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

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)

Barfly's Beat: Macao Trading Company

Macao Trading Company, the new joint venture from the fellas behind Employees Only and Chanterelle's David Waltuck is an ambitious bar/restaurant which features Portuguese-Chinese cuisine, top shelf original cocktails, and a vintage decor that is reminiscent of "mid-1940s Red Lantern district." The Tribeca location is non-descript from the street. One passes through industrial iron grated doors which are only illuminated by a red light and into a jovial atmosphere. The restaurant is buzzing and if a bar seat is available, get it - like the seats at Employees Only, they are considered real estate.

The menu is dividend into Large Dishes and Small Dishes and combines Portuguese and Chinese influence found in the ex Portuguese colony of Macao. All the choices are served two ways - Portuguese or Chinese - which is a relief because we are a little sick of "fusion." If eating at the bar, try the small plates and sample the entire menu. We started with Manila clams Portuguese style with chorizo, then we ordered the Portuguese lamb meatballs, which are stuffed with cheese and served in a spicy paprika sauce. Their Chinese counter parts are pork meatballs which are rolled in sticky rice, and steamed are worth a second order. Then it was a warm chorizo and melon salad and lobster dumplings...need I say more? For more on the menu check out the review on Eater.

Now for the Cocktails. The team behind the bar are veterans from Employees Only, Pravda,Schillors, and other top bars. Jason Kosmas, Igor Hadzismajlovic, and Dushan Zaric lead the crew and their experience comes through in the original creations and takes on classic cocktails. There are about a dozen specialty cocktails on the menu but we enjoyed these five the most:

Drunken Dragon's Milk is one of the signature cocktails. The drink combines Charbay Green Tea Vodka shaken with Young Coconut Puree, Thai Basil & Macao Five-Spice Bitters, served in a Collins glass.

Yellow Fever is a rye sour given the royal treatment. It consists of 100 proof Rittenhouse Rye, Benedictine, Lemon Juice & Egg White, shaken and layered over the mixologist ingredient of the moment, Cherry Heering. This concoction releases a medley of flavors from sweet to tart but goes down smooth and leaves you wanting more.

Kaffir Jimlet is a cocktail of Kaffir Lime-infused Plymouth Gin mixed with Lime Juice & Agave Nectar, served straight up. The Kaffir lime is a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine and is infusion with Plymouth gin and addition of sweet agave nectar creates a sublime version of the gin gimlet.

The Mah-Johng is a reinvented Rob Roy made with J & B Rare Scotch stirred with Navan Vanilla Liqueur, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth & Macao Five-Spice Bitters. Generally, I am not a fan of Vanillas or other sweet liqueurs being added to traditional cocktails. However, the vanilla is so subtle and compliments the five-spice bitters without overwhelming the scotch.

The Arrack Fizz consists of Batavia Arrack shaken with Mandarin Blossom Water, Homemade Hibiscus Cordial, Pineapple Juice, and an Egg White, served in a tall glass. I recognized this drink from EO. See Jason tested the drink on me on several occasions. I gave feedback, he tweaked it, I drank more, gave feedback, he added ingredients, changed proportions, and the finished product is on the Macao menu.

Oh and I kept the best for last. Macao Trading also has a "speakeasy" lounge downstairs. The space consists of semi private booths and a small bar manned by quality bartenders. If you want a bar seat get there unfashionably early, say 8:30, or really late. Once the clock hits 9pm, the downstairs gets a door man and the line that comes with him. So get that prime real estate early and settle in for outstanding cocktails, superb bar food, and a chill scene.

- Fredo

Macao Trading Co.

311 Church St, New York 10013

(Btw Walker & Lispenard St)

Phone:212-431-8750
http://www.macaonyc.com

(Photo of the Mah-Jong Cocktail)

Hendrick's Gin Limerick night at Employees Only

by Fredo

Jim Ryan, Hendrick's unusual man in New York, sent the following note on Facebook:

Come one come all if ever you care,
Employees Only is the locale of our affair,
You shall dress in most unusual attire,
Showcasing our botanicals we certainly require,
Proving Hendrick's a gin most debonair!

So we dispatched our primo gallo della citta, Giancarlo Zanetti to represent Loungerati at the Hendrick's Gin Limerick and Cocktail competition at Employees Only on Monday night. Needless to say the poetry became more whimsical with every passing glass of Gin, whether it be martini, with tonic, or neat! The competition lasted from 4-6 and drinks until sunset. Nostro gallo Giancarlo then made his way to the trifecta of cocktail destinations - absinthe bar White Star, newly private M&H, and nightcapped it at molecular HQ - Tailor. Well done ragazzo...for a Monday!

Giancarlo, I hope in your travels, you enjoyed one of my favorite Hendrick's cocktails, The Mayfair Cocktail (think margarita but with gin!):

2 oz. Hendrick's Gin
¾ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
2 slices cucumber

Wet the rim of a coupe or martini glass with lime.Then dab it in the mixture of kosher salt and dried thyme to "frost" the rim of the glass. Combine the gin, simple syrup, lemon juice and one cucumber in a shaker and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a thin slice of cucumber.

