Shift Drink

Happy 4th Everybody..Throw it on the grill

Table Talk

"Do you have a water preference, sir, bottled or tap?” I humbly ask. “Giuliani Water is fine,” he proudly answers to the delight of his guests. I don’t smile. Two terms after our beloved former mayor has become a private citizen, those who drink tap in New York City restaurants continue to amuse themselves and irritate waiters with this remark. Some elect for the more contemporary “Bloomberg Water” or simply ask for “New York’s Finest.” Occasionally, they’ll take it further by assuring everyone present, including you, that “It’s the best water in the world!” in case anyone thought the springs of the Italian Alps might be a safer bet. A big part of our job as waiters is to humor people who say infinitely stupid things. Here are a few of my favorite scenarios: Read More . . .

Why Rye?

The comeback of the beloved cocktail has been woefully overdue and, in the process, many people have forgotten about the spirits that actually made these drinks great. While Gin and some brandies are enjoying the limelight again, Rye Whisky gets lost in he shadows. Everybody knows its good, but does anybody really know what it is? Not likely. Unfortunately, there is not much rye made, it is not regulated by the government, and, frankly, it’s unlike anything else.
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Clo

As much as I hate to admit a visit to the Time Warner Center, at least this time I had a good excuse—wine tasting. Clo is a tiny kiosk of a wine bar situated on the fourth floor nestled in the passageway between its higher-profile neighbors like Per Se and Masa. It’s easy to walk by Clo with as little regard as you might have for a Precious Moments booth in the mall. Once inside, though, you bear witness to the wine bar of the future. There are no antiques, and the menu is not intentionally scuffed. Clo is a oenological techno remix. Thank God for Kendra, our server, who, sensing our bewilderment, came to our rescue. About a hundred wines are lined up behind glass windows that make the whole place feel like a giant vending machine whose ominous walls are slowly caving in on you. Read More . . .