Bank Here, for Holidays or Otherwise

NEW YORK

New Year's Eve is not the easiest proposition in any city, let alone New York, so a small group of us went the safe route and did a late reservation at Left Bank on Perry and Washington. If there were three more attractive and amiable women to dine with that night, you wouldn't have known it. 

Your companions are up to you, but Left Bank shouldn't disappoint. Lovely enough to be a movie setting but modest enough to be comfortable, it's a solid offering. You may not have your mind blown by appetizer and entree selections -- everything's pretty traditional -- but the delivery is so consistently good, you won't mind. 

The service is friendly, your fellow diners elegant, the cooking inspired but not over the top, and the neighborhood romantic. What's Left?

The Basics: http://leftbanknewyork.com/
Be Advised: The duck -- definitely. Chicken -- sure. Bourbon cocktails -- do. The bar is small, so reservations are recommended for dining.

A Rare West Village Miss (with Potential)

NEW YORK

Typically, the neighborhood is a bevy of incredible options. Finally there's one you can skip; or perhaps just at a late hour.

The crowd at Hudson Clearwater is what you expect; everyone looks like an extra in a restaurant in a romantic comedy. And I'm sure dining during an empty hour would be lovely; but the place is just too small. Not expertly run, reservation times can drag on, get bumped, and leave you wondering if it was worth it.





The food is great though. Typical new American, everything delivered. Plan to spend, but spend the planning on dining on a Monday through Wednesday before 9:00 p.m. or else the crowds will crush. (Tiny bar, no waiting area, etc.)

And don't worry about being surprised by great service -- you won't be.

The Basics: http://www.hudsonclearwater.com/
Be Advised: Reservations are a must. The hangar steak is better than the duck. The quinoa salad starter is more of a 6 when you expect a 9. Be good.

Something Central in SoHo

LONDON

More great service -- and cocktails in London. Who knew.



Central & Co combines a cocktail bar's list with a beer bar's vibe. The douche stays primarily at the door; the bartender may have had facial hair, but the vest and bow tie were nowhere to be found. Preferring a t-shirt, he was friendly as f*ck and so were his staff mates.

A good list -- bourbon this, mezcal that. And creative -- if you aren't sure what you want, they'll do something decent for you. Good knowledge of bourbons and other spirits too.




We spent a strong few hours here last month and I look forward to going back. The crowd was mixed -- and by mixed we mean primarily white with the occasional non-white, and a range of ages. Good vibe. Worth going.

The Basics: http://centralandco.com/
Be Advised: We were there on a Saturday night and there were plenty of seats; not sure if this is typical.

Good House on the Canal

AMSTERDAM

The canals define this city; everything is in line with water and cobblestones. Plenty of choices face travelers to this northern outpost, full of ancient wealth from the days of the West Indies Trading Company.


The Canal House hotel is one of many boutique options in a city known for its modernism; every townhouse reveals interiors that are elegant, whether upper or middle class. In between a number of these is the Canal, bathed in black and the perfect place for a clandestine meeting. Maybe an overnight one.




You wouldn't hang out in its sleek, small bar area; but you could. You wouldn't linger in its gorgeous dining room after breakfast; but you could. And you wouldn't want to take the stairs in this maze-like property (and you couldn't). The rooms are the crowning jewel, though; magazine quality, understated, stylized, and appointed with great furniture and amenities. Including the bath products.

Consider the Canal the next time you're in town and need private space.

The Basics: Canal House
Be Advised: Not cheap, and not directly in the center of town -- but better. A quiet off-street yields better relaxation; and the city balances elegant and dirty well. (This property lands in the former.)

Opening a Vault in SoHo

LONDON

In New York, SoHo means cafes, high end retail, a European ex-pat haven, and general elegance. In London, it's something different.

A visit to Coal Vaults in London's SoHo district reveals the youthful spirit of the original namesake. Buried beneath a string of loud bars, the place delivers -- friendly service, fun good and good cocktails. Venison burgers, pig's cheek, charred quail -- nothing we had wasn't at least good. And most of it was great.

What was most surprising were the smiles and warmth we received from the young hipster server. Nearly extinct these days, that kind of vibe is worth seeking out. Cheerio.

The Basics: http://www.coalvaults.com/
Be Advised: A later reservation reveals the sloppiness of SoHo streets; young and fun, but don't wear open toed shoes.

Drinks at a Mile High

Potager in the Capital Hill neighborhood is charming, understated and ridiculously sexy. It is sort of like the perfect first date. Everything tasted delicious, I had chicken with polenta and chard. My companion had a mushroom crepe (sounds wrong, but it quite tasty) and a plate of vegetables (apparently vegetables are are an entree here, whereas I tend to tolerate them a side dish). The bartenders were extremely good looking (as they should be) and hospitable, bringing us lots of fresh bread, sweet cocktails and a great brownie. It wasn't Velveeta, but it sure expanded my horizons and I learned a new French word (google Potenga), which left me feeling full, satisfied and tres douche! 

Caveau Wine Bar is good for after work drinks or a date night with your sweetie. We met the owner, who was unassuming and lacked pretention - a rarity for a wine bar. According to Google, it was just voted one of the 15 best in the US - (I'm skeptical of the survey methodology and design) - but the place really was classy, elegant and the owner (also our waiter) really knew his stuff when it came to wine. I favor whatever is cheapest at my local corner liquor store (which usually means wine in a box), but I went with the Oregon pinot (the only thing I know about wine is grapes from Oregon are the way to go), which tasted better than what I usually drink, so it must have been at least decent. The hummus, artichoke and comparative other douche small plates were also strong. 

A Good Hour Lives Up to the Hype in Wicker Park

CHICAGO

The cocktail bar scene in Chicago has grown in recent years, and like other world class cities, it offers a good variety. Among the most hyped, The Violet Hour delivers and is worth the short cab ride from downtown.

Hard to find, the bar features an exterior with richly painted murals that change periodically. Once you're in, the vibe is elegant but not over the top -- still warm and approachable. Typical hipster indie soundtrack (good choices generally) and friendly, quiet clientele. No gaggles of giggly girls or jostling jocks here.

The Violet Hour's exterior in Wicker Park, Chicago takes a keen eye to spot.

Their most famous cocktail is the Julieta y Romeo, their take on a gin and cucumber classic. When I commented in this vein, I got a condescending response about how "something doesn't need to be fancy to be really good." Ironic since most drinks on the menu have at least 6-8 ingredients.

But the attitude is par for the course in contemporary cocktail culture, and eventually we became friendly. Like other good houses, they take their time with each drink and nothing is mass produced. When our second round came fast, I was almost disappointed; I've grown to enjoy the idea that a drink can take 5-8 minutes to make. Or to "craft," we like to say in Doucheville.

I went for a few of the bourbon cocktails (shocking), and absolutely loved the one with orange marmelade. Frothy, citrusy, delicious. Do it.

Basics: http://theviolethour.com/

Be Advised: It's hard to find (adjacent to a back and directly across from BigStar tacos). Look for the gold handle at the end of the wooden storefront. And there are lots of rules (i.e. no cellphones), so be prepared for the persnickety.  And it gets crowded -- I recommend going right at 6:00 p.m. (right when they open) for maximum enjoyment.