Death & Company

6th St btwn 1st Ave and Ave A, Manhattan
www.deathandcompany.com


With the launch of HBO's much heralded Boardwalk Empire, there has never been a better time to visit a modern speakeasy. The Lower East Side's Death and Company will meet your every Prohibition-era desire, and then some. (Yet something tells me the cocktails weren't nearly this elaborate or tasty while liquor was officially on the lam.)

Ryan and I met my cousin Katy at Death and Company for dinner, and nearly walked right past the cleverly boarded-up storefront. A host, who resembled Jude Law prior to hair loss and turning orange, leisurely stood on the sidewalk and quickly shuffled us inside. We lucked out with a corner booth, and the service was prompt and friendly.

The bar isn't the greatest place for dinner if you want a wide range of options, but we found enough to meet our needs: Ryan and Katy both chose the pulled pork sliders ($12), which were served with little dollops of apple potato salad. (Actually Katy originally chose the lobster brioche rolls, but they were out.) I had the truffle macaroni ($10), which was served on a tray in a row of soup spoons. The macaroni was garlicky and great, if not hugely plentiful (I ended up eating again once back in Queens). While my companions stuck to beer, I tried the bella luna cocktail ($13): gin, st. germain elderflower, lemon juice and creme yvette. It was petite and red and pretty in a tiny glass, and tasted like a more complicated version of gin and grapefruit juice.

We once again had to wait awhile for our check, which gave us time to scope out all of the couples on date night (is every cocktail they make red? Katy said she felt like we were in a vampire bar, which prompted a True Blood discussion) and the dark gold flecked walls. One curiosity: the menu does not feature any vodka cocktails (although vodka recipes are included on their website's handy do-it-yourself cocktail list). Was vodka impossible to find during Prohibition?

Perhaps Nucky will let me know.

3 petals
speakeasy charm, great cocktails, good food; small portions

Photo by Kevin Gray