Apotheke (9 Doyers Street) is an enigma - one of New York's sexiest spaces that is also often uncomfortable to be in coupled with one of the city's best known mixologists running a show that falls short on cocktails. The idea of a cocktail apothecary sets Apotheke apart, as does its focus on expensive house absinthe, but it's unclear whether people want a concept or just a good bar with great cocktails.
Hidden away in Chinatown, the space is a knockout - much larger than your typical speakeasy - and if you can score a couch, quite comfortable. However, the long bar has no stools so you have to stand and staff can be overwhelmed. One busy night when we snagged a table, we experienced long waits while the lone waitress struggled to keep up with the busy bar. Apparently Apotheke was on Gossip Girl that week and it had brought a whole new crowd down to Chi-town. Another time, we stood near the bar and were taken care of by several bartenders, which meant the drinks came quickly (it was a pretty quiet night). We much prefer taking our cocktails sitting down, preferably at the bar, which they have made impossible.
So what of the drinks?
Hidden away in Chinatown, the space is a knockout - much larger than your typical speakeasy - and if you can score a couch, quite comfortable. However, the long bar has no stools so you have to stand and staff can be overwhelmed. One busy night when we snagged a table, we experienced long waits while the lone waitress struggled to keep up with the busy bar. Apparently Apotheke was on Gossip Girl that week and it had brought a whole new crowd down to Chi-town. Another time, we stood near the bar and were taken care of by several bartenders, which meant the drinks came quickly (it was a pretty quiet night). We much prefer taking our cocktails sitting down, preferably at the bar, which they have made impossible.
So what of the drinks?
First a word about the menu, aka "A Selection of House Prescriptions." So far so cute but the prescriptions, divided into categories such as "Health & Beauty," "Aphrodisiacs," and "Stress Relievers," are bereft of prices, which seem to have gone from $15 to $16 and can go higher for drinks that use "reserve spirits subject to higher market price." Market price on spirits? A little sleuthing shows that these are house infusions of scotch and bourbon - instead of asterisking the cocktails, just name the price since whiskey prices don't really fluctuate. If they really want to relieve our stress, they'd print the prices instead of shocking us with the check. There is no "Shock Therapy" category but maybe there should be. The apothecary concept is not bad but we'd rather enjoy cocktails without the shtick. Make me a good drink, tell me what's in it and what you charge for it; I don't need a "Therapeutic Treatment" outside of the spa.
Drinks are the purview of Albert Trummer, a self-proclaimed bar chef whose creations we've enjoyed in the past. Many of the concoctions here, while not uninteresting and clearly crafted with care, fail the "delicious test." Most drinks have 5 or 6 ingredients, many featuring infusions. Under "Aphrodisiacs," we enjoyed the Blood Orange Bourbon Sour but it fell short of delicious. The Dr. Ruth, rosemary infused vodka, strawberries, lime and rose champagne, was fresh and enjoyable, if a bit sweet. Five Points, a "Stimulant" composed of elderflower-based House Elixir #4 and New York State unfermented grape juice, was a miss. Two "Euphoric Enhancers" were absinthe-based: The Mata Hari (rye, absinthium essence, Indian herbal bitters, egg white, lime) was possibly the best drink we had. Kissed by Absinthe (cognac infused with cinnamon, clove, anise and fennel seeds with house absinthe) was interesting but had too much cinnamon, which overpowered the other flavors.
Given the high pricetag, lack of truly delicious or at least thought-provoking drinks and the missing basics such as proper bar stools, we're moving Apotheke to the second tier of cocktail bars in NYC. When you're in a town with Death & Co, Pegu, PDT and Milk and Honey, you need to really knock our socks off. As much as we want them to succeed, Apotheke doesn't quite hit the mark.
Drinks are the purview of Albert Trummer, a self-proclaimed bar chef whose creations we've enjoyed in the past. Many of the concoctions here, while not uninteresting and clearly crafted with care, fail the "delicious test." Most drinks have 5 or 6 ingredients, many featuring infusions. Under "Aphrodisiacs," we enjoyed the Blood Orange Bourbon Sour but it fell short of delicious. The Dr. Ruth, rosemary infused vodka, strawberries, lime and rose champagne, was fresh and enjoyable, if a bit sweet. Five Points, a "Stimulant" composed of elderflower-based House Elixir #4 and New York State unfermented grape juice, was a miss. Two "Euphoric Enhancers" were absinthe-based: The Mata Hari (rye, absinthium essence, Indian herbal bitters, egg white, lime) was possibly the best drink we had. Kissed by Absinthe (cognac infused with cinnamon, clove, anise and fennel seeds with house absinthe) was interesting but had too much cinnamon, which overpowered the other flavors.
Given the high pricetag, lack of truly delicious or at least thought-provoking drinks and the missing basics such as proper bar stools, we're moving Apotheke to the second tier of cocktail bars in NYC. When you're in a town with Death & Co, Pegu, PDT and Milk and Honey, you need to really knock our socks off. As much as we want them to succeed, Apotheke doesn't quite hit the mark.
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