225 replies to this topic

[kiliki]

I noticed a list of rules for patrons-no smoking out front, no catching cabs out front, no congregating out front, etc. Go down the block to the corner do everything. Was that a recent comprimise with the neighbors or was it always like that?

[KathyP]

I searched for some recent information on this place, but no luck. Is it still around and if so, how is it now that things have settled down? I'm looking at a few days in NYC next month and would love to try it if....

[Nathan]

yes.

it's the best cocktail bar in NY right now.

always busy.

if you search the forum you should find plenty of info.

you can also google their website.

[Megan Blocker]

Dropped in on Death & Co. on Friday night for a couple of quick cocktails before dinner...I hadn't been in a while, so I was excited to try a couple of the newer things on the menu. I started with the Elder Fashion (Plymouth Gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, bitters and grapefruit), which I absolutely loved. It's a perfect summer drink, really refreshing and just a little sweet.

Next up, the Maple Julep, which was rye with maple syrup, served with crushed ice and what seemed like a whole bush of mint. This was great, too - not only did I get to drink out of a julep cup (), but the mint perfumed each sip without getting all in my teeth (like it does with, say, a mojito).

All in all, an excellent visit!

[lambretta76]

Wow - they maple julep sounds like one of my favorite drinks - sortilege. I'll have to stop by and try it.

[johnder]

Just got some news from D&C. The launched their new drink list a few weeks ago and it pretty amazing. I highly suggest the conference cocktail, or one of the other 29 cocktails on the menu.

But... you will have to wait another week before trying it. They are closed this Friday and will re-open next Saturday (the 15th). The temporary closing is due to a mandatory SLA directive that they close for 6 days as a result of an error in the permit transfer from the previous owners.

They are permitted to open next Friday, but will be closed that day (the 14th) for a private party. Open again to the public on the 15th.

[Nathan]

yeah, I've been meaning to mention this today.

I was in last night and the extensive new list is simply phenomenal....

[Patrick Q]

But... you will have to wait another week before trying it.  They are closed this Friday and will re-open next Saturday (the 15th).  The temporary closing is due to a mandatory SLA directive that they close for 6 days as a result of an error in the permit transfer from the previous owners. 

Saddened to hear this. I'm heading into the city tonight (Saturday) and was planning on a trip to Death and Company as part of my journey.

Can anyone recommend another of the city's cocktail meccas most similar to Death and Company? I've been to Pegu (which I like, though occasionaly find to be a bit cold) and Flatiron (which was too hectic for me on my one visit).

Thanks

[BryanZ]

The obvious and wonderful answer is PDT. Just call at exactly 3 pm to make your reso.

[johnder]

Apprently Bruni is a D&C fan as well.

From diners journal blog.

The web site Eater.com reported this week that Death & Co., a popular East Village cocktail lounge, was in trouble and had closed temporarily, though it’s expected to reopen in less than a week. There are apparently mistakes and problems with its liquor license. And it’s long faced some community opposition.

All of which makes me worry, because I’m a huge Death & Co. fan.

....

There’s a drink on Death & Co.’s latest cocktail menu with bourbon and rye, along with Courvoisier and bitters. I may in fact have had it - or something quite like it - when I stopped by a few weeks ago. To be honest I’m not sure. It was very late at night. And I was very much off the clock. And the combination of not having to keep track of what I was ingesting and ingesting something that makes it difficult to keep track — well, it didn’t sharpen my powers of recollection.

But I remember relishing the cocktails I tried that night. I remember being amused by the cool glassware, by the whole seductive fetishization of drinking. I remember the lack of attitude from the other drinkers around my friend and me and the lack of attitude from servers.

We all shared a love of, and sense of adventure about, serious cocktails, and Death & Co. was — is — a place that promotes that. I hope it gets past its hurdles. I hope Death settles into a long life, because I want to be heading there in search of its newest concoctions for many years to come.

[Nathan]

God bless him

[BryanZ]

Are D&Co's new 6pm-12pm hours new? I don't remember the place closing down at midnight every night of the week.

[daisy17]

Was told last night that it's a temporary thing . . . .

[foodhunter]

Was told last night that it's a temporary thing . . . .

When did they start opening at 6pm? I hope that isn't temporary, as I found the 7pm opening time slightly late on certain occasions.

[Mayur]

It's part of the new (temporary) opening hours, and they may go back to 7pm; it's not clear. Given the constant crush at D&Co and the fact that it's almost always just two bartenders and two waitresses (plus a doorman and barback), I have the feeling that they don't want to make the shifts *too* long.

I too like the idea of a 6pm permanent opening time, but then 7 allows one to stop in at PDT for a civilized early drink before heading to D&Co, so is it really something to worry about? :)

[foodhunter]

It's part of the new (temporary) opening hours, and they may go back to 7pm; it's not clear. Given the constant crush at D&Co and the fact that it's almost always just two bartenders and two waitresses (plus a doorman and barback), I have the feeling that they don't want to make the shifts *too* long.

I too like the idea of a 6pm permanent opening time, but then 7 allows one to stop in at PDT for a civilized early drink before heading to D&Co, so is it really something to worry about? :)

Exactly how I do it!

[Nathan]

rumor has it that they were closed this past Friday night? can anyone confirm this? if so, why?

[BryanZ]

Quick round at D&Co tonight where I ran into an eG trifecta of johnder, donbert, and weinoo. Was sat quickly at a booth with only about a ten minute wait at just past 8 pm. Good luck for me on both counts.

