Eat Cetera: Cocktail Classic, The Hunger, reBar's New Menu
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<a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/10/01/rachel_maddow_calls_a_tie_in_our_sc.php">Rachel Maddow</a> must be <em>flipping out</em>: From Friday through Tuesday, the city's already fastidious cocktail culture will be thoroughly explored from top to bottom by the <a href="http://2010tickets.manhattancocktailclassic.com/">Manhattan Cocktail Classic</a>, a five day geek-out featuring plenty of heavy drinking, as well as workshops on all aspects of cocktail creation, plus a series called "Stories from Behind the Bar," during which owners and bartenders at such establishments as Dutch Kills and Employees Only will finally <em>unload</em> about their perspective from the sober side of the bar. By Wednesday you'll never want another cocktail. <p></p>Some of the events are sold out, but there are still a lot of fun-sounding happenings, such as the rum "Soul Shake-Down" at <a href="http://gothamist.com/2010/05/06/painkiller.php">Painkiller</a>, the History of Moonshine with the Legendary Junior Johnson and the Craft Distilling of Today, and Death in the Afternoon, which takes place not in Manhattan but at Williamsburg's <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/06/04/best_new_nyc_bars_and_restaurants_f.php?gallery0Pic=10#gallery">Huckleberry Bar</a>, where an array of absinthe cocktails will be served in their back garden on Sunday. Honestly, there is an overabundance of events to choose from, so stock up on Emergen-C and peruse <a href="http://2010tickets.manhattancocktailclassic.com/">the whole list</a> at your leisure.
<p>Fans of Paloma (RIP) take note: For four nights only, former Top Chef contestant Camille Becerra is running a "Pop-Up" restaurant series inspired by La Cuisine Bourgeoise, a French style of cooking that implements high quality seasonal ingredients, prepared simply in a family style manner. Originally from Puerto Rico, Becerra was formerly the owner of the beloved Greenpoint restaurant Paloma, which was destroyed in a fire and is now occupied by <a href="http://gothamist.com/2010/03/29/photo_tour_of_paulie_gees_pizza_in.php">Paulie Gee's pizza</a>. </p><p></p>Her six course dinner parties, called "<a href="http://thehungernyc.com">The Hunger</a>," will take place in the original Grotto Azzurra space on Broome Street, a New York City landmark dating back to 1908. The prix-fixe dinner runs $75 ($100 on Saturday), $25 extra for wine, and includes options such as Crudo of Fluke with Hemp Seeds, Persian Lime; Lamb Two Ways (Braised Shoulder - Prunes, Olives, Roasted Leg - Pistachios, Petals); and Tamale with Purples Potatoes, Spring Onion. You can check out the full menu and make reservations <a href="http://thehungernyc.com/menu.html">here</a>.
<p>DUMBO's go-to gastropub reBar has a new chef and a new spring menu, which gregarious owner Jason Stevens recently invited us to check out. The menu from Executive chef Jeremy Leech, formerly executive sous-chef at Park Slopeâs Flatbush Farm, is all seasonal, organic, and local, but reBar's rich comfort food focus remains undiminished (i.e., the ½-pound sirloin reBurger is still in effect). Winners included the exceptional Polenta (sunny side up egg, truffle oil, pine nuts, parsley salad, $6), the Ahi Tuna Two Ways (seared/raw center cut, peppermint oil, smoked salt, $12), the delicious hickory smoked Forest Mushrooms with garlic brown butter ($8), and the braised Ox Tail with toast and rhubarb chutney ($9). (You might want to pass on the Cobb Salad with seared fish, which was on the bland side.) </p><p></p>Peruse <a href="http://rebarnyc.com/menus/dinner">the full menu here</a>, and note that all of it can be ordered at the bar, which serves 120 varieties of beer, plus another 15 on tap. Their Happy Hour deal (5-7 p.m.) is $2 off all drafts and wines, and $5 double strength well cocktails. Plus, their lunch special is unstoppable: For $8, you get unlimited soda, hand cut fries (or a side salad or mango fennel apple slaw), paired with your choice of the ½-pound reBurger, the Philly Cheese Steak (plus Chef Jeremyâs smoked gouda cheese sauce on a baked Amorosoâs roll), a Grilled Cheese sandwich, or a Pulled Pork sandwich, made with 24 hour cured, 7 hour slow roasted Smithfield pork, house made BBQ sauce on an artisan potato bun with a side of crème fraiche. We're pretty sure we put on weight just reading that.<p></p><em>reBar // 147 Front Street, DUMBO // (718) 766-9110</em>