NOT THAT LONG ago, it seemed every new restaurant or bar in New York City required a single-word name (Butter, Dram). However, with the opening of the molecular wizardry mecca Booker & Dax inside Momofuku Ssam Bar, it's become clear that, of late, a new form of city nomenclature has taken over. Welcome to the era of "Blank & Blank."
Viktor & Spoils: Ad victorem spolias, and the treasures to be had at this colorful Lower East Side taqueria in the Hotel Rivington include updated Mexico fusion food (like Hamachi Crunch taquitos with yuzu dressing) and innovative cocktails, along with one of the larger selection of tequilas and mezcals in the city (we'll be over in the corner hogging the Milagro Añejo. The vibe is farmhouse mod, as if the kids in Footloose opened a secret disco, and the drinks aren't cheap with cocktails averaging around $14. But you get creative concoctions like the 212 with Partida Reposado tequila, aperol and grapefruit juice, and the Decandent Daisy 69, includes 1942 Don Julio and 100th anniversary Grand Marnier. Fans swear by the complex flavors, creativity and joyful noise made during this victorious rampage. Bonus: A build-your-own nachos option with over add-on ingredients like homemade chorizo and lobster. 105 Rivington St , (212) 475-3485 viktorandspoils.com
Saxon + Parole: From Mexico, shift to England in this spot that took over the Double Crown locale last fall. Design firm AvroKO has installed equestrian paintings adorn the wall (Saxon and Parole being two famous 19th century racehorses), exposed bulbs and contempo-rustic seating. At the speakeasy-style bar (still dubbed Madam Geneva), Naren Young has crafted a creative-classic menu with tasty seasonal drinks like the Lower East Cider ($13) with cachaça, lemon juice, pear William, house-made spiced agave nectar and hard apple cider. 316 Bowery (at Bleeker), 212.254.0350 saxonandparole.com
Pillar & Plough (closed): Hotel Williamsburg eatery, we hardly knew ye. Opened in November , the bold modernist-industrial space, offering upscale chow and a serious cocktail menu, was shut down at the end of January at the request of its potential new owner (King & Grove), according to Grub Street and Eater. Still, we felt it worth mentioning for its trendy dual name. 160 N 12th Street (at Bedford), Williamsburg
Booker & Dax: Dave Arnold, the culinary technology director at the International Culinary Institute / French Culinary Institute has taken over the Milk Bar space inside Momofuku Ssam and turned it into a mad scientist's laboratory of amazing drinks (the bar is named for his two sons). If you've been lucky enough to sample Arnold's cocktails at FCI events or cocktail week demonstrations around the globe—rotovapped peanut butter vodka, pre-carbonated Gin & Tonics (before everyone was doing them) or Red Hot Poker Cider cocktail (where an actual red hot poker is shoved into the drink to change its flavor and composition)—you have some idea what you're getting into here. Expect liquid nitrogen, fire and unusual laboratory equipment. But in the end, Arnold says, "the drinks have to be slammin' good." The pre-mixed and bottled Manhattans, chilled with liquid nitrogen, are a thing of beauty. 207 2nd Ave (at 13th St), 212.254.3500 momofuku.com
Nights and Weekends: Escape to the islands at this Greenpoint rum shack from the team behind Five Leaves. Weathered and painted to feel as if its been around for ever, the bar evokes Cuba with an open-air retreat design and paintings of 1950s era lowriders. Nosh on chikarones (chicken skin, $3) and cuban rice and beans with duck confit ($10) for brunch, daily stew specials or chorizo sliders ($12) for dinner. Top-shelf whiskies, tequilas and mezcals share the menu with a wide variety of rums, including Zaya Gran Reserva, a 12-year-old sipping rum from Trinidad and Tobago. Or throw back the Improved Malecon Old Fashioned (Ron Zacapa 23-year rum, Cruzan Black Strap rum, bitters, sugar, $11). 1 Bedford Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, 718.383.5349, nightsandweekendsny.com
Salt & Fat: Plopped in perhaps the most unlikely of spots (adjacent to a CVS on busy Queens Boulevard, in the shadow of the 7 train) is this tranquil and delicious mash-up of Korean, Latino and New American comfort food. It's appropriately named: The dishes, served in small portions, are rich and filling (you're handed a small bag of bacon-flavored popcorn as a starter). Diners are encouraged to order several plates to share, but experience teaches that about 1 1/2 orders per person is good (or maybe two, when it comes to the braised pork belly tacos). Pair with a short but creative wine list, which often draws from the Pacific Northwest. It's too bad "Sugar and Alcohol" isn't located next door (though Molly Bloom's is an excellent nearby choice for a follow-up drink). 41-16 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside, 718.433.3702 saltandfatny.com
The Dog and Duck: English/Irish gastropubs is where we sort of expect the dual-name thing: The Pig and Whistle, the Wolf and Lamb (okay, technically "the" is a third word). New to Sunnyside, Queens is Dog & Duck (named for a popular pub in Soho, England). Open and sunny with lots of floor-to-ceiling windows, the owners are a friendly duo offering up lunch, brunch and dinner. Pub classics, like Fish and Chips and Ham & Leek pie are on the menu, as is duck liver pate on homemade brown bread, and a goat cheese and onion marmalade. A solid beer menu (you'll find Leffe Blonde on tap) and a brief selection of whiskies and other spirits round out the experience. 45-20 Skillman Ave (at 45th St), 718.406.9048 no website
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Thirsty for more? Check out National Spirits Examiner or NY Drinks Examiner.
Do you have a cocktail trend, new product bar or teahouse you'd like me to review? Want to give me a heads-up on your favorite hot spot? Please email me at NYDrinksExaminer AT gmail.com. Or follow me on Twitter @roberthp.
FTC Disclaimer: The author sometimes receives product samples for review, which carry no cash value and cannot be re-sold, and sometimes attends press events such as lunches or cocktail parties, designed to promote a given product. The author is not paid by any alcohol manufacturer, retailer or distributor, or provided compensation apart from revenue from an assigning publishing company for editorial publication. Opinions are the author's own. By the way, you should be 21 or older to read this page. Author has received no comps in relation to this article, but is thinking about opening a place called Blank & Blank.
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