Raines Law Room, New York, NY

This past Thursday I had a date, so I suggested we grab a drink at Raines Law Room. I’ve heard several good comments about this place, so I had been dying to check it out for a while. Unfortunately, I don’t always venture “all the way” up to 17^th Street, but my date wanted to meet at Union Square, so I thought it would be the perfect place. I was a little skeptical when we first arrived, since there is a kind of pretentious door policy, where you have to ring the doorbell at an unmarked door and hope that the maître d’ will seat you. Given that it was 20 degrees and there was a party of six waiting ahead of us, I almost suggested we go elsewhere. However, we ended up getting a table pretty quickly and I was definitely glad we stuck it out.

I’m kind of obsessed by these sort of dark, period-setting speakeasies, like The Bourgeois Pig. I would describe Raines Law Room as an English dandy’s living room, complete with plush Chesterfield sofas, a fireplace, and heavy curtains. To order a drink, you simply illuminate the call-light at your table and a friendly waitress will rush over to help you choose a cocktail. Raines Law Room has a four-part cocktail menu (classic, signature, fancy, and seasonal), as well as a beer, wine, and liquor menu.

My date got the Champs Elysées (Hennessy VS Cognac, Green Chartreuse, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Angostura Bitters, and a Lemon Twist, shaken and served up). I got a glass of Moët & Chandon Rosé. Champagne is my go-to drink, but after tasting my date’s cocktail, I kind of wish I had ordered one myself. I definitely recommend Raines Law Room, with the caveat that it might be more difficult to get a table on a weekend night.

-Marcus

Raines Law Room

48 West 17th Street (between 5th and 6th)

New York, NY 10011

www.raineslawroom.com/

Babouche, Brooklyn, NY

My friend Ashlyn has been working as a server for the past several months at Babouche. Although I go to Park Slope pretty frequently, I hadn't made the effort to try out her restaurant until this past Friday. It was definitely worth it. Officially, Babouche is a Moroccan restaurant, but in reality, it offers a great mix of authentic Moroccan dishes, such as zaâlouk, couscous, and kefta tagine, tradition French cuisine, like tartare and magret de canard, as well as some American-style appetizers like Cobb Salad or crab cakes. As soon as I walked into Babouche, I knew I liked it. The decor was certainly Moroccan-inspired, with huge bronze lanterns hanging from the ceiling, poufs, a warm fireplace, and beautiful carpets. The night I was there, they also had live Moroccan music, which complimented the restaurant's theme. You can also enjoy shishah in the downstairs lounge. I honestly was not too excited about the menu, since I'm not a huge fan of Moroccan food and I generally avoid French restaurants outside of France. However, if everything at Babouche is as good as the tartare de thon and the crab cakes à la Marocaine that I had, then I will definitely be returning a lot. Both dishes were very flavorful, had generous portions and were reasonably priced. What I loved the most about Babouche though is the layout. In the front, there is a more Western-style dining room, with elegant tables and chairs, as well as a lounge area next to the wood-burning fireplace. The backroom is traditional Moroccan, resembling the inside of a genie's lamp. Finally, the downstairs is a swanky, Arabic-style lounge... a great place to enjoy shishah and mint tea.
I am definitely excited to go back to try some more of their food and relax in the lounge.

-Marcus

Babouche Restaurant and Lounge
2 Lincoln Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
www.babouchenyc.com/

The Bourgeois Pig, New York, NY

The Bourgeois Pig is one of my favorite East Village hangouts. The decor is over the top, but really adds to the great ambiance. Who doesn't enjoy pretending that they're having drinks in the boudoir of a 19th-century Parisian vampiress? Not really a dinner spot, The Bourgeois Pig does, however, offer an Alpine-inspired menu of cheese plates, fondues, and tartines. The food is good, but slightly overpriced and not quite authentic. The real reason I come here though (and I think this is becoming an overriding theme in my posts) is for the drinks. Don't come here looking for tequila shots or screwdrivers! The Pig's drink selection is much more sophisticated.

For starters, The Pig has an extensive list of wines from all over France... reds, whites, rosés, sparklings, and aperitifs. The Veuve Ambal is a great deal at $8 a glass. When I'm feeling like a splurge, they have an excellent red from the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region of the Rhône Valley. For those who are looking for something with a bit more kick, The Pig also has a wide array of wine cocktails, sangrias, champagne cocktails, beers, and beer cocktails. If you have a big group, be sure to order the champagne punch, which is served in an elegant silver punchbowl. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends.

-Marcus

The Bourgeois Pig
111 East 7th Street (between 1st and A)
New York, NY 10009
www.bourgeoispigny.com/