Last Monday night kicked off like it was a Friday night at the Flatiron Lounge. Tales of the Cocktails threw a shindig to announce the nominees of this year’s TOC competitions. The entrance was surrounded by a group of costume dressed, rowdy bartenders, puffing on Camel Lights. It was like being back at college, except this lot had just come from a cocktail croquette event sponsored by Hendrick’s Gin and they has started boozing it up since the morning. By the time I got to Flatiron Lounge it was 6 in the evening. I was sober and probably in the minority (story of my life, the minority thing I mean, not sobriety).
Spirits industry professionals know how to let loose. They’re so damn easy going, they almost always have a wicked sense of humor and they like to drink – a lot. Industry cocktail parties couldn’t be more different to most wine events. Conversations at the latter cover the likes of pH and controlled fermentation, while the former involves bragging about how much they put away at lunch.
TOC throw an annual cocktail competition and this year’s theme was punch. The winning recipe called the Punch and Judy, created by mixologist Charlotte Voissey, was served. Her concoction of cognac, rum, gin, curacao, pineapple juice, lime juice, agave nectar and bitters was a bit heavy handed for my taste. What happened to punch being a five-ingredient drink? Then again she was limited to Martell VSOP, not isn’t exactly the best spirit for inspiration.
After making a hasty exit from a slobbering bartender that felt the need to kiss my ear every time he whispered into it, I hurried over to Bar Milano and back into civilization. The new bar-restaurant from the brothers that gave us ino, inoteca and Lupa is in an ugly neighborhood – Murray Hill – for PR reasons they are calling it Gramercy. Bar Milano is a great crowd pleaser that offers something for fans of Northern Italian wine, good food and great cocktails. Celebrity mixologist, Tony Abou Ganim, is a partner in the new venture and he has created a lovely cocktail list. It’s not as showy or geeky as the new wave of mixology hangouts; it’s more old school and classy.
The herbal 323 is served straight up in a cocktail glass and consists of rosemary infused gin, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar (the latest trendy ingredient in cocktails), fresh basil and strawberries. The Milano is an appetizing aperitivo, made from Campari, Cointreau, blood orange puree, lemon juice and seltzer. I had to get the Corpse Reviver #2 and I loved it. Perfect for fans of anise, the cocktail consists of Junipero Gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blonde, Lucid Absinthe and lemon juice. It was mildly lethal yet amazingly balanced.
The chow doesn’t disappoint either. A neat potato cake with a perfectly crisp top layer, sandwiching a runny egg — all perched with just enough caviar to get a taste of salty mineral was pure delight. The porcini risotto was a tad too salty and over the top with flavor but the monkfish entrée was seriously good. This was trash fish that tasted more like halibut, it was so tender, juicy and moist. It came with a decadent slither of foie gras and a slice of caramelized pear. To balance out the intensity of the dish the chef thoughtfully provides a side of sauerkraut cabbage. Double yum.