With winter fast approaching, I had a sneaking suspicion the Flatiron Lounge had finally swapped their summer menu for their autumn one and I was correct. When I stopped by after work tonight, I had a Carroll Gardens, Death + Co. bartender Joaquin Simo’s “Guest Mixologist” contribution to the drink-list. Rich, hardy and evocative of the season, as they say, it contained a potent pour of Rittenhouse bonded rye, punt e mes, Nardini amaro and a touch of maraschino, stirred with ice and strained into a coupe with what I believe was a twist of orange peel on top.
I also noticed that with the new menu, all cocktails are now $13, a dollar more than they were when I was there last in October. (For those readers dwelling outside of New York City: yes, people here will pay double-digits for cocktails.) When I asked the bartender, whom I’d never seen before, when they hiked the prices, he said, “Oh, six or eight months ago.”
Bartenders are full of shit.
Later I learned I’d missed seeing a special guest appearance by chef Jamie Oliver by a mere day.