Ella vs Elsa

You're probably not the only one confused by Ella and Elsa, two newish cocktail bars in the East Village that opened within weeks - and blocks - of each other. However, once you get past the names, there isn't a whole lot that the two places have in common.

Ella is the slicker of the two joints, with Victoria's Secret-esque pink and black striped walls, a smoky underground performance space and velvet ropes out front. Assuming you can slip in past the doorman - they have a semi-strict door policy we bet gets dropped any minute- you'll find yourself in a glammed up space with a long bar and some banquettes up front. The drink list is impressively long - nine specialty cocktails, three champagne cocktails and eleven classic cocktails. We instinctively go for brown liquor so we tried the Clark Gable (maker's mark, lime, ginger-infused simple syrup) and it was the clear favorite. Finding another appealing drink was a bit of a challenge, however. The Mildred Pierce (bulldog gin, basil infused simple syrup, lime) was recommended by the bartender but highly acidic. Mommie Dearest (milagro tequila, lime, simple syrup, orange bitters) was also seriously out of balance and the Rye Smash (sazerac rye, muddled raspberries, lemon, simple syrup) was hardly a smashing success. In the meantime, a DJ bombarded us with some of the worst music this side of Jersey. Clearly Ella is for cool people. I guess they can hope to find a clientele too cool for taste buds.

On to Elsa, over in Alphabet City. A former dive bar, the space was remade with a bespoke men's tailor in the front and a cocktail bar in the back. The room is kind of upstate antiques shop basic, with narrow booths up front across from a standing-only bar and rustic tables in the back. Mainly wood, the room is simple and bland (and way too bright), though we did like the barn-like effect of the bathroom ceiling. With the décor underwhelming, all we could hope for were some good cocktails. (There are also beers on tap, flowing through an old Singer sewing machine, and a few wines.) From the short list (4 signature concoctions and 4 classics), we tried The Jaszek (applejack, velvet falernum, lime, angostura, orange bitters) and the El Romero Borracho (souza blanco, grapefruit, campari, lime), coming away hopeful for the future. Both were balanced, complex and satisfying, showing skill on behalf of the resident mixologist. The Perfect Manhattan? Yes, please. When they get their feet wet, we'll be back for a second look.

Ella
9 Avenue A between 1^st and 2^nd streets, 212-777-2230

Elsa
217 E. 3^rd Street between Avenue B and C, 917-882-7395