Clover Club is another of those repeat spots from last year. I sometimes think Time Out picks the hippest bars and restaurants first and then tries to find an item that might qualify for the Best 100.
And Clover Club is definitely one those hip bars. I came here last year (thanks to the previous list) and really fell in love. They have a huge cocktail list, a really helpful and genuine staff, and reasonable prices. It was also really empty when I came here on a weekday night last year and it felt like my own personal psuedo-speakeasy.
This year we showed up on a Friday night and it was definitely much more crowded than my former visit, but I was still amazed that we were sat right away. I realize it’s because the big difference between this and all the similar romantic old school-style school bars in Manhattan is because this place is fairly large. No long lines outside in the freezing cold. No claustrophobic tables. No over-priced cocktails. No bumping up against people to make your way to the bar or the bathroom. We were a long way from Manhattan (if not for the F train).
The list item is a drink that is not actually on the menu. I felt very cool ordering The Nth Degree. It was almost like a secret password to a special concoction of deliciousness.
And that’s what it tasted like. It was a combination of applejack, aged rum, and Green chartreuse. Very simply, very boozy, and very delicious. Sitting in the glass was one humongous ice cube and a bright duo of an orange and lemon twist.
The drink was slightly sweet, a little vegetal, and even a bit spicy. It was a prefect combination and it was just a little too easy for me to drink. And then when the liquid was all gone, I tried to gnaw on the ice cube to get any last remnant of flavor. I won’t be surprised when the list for 2010 is published and Time Out once again directs us to this spot. By that time, I might be a regular.
Would Clover Club’s The Nth Degree make my Top 100 of the year? It was both exciting ordering an exclusive off-the-menu drink and it was exhilarating to taste a simple and perfect combination of alcohol flavors, so it wins a 9 out of 10 from me.
