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The Wall Street area is a tricky one if you’re looking for a beverage. You’ve got the pubs where bankers swill beer after work (see: Ulysses, Killarney Rose) and not much else. A serious cocktail in the area? That’s about as likely as Jim Cramer completing a vow of silence. Bar Seven Five, the sleek cocktail lounge in the newly opened Andaz Hotel, hopes to change that. Not only do they have a comprehensive cocktail list, they’ve want to reinvent the way bar business is done all over NYC. They’ve got Pullman-style drink carts, earthy mushrooms and briney olives in glass jars and—yes, ladies and gentlemen—they run the whole shebang without a physical bar.
Digs: Part Rat Pack den, part 1970s Freudian therapist office, BSF goes retro-swank all the way. With hip-height black lacquered tables dotting the room, wood paneling that screams “have a scotch” and delicate modern lighting fixtures, you'd expect Don Draper to walk in at any second. The truly unique thing at this spot is the bar. Well, there isn’t one. The bartenders stand at drink stations throughout the room, and guests can walk up and mingle with them as they mix drinks. Want a suggestion for a single malt? The barman will take you over to the bottles and explain the merits of each. It’s a bit strange at first, but eventually gives way to a relaxed, upscale (possibly house-party) vibe.
Drinks: Bar Seven Five tries to shake up cocktails as well. The bartender makes half the drink at his station while the server brings the ingredients out on a wooden cart. (They assemble the rest of your cocktail in front of you—like its Benihana or something). Supposedly this is a “Pullman-style” cocktail service, harkening back to the posh train cars of the 1920s. The cocktail list by Alchemy Consulting is full of Prohibition-era classics (all $13)—definitely reasonable for a hotel bar. Their Manhattan is a must-try: The blend of Bulleit, Dolin sweet vermouth and bitters would suit Draper just fine. Skip the boring gin-based Southside and go for the 75 Smash. It’s like a mint julep made with applejack—punchy and refreshing. The tequila Old Fashioned successfully turns a classic on its head, substituting Lunazul Reposado for the bourbon. Agave Nectar sweetens and Fees Old Fashioned bitters adds bite to make this a tequila stirrer to savor.
Food: A selection of meat and cheese is available ($11 for plates of Jersey blue cheese and salty Hudson Valley duck salami). And then there’s the jars—the slim menu features a few snack options that are trotted out in hermetically sealed glass jars. Not sure if this is in keeping with the Pullman theme or just because they really like jars. Their cold-jar offerings include a selection of marinated olives ($8) and a mix of smoked salmon, cucumber and dill ($10). A jar of sautéed seasonal mushrooms ($8) is warm and hearty. The vessels are cute, but at times awkward.
Soundtrack: They’ve got the techno heavy, quasi-European, Hotel Costes–type soundtrack that’s ubiquitous in most of the city’s swank hotel bars. It’s the perfect background noise for eyeing someone across the room that you want to take upstairs. You’ll need more than the tunes, though, to help you seal the deal. That Manhattan makes for a good dose of liquid courage.
Crowd: You’ve definitely got your Wall Street contingent that skips the fancy-drink-cart hooch and heads straight for the strong stuff. There’s also the well-heeled folks that stop by for a martini before heading upstairs to the hotel’s new restaurant, Wall &Water.
Bottom line: While the gimmicks might not catch on—one of the waitresses switched over to a standard tray for our second round because the drink cart was “too heavy”—Bar Seven Five proves a solid addition to the city’s hotel bar scene. The spot’s sexy, and the drinks are relatively affordable. Most important, there’s now an acceptable drink den near Wall Street that isn’t Ulysses.
Photo by Ryan Muir
