeriousDrink.com)

This Week in Lounge: April 23rd - 29th

J Walter Hawkes at Clover Club Wednesday

Tuesday April 24th 

Primativa in Hi-Fi at PK-NY

Make an escape to your own private paradise with Primativa in Hi-Fi every Tuesday from 6-11 at PKNY.  DJ duo Jack Fetterman and Gina of the Jungle's signature blend of old, new, popular and obscure music is guaranteed to invoke relaxing visions of locales southward, so head down to the lower east side, order of the many excellent cocktails and let the tropical sounds wash your cares away. In Tiki Veritas!

PKNY - 49 Essex St (at Grand St.), NYC

www.pk-ny.com

Broad Appeal at Macao Trading Co.

Join LUPEC NYC founding member Francine Cohen, Co-chair of Taste of the Nation at the intimate downstairs bar from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Francine and her celebrity barback Michael Neff of Ward 3 will shake up $10 cocktails to support the Taste of the Nation and Soaring Spirits. Great causes and even better company!


Macao Trading Company - 311 Church Street, NYC

www.macaonyc.com/

Wednesday April 25th

J.Walter Hawkes at Clover Club 

Our pal the Blatboy is teaming up with bassist Andrew Hall, Dan Levinson on clarinet, and Alan Carey on banjo/guitar for a night of jazz an cocktails at Brooklyn's Clover Club. Grab seat F14 and sample Julie Reiner's spring menu while Walt and his "syncopators" set the mood. 8:30pm - 11:30pm. Free.

Clover Club - 210 Smith Street, Brooklyn

www.cloverclubny.com

Friday April 27th

Late Night with Kevin Dorn and The Big 72 at the Garage

Missed J.Walter Hawkes at Clover Club? Close out your evening with jazz drummer Kevin Dorn and his Big 72 jazz collective at the Garage in the West Village. Walt will be on tailgate trombone and a gin and tonic diet. This shall rock. 10:30pm  - 2:00am.

The Garage - 99 7th Avenue South, NYC

Celebrate Your Constitutional Right to Have a Cocktail!! - Repeal Day 2011 Destinations

Loungerati's Fredo at Employees Only Repeal Day Party 2010

Repeal Day Destinations
In ten years, Repeal Day partying will stand shoulder to shoulder with Cinco de Mayo and other alcohol related holidays. Luckily, it is still in its infancy but growing stronger every year thanks to ongoing cocktail renaissance. So enjoy these rather intimate gatherings now before the amateurs take over!  Lastly, I want to make a toast to the an unlikely hero in this tale of repeal - The State of Utah! Utah was the final state that ratified the 21st Amendment repealing the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution on December 5, 1933. Cheers to Utah!

We recommend the following 4 destinations for proper celebrating!



1. 1534 Cocktail Bar - Repeal Day Party to Support Bottomless Closet
Zacapa Rum teams up LUPEC's New York chapter, and the 1534 fellas to support Bottomless Closet, an organization that helps disadvantaged NYC women with professional development, financial management and personal enrichment. No secret passwords to get in, instead bring an item to donate to the Accessories Drive. In return,  guests will be treated to pre-prohibition style drinks courtesy of Zapaca, food and music! Finest prohibition dress highly recommended.
 
1534 - 20 Prince Street, SoHo, New York - 7pm - 9:30pm


2. Clover Club - Annual Repeal Day Party
Hot 1920s jazz from Michael Aranella and his Dreamland Orchestra fills Brooklyn cocktail den Clover Club for this special party. Drink specials all night long sponsored by Plymouth gin. Naughty surprises from burlesque mavens Darlinda Just Darlinda and Peekaboo Pointe! Don't miss the easiest holiday of the year. No presents to buy, no pies to bake and no costumes to rent. Just legal good times!

Clover Club - 210 Smith Street, Brooklyn, New York - 8:30pm - 11:30pm

3.  Louis 649 Bar - Francine's Pink Room Repeal Day Party
Francine (aka singer/burlesque performer Franny Fluffer) returns to Louis 649 to celebrate Repeal Day - the 78th anniversary of Prohibition's Repeal. Expect a decadent evening of classic jazz, burlesque and mixology at intimate East Village cocktail stalwart Louis 649. In addition to the tantalizing teasing by Francine, patrons will be treated to performances from Medianoche and Sapphire Jones.There is no cover charge for this special event, however an RSVP - rsvp@louis649.com.

