Read about parts one, two, three, and four.
Speakeasies and Rum Punch. (Really this post should be titled Traveling for Booze, but I’m not sure I want to out myself as a lush just yet with a whole category dedicated to traveling for a great drink. Someday it will probably have to happen to though ;-).)
We somehow managed to go to not one, but two speakeasies while we were in New York. Even as an adult, and even though it was complete make-believe, pretending we were drinking illegally during Prohibition was pretty fun.
On Friday night after our smorgasbord at The Stanton Social, we ventured to The Back Room (lower East Side) where cocktails are served in teacups, drafts in coffee mugs and bottles are covered up with a brown paper bag. It was pretty crowded and after all of the food (and drinks) at dinner, we only lasted one round and my photos didn’t turn out all that well. I can attest that everyone looked super classy with their teacups. I looked like a hobo with my Stella in a paper bag.
On Saturday, our hosts were determined to take us to a place called Please Don’t Tell. Well I’m going to tell you a little bit. They have a webpage so I think it’s OK. First of all, entering this bar involves calling the host/hostess on a phone booth located inside a Hot Dog shop. Uhh, who wouldn’t want to make that call?! (I didn’t apparently, I made my boyfriend do it.) The back of the phone booth is actually the door to the bar.
Now there are no paper bags or tea cups here, but the drink menu is pretty incredible. I started with an Old Fashioned (yes I do tend to drink like an old man) made with Bacon infused Bourbon and maple syrup. Oh, and the biggest ice cube ever!
Next up, Ants on a Log. Yes, they somehow managed to turn a favorite childhood snack into a grown-up, boozy treat. (It also had bourbon in it.)
After these we were headed to dinner. And really the only thing I want to tell you about dinner is that we had a lot of Rum Punch. (We went to Cienfuegos, a Cuban restaurant that didn’t allow photography. I played by the rules, but as I was slightly liquored up that means I don’t remember a ton about the meal.) Even non-rum appreciators (like myself) will find something on their extensive Rum Punch menu. Our meal was certainly delicious, but the highlight for me were the vintage punch bowls and mismatched glass punch cups we were served with. (Clearly I did not take the picture below, but thanks to Google for helping me find this blog post.)
Photo by Aubrey Therkelsen.
That evening we also hit up McSorley’s Old Ale House and some other fairly generic bar before calling it a night. We got real New York City bagels the next morning and spent the day recovering and watching football. It was quite the whirlwind culinary adventure but we can’t wait to go back and try to eat our way through more of the Big Apple.
foodandfrederick 