BAR OF THE WEEK:
SAZERAC GASTRO LOUNGE
Borzoo Mehrzad, architect by day and Sazerac owner at night, had a mission to create a downtown party palace when he opened the venue in late March.
He enlisted a roguish and resourceful group of pals and acquaintances to lend a hand, some of whom have cocktails named after them.
Longtime friend Scotty Daté manages the lounge. Rob Green (formerly of Forte Bistro and Ruby Watchco) is the one-man show in the kitchen and Marc Anthony signed on after seeing an online want ad for a “mad scientist needed” behind the bar while down on his luck in Thailand.
While it’s still in its honeymoon period, Sazerac’s making some noise on King West for taking the snobbery out of cocktail culture and putting a daring spin on some of the classics.
The vibe: Mehrzad’s a big fan of the loft style for more functional than fashionable reasons. Keeping it simple, he blew out the 2,000 squarefoot venue and unearthed the exposed brick. The idea was to create a sprawling, minimalist space that could be adjusted to accommodate regular lounge nights, private functions, music shows and a gallery featuring local artists that will rotate every month and a half.
The night you go determines the kind of vibe: indie rock plays over the speakers on Tuesday, blues on Wednesday, soul, funk and live music on Thursday, and DJS spin tech, Chicago and deep house on the weekend.
The Drinks: You could opt for the classic Sazerac (rye, cognac or bourbon with absinthe and Peychaud’s bitters for $12), invented in New Orleans before the Civil War. The real fun, however, starts with Anthony’s handcrafted concoctions, such as the 782 Sazerac (Maker’s Mark bourbon infused with lemongrass and black pepper with Peychaud’s, in-house vanilla gomme syrup, absinthe and lemon essence for $13). His own Mr. Marc Etting, a drink based on his past amorous misadventures, features Banff Ice Vodka, Triple Sec, San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa, pomegranate and absinthe mist, for $11. The powerful Shin Ichi (Daté’s cocktail) consists of ginseng and ginger-infused bourbon, ginger beer, cherry bitters, rosemarysage tincture, orange and lime and goes for $10. If you’ve got a party, you can try the OOOOOHHH YEEAAAHHHH!!! punch bowl (Brut, Leblon Cachaca, Heering cherry, Xante pear, San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa, orange and lemon for $50, serving four to six).
The Food: Sazerac sticks to the shareables. Green notes the Beef Sliders ($14) along with the 5 Spice Duck and Chive Dumplings with brushed hoisin ($12) test well. Following on the Creole and Cajun theme, Sazerac also has a Whitefish Po’ Boy with lime-cayenne mayo and coleslaw ($14). Dress code: Casual. Must know: All cards accepted, except for American Express.