A Manhattan in Manhattan

Walking into T-Bar Steak & Lounge on the Upper East Side of Manhattan is like walking into a Noel Coward play – or rather walking into a Woody Allen movie describing a Noel Coward play: "someone should be mixing martinis."

Instead they were mixing Manhattans. Seemingly appropriate except…

Is a Manhattan made with Canadian Whiskey a Manhattan – even if it's made in Manhattan?

Maybe it should be something like a Saskatchewan? But that's hard to order after a couple of drinks.

Commonly made with Canadian Whiskey because that's what is at hand, Manhattans if at all possibleshould be made with rye. Accompanying the rye will be the requisite short dash of sweet vermouth and the picturesque maraschino cherry. Occasionally you will come across a Bourbon Manhattan, but that sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?

There's some dispute as to the origins of the name Manhattan for this strong, masculine drink – whether it is for the borough itself or a derivation on the name Martinez for the vermouth – but there's no argument that this is a cocktail your grandparents made by the pitcher. At 4 p.m. Manhattans were put in the fridge. At 5 p.m., they were consumed.

T-bar is a steak house with more fish and vegetarian courses than steaks. The menu is for the Upper East Side type – you know – the larger the Manhattan apartment, the thinner the occupant. With my steak (seeing as how I neither have a Manhattan apartment nor am thin), I ordered a jalapeno margarita. T-Bar was T-short on anything but sweet cocktails on their signature menu, so I thought the jalapeno concoction would be a nice balance to my carnivore leanings. It was.

Jalapeno Margarita

- El Tesoro Platinum Tequila
- Triple Sec
- A healthy portion of sliced jalapenos
- Fresh lime juice

And instead of the sickeningly sweet simple syrup you might find in other margaritas, T-Bar used Sprite because "it's a natural!"

It took a couple of sips to get past the pepper shock, but by the end of the drink and the middle of the steak, it was a drink and dinner made in heaven.

T-Bar is a very noisy bar, not like a Noel Coward play at all, now that you mention it. All the bon mots are lost in the din. You'll need to learn to lip read. But there's probably an app for that now.

The end.

The Anthony Bourdain of Cocktails

Sometimes I have to down a cocktail against my better judgement so that you don't have to. Well, not that you would necessarily drink an Aviation Cocktail in the Jet Blue Lounge of JFK Int'l airport, but just in the slight case that you would, I threw myself in front of that bullet for you.

Notice the paper cup. That's so you can take it on the plane with you - against airline policy, you see.

I learned to do this after a conversation with a airline steward. Steward? Is that the right word? Anyway, we brought Bloody Marys on board after a particularly grueling visit to Haiti. Can you blame us?

Steward: You can't bring those on board with you!

Me: The bartender told us we could.

Steward: Well, of course HE would say that.

The Avation Cocktail: Hendrick's Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, fresh lemon juice. Dreadful. If only I had listened to American Airlines.

Speaking of Anthony Bourdain, we made a special trip to Schwabl's this past week-end. It was featured on Bourdain's No Reservations, and I experienced great pains of guilt at never visiting it myself....considering it is three miles from the family home.

Here are my dining companions. The lovely Jack and the lovelier Caroline.

At Schwabl's, justly famous for its roast beef on a kummelweck roll, Columbus Day falls between its two signature cocktails. The Ebeneezer Punch is available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the Tom and Jerry - featured on the Bourdain segment - is served from Thanksgiving Eve to St. Patrick's Day.

Bad timing for a visit but the food was wonderful, and the glass of Peter Brum Riesling was a nice consolation.

Here is the Bourdain segment: Part 1 and Part 2

Kill-Devil Punch

A lot has been made of the newly restored Minetta Tavern in Greenwich Village. It's all deserved. At least from a cocktail p.o.v.

Take the Kill-Devil Punch for example. Diplomatico Rum from Venezuela, Dumante Pistachio Liqueur (yes, Pistachio!), citrus juice, AND dark rum-soaked raisins.

Service was cordial, enthusiastic even. I was there with some of the cast from a neighboring theatre production. It was a Sunday afternoon so I didn't have to deal with any of the noise that the reviews for the Minetta have complained about. One review said it was the noisiest restaurant he/she had ever been in.

