Flying in under the radar this week was Pennsylvania-themed (huh?) Rye House (11 West 17th Street).The write-ups were intriguing enough - house-made rye? sausage, coleslaw and fries in a sandwich? - plus we are big fans of brown liquor so went in for an early look.
If you're used to speakeasies and other such quaint watering spots, you'll likely be disappointed in Rye House. The place is big - as in expect huge after work crowds big. While the wood-centered design is not unattractive, the front bar room is too wide with a set of high tables opposite the bar and a good amount of real estate between, while the back room has communal tables and booths for large groups. Not where you want to sit unless you are decor-insensitive.
But as always, it's about the drinks, and the cocktail list is off to a good start. Topping the proceedings is the off-the-list Creole Daiquiri. This is not your mom's daiquiri - it's made with Old New Orleans Rum, chorizo-infused mezcal and pomegranate molasses. Nicely balanced and quite delicious. Almost as good is the Moonshine Mountain Punch, made with Catdaddy moonshine, something we've had in other states but had not seen in NYC before. With the additions of spiced rum, grapefruit, lime, bitters and chai, this goes down oh so easily. Also intriguing was The Mansfield made with your choice of Blue Coat gin or Tito's handmade vodka, vermouth, yellow chartreuse and grapefruit bitters. Skip the vodka and go for the gin for pretty floral and herbal flavors with a kick of citrus. Unfortunately there is no house-made rye as we were led to believe - a slap on the wrist to UrbanDaddy for misleading us. Cocktails are $12 and a dozen American craft beers are also available on draft for $7.
The menu is full of offbeat takes on pub grub. Yes, the Pittsburgh sandwich is good. The spicy andouille sausage pieces are tasty if a bit unwieldy, but any sandwich with fries inside can't be bad, can it? (Actually, the fries get soggy quickly so hope your sandwich gets to you from the kitchen fast.) The star of the sandwich might well be the excellent coleslaw. Mama's fried mac & cheese came as an odd quartet of fried balls, overpriced, slightly underseasoned and not cheesy enough. The duck and foie gras quesadillas soak up the booze but lack a certain finesse like a fresh accent to cut through the richness and make them less one-note.
Since the cocktail program is interesting enough of a draw, we'll be back - as long as there is room at the bar.
If you're used to speakeasies and other such quaint watering spots, you'll likely be disappointed in Rye House. The place is big - as in expect huge after work crowds big. While the wood-centered design is not unattractive, the front bar room is too wide with a set of high tables opposite the bar and a good amount of real estate between, while the back room has communal tables and booths for large groups. Not where you want to sit unless you are decor-insensitive.
But as always, it's about the drinks, and the cocktail list is off to a good start. Topping the proceedings is the off-the-list Creole Daiquiri. This is not your mom's daiquiri - it's made with Old New Orleans Rum, chorizo-infused mezcal and pomegranate molasses. Nicely balanced and quite delicious. Almost as good is the Moonshine Mountain Punch, made with Catdaddy moonshine, something we've had in other states but had not seen in NYC before. With the additions of spiced rum, grapefruit, lime, bitters and chai, this goes down oh so easily. Also intriguing was The Mansfield made with your choice of Blue Coat gin or Tito's handmade vodka, vermouth, yellow chartreuse and grapefruit bitters. Skip the vodka and go for the gin for pretty floral and herbal flavors with a kick of citrus. Unfortunately there is no house-made rye as we were led to believe - a slap on the wrist to UrbanDaddy for misleading us. Cocktails are $12 and a dozen American craft beers are also available on draft for $7.
The menu is full of offbeat takes on pub grub. Yes, the Pittsburgh sandwich is good. The spicy andouille sausage pieces are tasty if a bit unwieldy, but any sandwich with fries inside can't be bad, can it? (Actually, the fries get soggy quickly so hope your sandwich gets to you from the kitchen fast.) The star of the sandwich might well be the excellent coleslaw. Mama's fried mac & cheese came as an odd quartet of fried balls, overpriced, slightly underseasoned and not cheesy enough. The duck and foie gras quesadillas soak up the booze but lack a certain finesse like a fresh accent to cut through the richness and make them less one-note.
Since the cocktail program is interesting enough of a draw, we'll be back - as long as there is room at the bar.
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