Louis 649 - 649 East 9th Street, East Village, New York - Doors open at 8pm, performance set at 9pm, 10pm, and 11pm, free admission with rsvp, $15 minimum per set

4. Employees Only - Annual Repeal Day Party
This legendary party is invitation only so if you have the luck to be an attendee, put on your sharpest suits or flapper dress and get ready to call in sick tomorrow to work. Employees Only has been celebrating since being named World's Best Cocktail Bar at Tales of the Cocktail. So expect this shindig to be over the top. Typically, the party include complimentary cocktails from the biggest booze sponsors. Last year guests were treated to Plymouth Gin drinks concocted by the stellar team behind the bar. Punches in monster tea cups, Southsides made to order, hot jazz, burlesque on the bar, tasty treats from the EO kitchen, and whose who of bar industry stopping by. 

Employees Only - 510 Hudson Street, West Village, New York - Private party

PS: Loungerati will be turning 5 years old. The group and blog were formed at a Repeal Day celebration in 2006. We will let the Repeal Day have its day and be celebrating Thursday December 8th at the Rum House in midtown!

(photo of Fredo by Gabi Porter for Metromix)

Tales of the Cocktail - 2009 Spirit Award Winners

I arrived at Harrah's Theatre early, lost $20 at slots, then got on line for the weekend's grande finale - 3rd annual Tales of the Cocktail Spirit Awards sponsored by Pernod Ricard USA. I sampled the bar, chatted with a few soon to be winners, grabbed a Blood and Sand, and a seat with a crew of mixologists from Drink Boston. After a whopping set of introductions by funny man Billy Harris, The Tuennermans & Co, and cocktail author Simon Difford, the Spirit Awards were handed out.

And the winners are:

(Drumroll)

Best American Bar: Audrey Saunders' Pegu Club, NYC

Best Hotel Bar in the World: The Merchant Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Best Cocktail Writing 2009: David Wondrich of Esquire Magazine

Best New Product: Bols Genever

Best American Brand Ambassador: Simon Ford for Plymouth Gin

World's Best Drinks Selection: The Merchant Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland

American Bartender of the Year: Jim Meehan of PDT, NYC

Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book: The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks by Dale Degroff

World's Best Cocktail Menu - The Merchant Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland

International Bartender of the Year: Tony Conigliaro, Lonsdale, London

World's Best New Cocktail Bar: Julie Reiner's Clover Club, Brooklyn

World's Best Cocktail Bar: Jim Meehan's PDT, NYC

Helen David Life Achievement Award:Peter Dorelli, London

It is clear the New York is still Cocktail Central in 2009! Loungerati is especially proud of our local favorite, The Clover Club. Julie made the trip just in case she won, well congrats!!!

Barfly Goes On The Wagon

Extra! Extra! I, Fredo, have some big, life-changing news!

No, I am not another lay off casualty, that happened back in November and I got a new gig within a month! No, I am not a Dad yet! What I am is on the wagon. Yes, the wagon, and I could not have done it without the help of Fred™ Natural Spring Water.

I know what you are thinking. How could the winner of the 2001 TWT “Don’t Bruise the Ice” Award, and the 2002 -2004 TWT Barfly of Year Awards even contemplate a world without the sweet, sweet booze? What possibly could have happened to make me change my ways? Well, after my Chancellor cocktail at Clover Club last night, I had an epiphany.

One, I was going home after only one drink; and two, I realized that I have consumed an incredible variety of cocktails, spirits, booze, eau de vie in my day. How many new versions of the Manhattan do I actually need to drink? I think I have had enough, I mean here is the short list of cocktails I have had in just the past month of March:

Sazarac
Poli Sarpa Grappa
Old Fashioned
Benton (Bacon) Old Fashion
Improved Whiskey Cocktail
Partida Margherita
Vieux Carre
Classic Manhattan
Perfect Manhattan
Bourbon Manhattan
Brooklyn
Greenpoint
Bensonhurst
Ramos Gin Fizz
Maker’s Mark on the Rocks
Jameson’s neat, Irish coffee with Powers
Ackerman’s Farewell
Morici
Sbagliato
Champagne Cocktail
Widow’s Kiss
Penicillin
The Paper Plane
Pisco Sour
Masala Daiquiri
The Blue Collar
Broadmoor
Chancellor, and
The Last Word

See what I mean? That was March…and the ones I remember! It is about time I switched to aqua. Moreover, Fred™ Natural Spring Water comes in a flask-like plastic bottle, so it is a perfect fit for a barfly like me…I mean ex-barfly!

Therefore, the new cocktail of choice in the Loungerati Executive Lounge:

The FRED-H2-O

6 oz Fred™ Natural Spring Water
4 ice cubes

Combine in tumbler and drink away. I have been known to drink 6 to 8 glasses of these a day. However, be warned - do not drink too much, you could get water intoxication!