Barfly's Beat: Industry Night at House of Campari

Late Sunday, I received an email from a friend in the Hamptons. It read, "what ever you do, be at the House of Campari's Industry Night with Radar Magazine featuring New York Mixologists and a burlesque showcase. This Monday, as in tomorrow!"

Monday night, hmmm - that is a tough sell for a regular office stiff like me. Then I scanned down at the featured NYC mixologists and knew it was fate. I would be dressed to the nines and ready to imbibe. The folks crafting customized cocktails (oh alliteration!) included a whose who of the New York industry: Allen Katz, Director of Mixology of Southern Wines & Spirits, Brian Miller of Death & Company, Dushan Zaric, Jason Kosmas, and Igor Hadzismajlovic of Employees Only, Naren Young of Bobo, and Lynette Marrero of Elletaria. Oh and it got better. The burlesque numbers would be provided by Amber Ray of Light, Ms. Tickle, and the World Famous "Bob." Gulp!

I popped by Balthazar for a quick pre drink bite. I wolfed down my bar burger and headed around the corner to 54 Crosby Street in SoHo. Campari had taken over an art gallery for the show. The theme of the Industry Night event was "Celebrate your Passion" but the party was an installment of the greater Campari sponsored art festival "Defining a Moment: 25 New York Artists." This showcase is a series of events spread over two weeks at New York art galleries, clubs, and museums. The way this crowd celebrated their passion was to drink free cocktails made by some of the NYC's best cocktailians (with Campari natch!)

The Employees Only bar: Jason, Igor, and Dushan were on my side of the bar for a change. Their apprentices were furiously at work making refreshing Waterloo Cocktails made from Martin Miller's Gin, Campari, muddled watermelon, and fresh lemon juice. The drinks were served on the rocks in Collins glasses and imbibed with a straw. Now, I am not a big fan of Watermelon, but it was unseasonably hot outside and with the gallery's air conditioner drumming away at London tube levels, I gulped down their cocktail with gusto. Bonus - no pits!

Next on the Hit Parade, the Bobo cocktail: This tangerine, vodka, and Campari mixture was aesthetically pleasing. The orange liquid was served up in a martini glass and garnished with a violet flower. It was distributed by comely cocktail waitresses who buzzed around the main floor. I had one and chatted up Allen Katz and several industry folks (some of whom were clearly at checking out the competition.) Katz told us to keep a look out for cocktails with Kirschwasser and other l'eau de vie this summer. I made a note Kirschwasser good, drinks with tangerine mehhhhhh.

Upstairs I went and so did the heat. Mind you, I was clad in an impeccably tailored blazer, gabardine slacks, fitted shirt, and a daring tie with the required accoutrement's (deco tie clips, cuff links, in other words - the nines).Unfortunately, the eco-system in the gallery was more conducive to a guayabera or perhaps nothing at all!!

On the second level, I hit a double team effort from Death & Company and Elettaria:
Brian Miller was sorting out a delicious cocktail called the Benjamin Barker Daiquiri. This drink is made from Goslings Rum, Campari, St. George Absinthe, Demerara sugar syrup, and fresh lime juice. You could really taste the absinthe flavor but it did not overwhelm the drink and or overpower the slight bitterness of the Campari (which is the point of using it). The cocktail was served up in a stemless martini glass.

Next to Mr. Miller, the bar was manned by Lynnette Marrero of Greenwich Village restaurant Elettaria featuring veterans of Freemans and Death & Company. My left eyebrow was arched at 180 degrees as I approached. Her cocktails were served in champagne flutes and though I missed the name (Rose something?) I saw the words tequila - which have haunted me since freshman year of college. So I went safe and asked for a Negroni. Ms. Marrero kindly advised me that only the custom cocktails are available. So I shrugged like Jack Lemmon in Glengarry Glennross, my will power deflated, and reluctantly picked up a flute. The first thing that impacts your senses when you take a sip of this delicious concoction is the dried rose bud that is used as a garnish. It is floral yet effervescent. Then the mixture, Campari, reposo tequila, and sparkling wine begin to numb what's left of your resistance. I fell in love with it. I loved that Rosey drink the second and third time around too. She was my bad habit. She was hypnotic. Then I realized I was broiling.

I retreated back downstairs and took a stance near a cool vent like a Gecko lizard. It was strategically perfect. A stone's throw from the EO bar and on route to the bathroom. Everyone walking by naturally started conversation and I met many new friends. Upstairs the burlesque show was going full swing with the Fisherman's Quartet supplying xylophone studded lounge music that Martin Denny would dig. Downstairs the crowd was getting loopy and actually checking out the art for the first time!

What a memorable evening and it was only Monday! If anyone was at the event and knows the name of that Rosey drink, please send me an email. I'm getting no hits on Craiglist's Missed Connections!

- Fredo

The House of Campari
54 Crosby Street
New York, NY 10012

For great pictures of the House of Campari Industry Night check out Patrick McMullen's site.

Barfly's Beat: Eating at the Bar

The bar ain't just for drinks!

