Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
I’ve been drowning in cocktails lately. For the last few months, much of my time has been spent creating a brand new tour for Urban Adventures. The topic? Craft cocktails in New York – past and present. I’ve been doing research on the humble drink and tasting potable concoctions at many fancy bars around the East Village. Tough job, I know.
Well, the tour is now up for sale and I’m very excited about it. One of the bars we will be visiting is an under-the-radar spot called Sweetwater Social. It’s super relaxing, with foosball tables right alongside the serious cocktail menu. The subterranean spot (which has a long history of being a drinking establishment – dating back to the 1850’s) feels like a childhood playroom in Long Island, except the drinks are flowing.
My favorite drink is named for everybody’s favorite deadpan actor Bill Murray. Delirium is a reference to the scene from the film Coffee & Cigarettes where Bill Murray appears alongside RZA and GZA (from Wu-Tang Clan). It’s a pretty great scene, but it’s an even better cocktail.
The smoky and rich drink hints at the flavors of both coffee and cigarettes, I suppose. Three of my favorite spirits – smoky Laphroig Scotch, sweet Elijah Craig Bourbon, and complex Ron Zacapa Rum – mix nicely with a coffee demerara sugar syrup and a touch of Molé bitters. The flavors are dark and spicy with a strong balanced bite. It’s a great cocktail for those that like strong, bitter flavors (like myself and Bill Murray)
Sweetwater has a wide range of cocktails and when we visit them on the tour, they offer a lighter, refreshing classic cocktail made with a local spirit.
The tour runs every single evening at the typical happy hour time (5:30-8:30) and you get to drink at three different cocktail bars, learn stories about the neighborhood and its cocktail culture, and visit a shop that specializes in local spirits. Tickets can be purchased here. Hey, I’ve worked (and drank) hard putting this tour together – I think a shameless plug is only fair.
| SWEETWATER SOCIAL |
| 643 Broadway (at Bleecker Street), Noho (212) 253-0477 |
| drinksweetwater.com |