If you are on the wagon like me, Fred™ is the way to go. Enjoy!

What We're Drinking: The Bensonhurst - There goes the neighborhood...

by Fredo

I could write a whole article about the Brooklyn Cocktail and its' neighborhood cuginos like the Greenpoint and Carroll Gardens, but TimeOutNY beat me to it. Instead, I will suggest you order one of my new favorite cocktails that was also mentioned in the article, it is known as The Bensonhurst.

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in my usual seat, F14, at Clover Club, contemplating whether to order amaro or rye. I thought, why not get the best of both worlds and asked Giuseppe to give me an Italian version of a perfect Manhattan. He gave me a wink and went into action. The Rittenhouse 100 came out, so did the maraschino, I saw the Noilly Prat dry vermouth float into a 1 ounce jigger, and then my eyes lit up - G was reaching for the bottle of Cynar, the artichoke derived amaro.

The end product was a sublime cocktail served up in a frosted Nick and Nora cocktail glass, plus dividend on the side. The amaro and the maraschino compliment the 100 proof rye and make the drink smooth and velvety. The dry vermouth cuts the sweetness and give the drink a light maroon color. No need to garnish with citrus or add bitters.

The Bensonhurst
2oz Rittenhouse Rye (100 proof)
1oz Noilly Pratt dry vermouth
2 tsp of Luxardo Maraschino
1 tsp of Cynar

Combine over ice, stir, and strain into a Nick and Nora or Coupe glass.

Now it may be some time before Bensonhurst bartenders serving modern day Ralph Kramdens their shot and a beer catch on to this drink, so until then check out your local quality cocktail bar closer to Manhattan. You know where to go. Salute!

Wednesdays at Clover Club - Michael Arenella's Quartet

News from our pal and maestro Michael Arenella:

Presenting the Michael Arenella Quartet's new, weekly appearance...
Wednesday Nights at Clover Club
7:30 - 10:30 pm

Join us at Smith Street's swankiest "Speak", from the proprietors of Manhattan's fabled Flatiron Lounge. Champion, well-groomed bartenders will stir up your favorite old-time cocktails, whether it's a Ramos Fizz or a real Whiskey Sour.

Fresh bitters, black cherries, and even the long forgotten essential ingredient to a true cocktail, the egg, are among the charms to be found.

Tasty gourmet bar food menu.
Cozy up with the Quartet in a handsome leather booth, for Brooklyn's most sublime evening out.
(Room to dance, but keep it a secret.)

Clover Club
210 Smith Street, between Butler and Baltic
F or G to Bergen
718.855.7939

Giuseppe Gonzalez, finalist in the Martin Millers Masters Competition

by Fredo

Congrats to Clover Club's Giuseppe Gonzalez on being a finalist in the Martin Miller's Gin Masters Competition. He appeared with fellow finalist Jake Berger on Friday's edition of CW 11 Morning News in New York.

Below is Giuseppe's recipe for the Clover Club which is one of our favorites:

Martin Miller’s Gin Clover Club
Giuseppe Gonzalez (US)
- 1.5 oz Martin Miller’s Gin
- ½ oz Dry Vermouth
- ½ oz Fresh Lemon
- ½ oz Homemade Raspberry Syrup
- Small egg white

Visit www.martinmillersgin.com for the Blighty Mojito (Jake Berger's recipe), Clover Club and other classic cocktail recipes.

(photo courtesy of CW 11 News)

Barfly's Beat: The Clover Club

by Fredo

I am a firm believer that one cannot accurately review a new establishment based upon one visit during the first week, let alone opening night. Bars, like restaurants, need time to settle in, to work out the kinks. The initial days and weeks involve growing pains, a learning curve, and sometimes personnel changes. Cocktailienne Julie Reiner's new Clover Club at 210 Smith Street in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill neighborhood,is no exception. Since it's late June opening, I have visited "Clover" often twice a week and have witnessed its' maturity. Further, this gin mill is getting better with every visit.

The Clover Club is a 78-seat lounge and private (as in no standing) back parlor which can hold 30 patrons. The decor is Victorian influenced but feels like Brooklyn, with rich dark wood interior, mosaic tiles, maroon leather banquettes, and elegant antique lighting. The bar, where the Loungerati set spend most of our time, is 19th century restored mahogany wood bar, which according to Julie Reiner "was hand-salvaged from a house in an old coal mining town in Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania."