Tried the Cinder, Illywacker, a very cinnamon-y drink (Pipera, or something), and a girly drink with Pimms and gin that I've sampled (from a lady friend) before. The thing that strikes about the majority of D&Co. cocktails is how much more assertive they are than the ones at PDT. I don't know enough at cocktails to judge if this is objectively a good or bad thing, but I prefer the subtleties of the drinks at the latter drinking establishment. Drinks at D&Co. are balanced but just seem so much more powerful to me. My favorite was the Cinder (my choice, naturally), but I ended up drinking most of the Illywacker that my friend had ordered as he wanted to trade.

Our server got us out of there in just over 30 minutes, so props to her. All in all, a nice start to the evening.

Edited by BryanZ, 06 January 2008 - 10:27 AM.

[Scotttos]

Please someone tell me this isn't true

http://nymag.com/dai...o_bre.html#more

Death & Co. no longer has a license to serve liquor, so keep an eye out for a possible NYPD bust for “illegal trafficking of alcohol.”

[rooftop1000]

Please someone tell me this isn't true

http://nymag.com/dai...o_bre.html#more

Death & Co. no longer has a license to serve liquor, so keep an eye out for a possible NYPD bust for “illegal trafficking of alcohol.”

Follow the next link...

They have 4 months to appeal


t

[Alchemist]

Quick round at D&Co tonight where I ran into an eG trifecta of johnder, donbert, and weinoo.  Was sat quickly at a booth with only about a ten minute wait at just past 8 pm.  Good luck for me on both counts.

Tried the Cinder, Illywacker, a very cinnamon-y drink (Pipera, or something), and a girly drink with Pimms and gin that I've sampled (from a lady friend) before.  The thing that strikes about the majority of D&Co. cocktails is how much more assertive they are than the ones at PDT.  I don't know enough at cocktails to judge if this is objectively a good or bad thing, but I prefer the subtleties of the drinks at the latter drinking establishment.  Drinks at D&Co. are balanced but just seem so much more powerful to me.  My favorite was the Cinder (my choice, naturally), but I ended up drinking most of the Illywacker that my friend had ordered as he wanted to trade.

Our server got us out of there in just over 30 minutes, so props to her.  All in all, a nice start to the evening.

“The thing that strikes about the majority of D&Co. cocktails is how much more assertive they are than the ones at PDT. I don't know enough at cocktails to judge if this is objectively a good or bad thing, but I prefer the subtleties of the drinks at the latter drinking establishment. Drinks at D&Co. are balanced but just seem so much more powerful to me.” BryanZ

I think that this is a very valid statement but hugely oversimplified. Styles of cocktails are as individual as style of chefs. A drink at Tailor and a drink at Milk and Honey are as different than Norwegian and Thai cuisine. For the love of God don’t extrapolate from this that you can call us barchefs. It’s great to notice the differences, and then decide for yourself whose style of drinks you like the best, at that time. For your palette and Bartenders styles change over time.

You can look at the cocktail world like a big family tree. Knowledge and technique show up like blue eyes and left-handedness. You can tell where people have worked by what shakers they use. Every bartender is an amalgamation of who they have worked for plus their extracurricular activities. Nurture and nature.

D&C has four wonderful bartenders, (the newest an amazing, welcome addition) contributing drinks to the menu, so while the menu is going to be balanced and cohesive, each drink will carry the stamp of the bartender who created it. Now this can get muddy because some drinks are collaborative. But then it’s fun to try to figure out which two or three bartenders were in on it and what time and how many attitude adjustments later the drink was perfected.

Edited by Alchemist, 13 January 2008 - 04:34 PM.

[Chris Amirault]

When Kirk from The Violet Hour shows up next month, ask him to make you a Blue Ridge Manhattan.

[notahumanissue]

D&C has four wonderful bartenders, (the newest an amazing, welcome addition) contributing drinks to the menu, so while the menu is going to be balanced and cohesive, each drink will carry the stamp of the bartender who created it. Now this can get muddy because some drinks are collaborative. But then it’s fun to try to figure out which two or three bartenders were in on it and what time and how many attitude adjustments later the drink was perfected.

You're a saint.

Edited by notahumanissue, 13 January 2008 - 04:44 PM.

[Alchemist]

My sincerest appologies to the fourth bartender. I have editied the original post. I hope they know I think the world of them and am mortified by my mistake.

Edited by Alchemist, 13 January 2008 - 04:39 PM.

[Alchemist]

I heard that there was a bartender from out of town coming in a couple of weeks. Anybody know what that is about?

I was in there tonight and the drinks are just getting better, I brought in my spirit guru. And before anyone thinks that I am about to go all hippy dippy, I need a sitar playing in the background while I mix up a tantric (not a Tantris) cocktail, let me tell you it's not true. The drinks at death and company are better than they have ever been. The service is as good as you can get in a bar. Full stop.

Toby

[Sneakeater]

Um, gee, I heard it's supposed to be someone on exchange from The Violet Hour.

So you wouldn't know anything about that.

Edited by Sneakeater, 30 January 2008 - 08:48 AM.

[mjr_inthegardens]

So does D&C take table reservations PDT style?

mjr

[Sneakeater]

NO.

[BryanZ]

Not that taking reservations makes it much easier to get in. I routinely have friends calling up PDT at exactly 3 pm and get offered nothing but 2:30 am. This is no fault of the restaurant, but I'm quickly finding PDT one of the hardest tables to book in the city.

I've actually found getting into D&Co. perhaps easier overall since it's less crowded generally. And imagine if D&Co. doesn't get its liquor license woes worked out and goes away. The overflow would at least partially come to PDT, making it even more difficult to get in.

[Nathan]

the thing is, sitting at a table is the worst way to enjoy these places...

always go for the bar...