An Evening At: Elizabeth

[cpnews]

Ah, Tuesday night in a recession. What to do? Reasoning that sex and booze always sells, we paid a much-overdue visit to Elizabeth, Nolita's modern, neutered version of a "gentleman's club."

It took us a while to get our bearings. Apparently Elizabeth channels British influence, but the American menu and copies of America's favorite magazine (Playboy) stocking the bathroom display cases (next to "employees must wash hands," not a juxtaposition we looked kindly on) seem to suggest alliances on this side of the pond. The vibe tended toward romantic rather than smutty. The music mixed everything ever considered alternative or hip ever, from The Cure to Modest Mouse to MGMT. A UN party raged in the back room...isn't there a holiday party freeze everywhere? Even our waiters seemed slightly green and dazed themselves.

Once we had comfortably lounged on buttery-soft leather banquettes, though, the expert mixology and surprising lack of pretention won us over. We nursed cocktails with an ever-morphing group of friends for hours, and the staff went out of their way to accomodate us in a very non-Nolita fashion. The namesake cocktail, complete with rose syrup, hit a friend's sweet craving. "My Darling," combining bourbon, vodka, clementine, and ginger, sastisfied another's intemperate urges. "Midnight Tea" stole the show, though. A unique combination of berries, tea, and liquor, it made us we feel truly anglo. Cheerio! Our return shant be far off.

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