To really gauge whether a cocktail lounge of this caliber is the real McCoy, I start off by ordering OFF the menu. Any mixologist worth their sleeve garters should be able to make the following cocktails: The French 75 (Gin or Cognac), Classic Gin martini, a Daiquiri, a Sazarac, a Manhattan, a Gin Fizz, and the Old Fashioned. Rumor has it that the bartenders at several new high end cocktail joints were only proficient with the cocktail menu but lacked the over all chops to produce the classics. Well let me be the first say this is not the case at Clover Club. Like skilled chefs, the bartending staff not only produced any classic I ordered (including personal favorites like the Gin Daisy and Plymouth Sloe Gin Fizz) they executed the drinks brilliantly and even added their own signature. Once convinced of the classics, I was ready to sample the menu.

The well-rounded cocktail menu is divided into nine categories of both classic and innovative mixed drinks, including Bucks & Mules, Juleps & Smashes, Sours & Daises, and Punches. Here are some of the highlights: The Clover Club based on the 1909 recipe from the original Bellevue-Stratford bar in Philadelphia (Gin, Dry Vermouth, Lemon, Raspberry syrup, egg white), the Bramble (a Dick Bradsell invention, Gin, Lemon, Sugar, fresh blackberry puree), the Bohemian Fizz (Gin, Elderflower, Lemon, Soda) and the Jersey Julep (Applejack, Mint, Maple Syrup). Also, some classic American Punches such as the Algonquin Punch (Jamaican Rum, Plymouth Sloe Gin, Fresh Lemon, and Raspberry Syrup) served in vintage punch bowls for 4 - 6 people. (Disclaimer: I tried all of these cocktails over four weeks not one visit!!)

The cocktail pedigree behind the bar is impressive as the menu. The Lonsdale in London. Pegu Club and Flatiron Lounge in New York. These are some of the names on the resumes of the talented team of bartenders. Flatiron alum Giuseppe Gonzalez assumes the role of head of the class. Despite being an award winning mixologist (last year he won the 2007 Vinos De Jerez Cocktail Competition), Giuseppe prefers to be called a bartender. See the profession runs in the family and he is his father's son. Gonzalez helped design the menu (have I mentioned Jersey Julep?) and delivers his hand crafted cocktails with a smile and without pretension. He represents the vision of the club which is refinement and style without being contrived.

Clover Club also features a selection of small plates. A few highlights include Oysters on the half shell (which were so plump and fresh that they probably didn't even need that delicious cucumber mignonette sauce but I'm glad they included it!), a mini-lamb burger which is perfectly cooked and accompanied by homemade waffle chips, and the Steak tartar (described by Jenny from Carrol Gardens as "Lick your plate good".) And I almost forgot, the Deviled Eggs four ways. Gulp. Nothing make a gin martini go down smooth than "the eggs"!

Nine times out of ten, I occupy the far corner of the L-shaped bar which I call the dug out. I sit next to the lighting/heating panel and move when the managers come to tweak the ambiances. The antique scones and bar lights are adjusted as the sun sets. As Julie told me, "Unlike Flatiron, which is more like a cave, Clover Club has lots of natural light." So as the twilight approaches, the mood of the bar adapts. By nightfall and especially in the back room (yes I was able to secure some seats), you feel that your are in a swank refined club.

The crowd showing up is as diverse as Brooklyn itself. One night a crew of gals who called themselves the "boriqua nurses" were having a good old time, the next it was couples on dates, then vintage clad mods ordering the classics, journalists, bloggers, Smith Street barflies, fellow mixologists from Milk & Honey & Death & Co, and Esquire's cocktail impresario David Wondrich. The next time around a family of Hasidics took over a nearby banquette, which was later occupied by a birthday party of twenty something professionals, and then more revellers from Queens, Manhattan, Bayridge, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, Park Slope, Fort Greene, Sunset Park, even bloody Edinburgh, Scotland arrived!

Finally, the back parlor room which seats up to 30 guests, is separated from the front of the house by heavy tapestries and a hostess. The room is decorated with velvety Victorian parlor furniture and I'm sure come winter time, it gets real cozy by the elegant marble fireplace. The objective of the parlor is to allow loungers to enjoy a more intimate experience - a speakeasy in the back room of a lounge...now that is a curtain I can get behind!

The Clover Club is located at 210 Smith Street, between Baltic and Butler Streets, and is open Monday-Thursday, 5pm – 2am; Friday, 5pm – 4am; Saturday, 2:30pm – 4am, and Sunday, 2:30pm – 12:30am. Reservations are accepted in the parlor room only by calling 718-855-7939.

(photos courtesy of the Clover Club)