Years ago, I used to frequent a charming, little wine bar on the Lower East Side, called Von -- before it expanded to the much larger space it is now. While sipping on a glass of cabernet sauvignon, you could buy the antique chair you were sitting on. At the time, there was a very sweet bartender, whom I knew only as Sasha. We'd chat, nothing too deep that I can recall, and he'd often comp me drinks - cokes, if I wasn't in a wine-drinking mood.
I remember stopping by one evening, and to my dismay, Sasha was nowhere in sight. When I inquired of his whereabouts, the bartender working that night told me he'd left to open his own bar, handed me the number and location and I left soon after. That bar ended up being Milk and Honey, which was the start to a re-birth of Manhattan cocktails being served up in a speakeasy style establishment. I never followed through to venture to the bar and moved to London soon after. Interestingly, I had heard great things about Milk and Honey while I was overseas,.
I've been back for over four years now and speakeasies have swept the city. Sasha Petraske, as I was to learn his full name, is credited as being the godfather of New York cocktails. He owns numerous bars/speakeasies...so I have decided, in a pay-it-forward style, to visit each one (and ones under other ownership) and pay homage to Sasha.
I take a very romantic view of speakeasies. I love the Prohibition era, which is what popularized these bars that were serving alcohol illegally. Many New Yorkers might not be aware that Theater 80, on 80 St. Marks Place was a speakeasy in the '30s--and Frank Sinatra was a singing waiter there. Dizzy Gillespie used to perform there as well. (I interviewed the original owner years ago, before he died, and he gave me the low down).
Anyway...I made my first trip to Sasha's second bar--Little Branch, on Leroy Street and Seventh Ave. South.
I waited in line with my friend Dan. The door had an elegant brown sign with delicate engaving--we were in the right place. After 10 minutes or so--luckily under a gorgeous, breezy, summery air--we descended a dark set of stairs. I was very intrigued. And quite pleasantly surprised. The place is small and very sweet. Very simple in decor--stark, really, with a small bar to the right and a piano to the left. A trio started up with some live entertainment shortly after we arrived. There's a cluster of tables - booths - there as well. A single candle lights up each table top - giving the place a warm, very inviting glow. It's quite romantic, in fact. I loved that the male staff members were all dressed in vested suits. I felt transported to another era.
I am very much looking forward to my next speakeasy stop. Thanks, Sasha!
No comments:
Post a Comment