Isn't that why Sunday afternoons in bars were created?

Next time, I'll try the food.

La Paloma, La Philomena and Arthur Guinness

Another great place for the solitary woman to sit at the bar is at North Square on Waverly Place. Actually the restaurant is on Waverly, the lounge is accessed on MacDougal St.. Don't be afraid. It may look like you're walking into a residential building, but it's the Washington Square Hotel, and there will be a nice man to point you to the lounge.

I was early for a show at Manhattan Theatre Source down on MacDougal. The North Square was perfect for waiting. I could sit at the bar and have a chopped salad and a La Paloma in perfect peace. Plus they played Lloyd Cole and the Commotions Perfect Skin: "at the age of ten she looked like Greta Garbo and I loved her then but how was she to know that..." Perfect.

The La Paloma. Cabrito Blanco Tequila, Agave Nectar, lime juice and pink grapefruit juice - muy bonita.

Back to 59 East 59t Theatre bar, the Flagrant Philomena awaits. Created by Alberto for the Rough Magic Theatre company and their production of Improbable Frequency: rum, vodka, blue curacao, and tonic with a twist of orange. The imbibing of this blue concoction with frequency is improbable.

And finally, a toast to Mr. Arthur Guinness, whose concocted 250th anniversary was this past week. All cocktails raised to the stout!

An Irishman's Margarita

Last week-end, there was a long line at Magnolia Bakery again. The only line I would stand in would be to enter Bar Centrale. Just to have a chance at those tiger-striped bar stools. That's worth standing - to have a seat.

Jeff Riedel for the NYT

Here is a lovely picture of Maureen Dowd, sitting comfortably at the Bar, wondering if men were indeed necessary. See? Single woman at ease, alone at the bar. This is a true test. Can you go there alone?

Yes, you can. However, Ms. Dowd does look like she could use a cupcake.

Confections aside, bartender Paul O'Halloran recommends his margaritas, made with Sauza Hornitos Tequila."We Irish know our tequila more so than the Mexicans...." he said with a wink and then gave us some El Tesoro Platinum Tequila for sipping and blurriness ensued....

The wasabi peas just weren't enough to balance out the alcohol. Thank goodness we had a designated driver.

The Fresh Wind

A defeated superhero: "The Evil Masterminds tried everything, then one of them offered me a cosmo," C. Barsotti.

Speaking of cosmos, Carrie Bradshaw is back in town. Sex and the City 2 is filming in midtown these days, at Bergdorf Goodman's.

Right around the corner from the 59 East 59th Street Theatre. Best theatre bar in NYC!

Sort of like a cosmo, The Fresh Wind was created by Sir Alan Ayckbourn. This is probably the first and last time that I discuss a cocktail devised by a knight. Sir Alan took some time from writing his 73 plays to put together this gem. It consists of vodka, french vermouth, pink grapefruit juice and a splash of Cointreau. It will quell your public fear of private places. Or is it a private fear of public places?

And speaking again of cosmos, here's a tasty one from one of my favorite NYC spots, Bar Centrale, on Restaurant Row. Bartender Paul O'H is one of the best in town. More on his skills later! This one is made with Hangar One Vodka Mandarin Blossom. Delicious! A couple of cosmos and tomorrow's weather forecast is foggy.

Love You a Long Time

Photo by Carmen E. Lopez

I have a new camera with a setting specifically for taking pictures of vintage cocktails. So this blog is renewed! I probably won't mention the children...much. But they are one of the reasons why I drink.

First stop is the Park in Chelsea, 118 10th Ave. Right off the High Line. Fantastic way to spend a beautiful September Sunday afternoon. Remember - walk the High Line, then drink cocktails. Not the other way around.

One of the Park's signature cocktails was the Love You a Long Time. A thing of beauty! Ingredients were Hendricks Gin, muddled lemon and cucumber, St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur. All with a sugar rim.

Service was lovely. Waitress accurately described the drink as "sweet, but not too." Atmosphere was pleasant with extra stars for the appearance of Michael Richards doing his best Cosmo Kramer.