Most people think of the restaurant bar as a place to grab a pre-dinner drink or lounge post dessert. Casual diners do not realize that in New York, bar seats in many establishments are as coveted as Manhattan real estate. The cognoscenti, who actually enjoy the camaraderie and directness of a bar meal, know that eating at the bar is much more that a pit stop. It is the destination. In premium eateries that have a bar scene, you need a virtual (and sometimes literal) reservation or at least know the bar staff to acquire a seat. Once you get that seat, you stay for a while ...a long while.

Last week I was eating at the bar in The Waverly Inn in New York's Greenwich Village. The snarky Douglas S. was behind the counter and as unspoken decorum demands, I signaled that I would like a Michter’s Straight Rye Manhattan (up) and a bar seat when one became available. The place was Thursday night crowded but the thought of John DeLucie’s perfectly cooked pork chop or Hudson Valley free-range chicken potpie and the general atmosphere of the place beckoned. I waited very patiently - like a “Saint” they would later say - cocktail in right hand, trench coat over left arm, felt fedora in free hand – for the other diners and drinkers to finish up and vacate the occupied seats. But I wasn't hurried or nervous about fighting for a spot, I know the drill. Though the place was filling up fast the next one would be mine. Some new patrons (who seemed a bit tipsy) "asked" already sat customers if they could get their seat but Douglas advised them in his signature direct manner that "this gentleman" (meaning moi)was next one on line. Now, there is no line at WI per se. It is more like a mob of folks sipping drinks waiting for their impossible to get table reservations and hoping to get a seat while they wait. But there are unwritten rules that transcend the specific establishment. In addition to first come, first serve - there are three simple rules I follow in restaurant bars – especially the good ones - that always get me in.

1. If you want a seat, kindly ask the bartender when they think one will be available for dinner and ask to be seated next. (Respect and courtesy can go far, even in this town)

2. Order a drink and keep the tab open. (This lets them know you are serious about sitting for a while)

3. Do not hover behind and upset seated customers. (First it is rude, second it will not get you the seat any faster)

My bar dinner at The Waverly Inn actually lead to another one this past weekend which I have to say was one of the best. While I was enjoying an after dinner Fernet Branca I recognized Igor, one of the superb bartenders and a proprietor of Employees Only. Since EO opened, Igor has made me countless cocktails and always made our crew feel first class when we walked through the door. He knows me as one of those guys who is serious about cocktails and invariably ends up having chicken soup late night. So I decided to buy him a drink and we got to chatting. I told him about my eating at the bar philosophy and he asked if I had ever had dinner at EO’s bar. To his amazement I told I had not and only sampled their killer Serbian chartucerie platter on occasion. Well he insisted I stop by the next time I had a chance and try it out.

Well the opportunity came the Saturday before Christmas. I figured the place would not be so crowded what with half of Manhattan heading back to see their families and I was spot on. Igor was outside having a smoke and welcomed me in with open arms. I got my usual seat (I like to occupy the "dugout" area of a bar for a sweeping view of the room). Starting out with a Negroni aperitif, I followed with a robust Super Tuscan when dinner arrived. The dinner menu was actually quite diverse but as soon as I saw Juniper Braised Rabbit I knew I was sold.

I began with crispy sweet breads over red globe grapes and fried capers.

For my entrée, I had no choice but to take the braised rabbit over creamy polenta and roasted veggies.

I topped the meal off with the dark chocolate cheesecake with banana whipped crème paired with a double espresso caffe corretto with Jacopo Poli grappa.

More grappa followed and then few other custom crafted cocktails such as the Ramos Gin Fizz and an Aviation. The conversation flowed with other bar patrons while Igor and fellow principal bartender Jose made sure my glass was never empty until I called it a night. The experience was exceptional because I felt as if I discovered a gem that had been under my nose the whole time. EO had outstanding food, impeccable and sincere service, and the experience was perfect way to kick off the holiday weekend.

Other Loungerati eating at the bar favorites:

1.Freemans – go for the seasonal cocktails, stay for the Venison Stew.

2.Balthazar – simply stop in for a plateaux des fruits de mer and a carafe of Sancerre on a lazy Saturday afternoon and you will understand.

3.Blue Ribbon – Brooklyn or Sullivan Street locations are winners. The attention to detail, raw bar, bone marrow, plus potent nightcaps make it a crowd pleaser year after year.

4.Bar Tabac – Sunday brunch with soccer on the flat screen and Michael Arenella jazz next to the bar. Throw in their Eggs Bar Tabac (baked eggs, ratatouille, and merguez sausage) and you stay for dinner!

So next time you consider a meal at the bar, remember that it is much more than chicken wings or nachos on a Sunday afternoon. Nor is it simply tapas or small plates before a sit down dinner. Whether you go solo or with a friend or on a date, the bar eating experience is communal and hardly ever solitary. Good bartenders are engaging and as long as you respect the unwritten code of securing a seat, you will be rewarded with a great dining and drinking experience … and heck a shot of Fernet may suddenly appear in front of you on the house.

- Fredo