| Glam it up at Le Caprice |
| Written by Marianne Camarda |
| Wednesday, 31 August 2011 01:11 |
 There's nothing like a local bar that also cries out luxury. Walk in with jeans and boots, and you feel like a starlet incognito. Stop by when you're dressed to the nines, and you fit right in. That's the feeling you get the minute you set foot in Le Caprice (www.capriceny.com). If you happen to be in the swank area of Fifth Avenue and 60th Street, there's nothing that will make you feel as elegant, without being stuffy or pretentious. Speaking of elegance, Caprice is housed in the Pierre Hotel, though with a separate awning entrance that opens to a sparkling long bar area done up in black and white. The chef, Ed Carew, is relatively new, and brings enormous panache to bar offerings and the dining room. Carew was previously in the kitchen at numerous famous spots including New York's Grammercy Tavern and Fiamma. His style and ability to turn out a delectable plate is abundantly evident in the revamped Le Caprice menu. Meanwhile, elegance also abounds at the bar, thanks to a sumptuous house special cocktail menu compiled by lead bartender Gabriel Gonzalez. With names like English Spring and Fleur de Pologne, it's hard to go wrong. My personal favorite was Gabriel's Martini, a blend of citrus vodka with pineapple juice, lemon, line, topped with Framboise. Another incredible blend was the Fleur de Pologne, made with Zubrowka vodka, St Germain, apple cider, lemon juice, mint leaves and orange bitters. The flavors in this drink take a four-step journey across your palate, twisting and turning to with sweet, fresh, aromatic, fruity, and bitter. There is also a separate menu of champagne cocktails, which go for just a few dollars more than the regular selection. These were all incredibly good and worth every penny. I particularly liked the Ginger Daisy, made with gin, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, grenadine and champagne. Harry's Duck, made with Muscat de Beaume de Venise, lemon juice and champagne was also delicious. The bar is open seven days, into the wee hours if the crowd warrants, though the kitchen closes at 11:30. Become a regular here; you'll have a blast. Le Caprice at the Pierre Hotel: 795 Fifth Avenue (at 61st St) 212.940.8195. For more articles like Glam it up at Le Caprice, please visit the Gourmet/Wine & Spirits Section of TimesSquare.com |
