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“Saxon + Parole”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	New American	East Village	Moderate	Great

rs.

The S+P Burger ($17) is probably something you have read about by now, and I'll say that it does deserve the press. It also deserves its own cardiac surgeon, preferably a specialist in catheterization from The Cleveland Clinic. A juicy, dry-aged Angus beef burger gets topped not just with cheese - a couple of melted slices of Pennsylvania Havarti in this case, but also a fried egg, and layers of maple bacon. A vat of tall, salty fries comes along too, naturally. If your insurance covers it, I'd get one.

After such a nice brunch with Court, I returned to Saxon + Parole last week for dinner with Dawn, Deanna, and Rachel, three girlfriends whose kids are Emily's BFFs (read: they chase each other and refuse to share). We get together once in a while without the kids to drink and catch up as the ability to have an adult conversation around a team of four two-year-olds is challenging in the same way as it must be for the Kardashians to shop at Target. Not going to happen.

We met at the bar around 7:30 on a Thursday night, and while the place was mobbed, we found each other quite easily. Perhaps it was because we were the only women there over the age of 40? Perhaps. The crowd was as you might imagine. On the men, fedoras, beards, and tweed. As for the leggy ladies, I noticed knee high boots and long tunics; no pants, leggings or tights needed, apparently. Not sure when pants became optional, but it's happened. Shirts, yes. Boots, yes. Coats, maybe. Pants, nope. It's a look. And I must say if I were still in my 20s and 30s, I'd work it too.

The absence of pants aside, the bar is an absolutely wonderful place to drink. Lovers of fine cocktails--those poured over hard icy Kold Draft cubes, made with housemade bitters, using syrups and potions and tonics brewed by hand-will want to invest some time here. That's thanks to a charming Aussie chap called Naren Young, a barman who proudly admits that he's been hooked on cocktails since he first saw the film Cocktail in 1992. He kicked off his career working in noteworthy bars around Sydney, Australia, including The Monkey Bar, Grand Pacific Blue Room, Middle Bar, Lotus, and Bayswater Brasserie, which was recognized as the 4^th "Best Bar In The World" by Drinks International magazine.

Naren, I'll be honest. You know your stuff. The Manhattan you brew in batches and serve on tap (yes, there is a Manhattan on tap at this ... [more, click below]

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Posted: December 1, 2011

Other restaurants in East Village :
+ Yujin-- Closed   + Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar   + Mermaid Inn   + Five Points   + Lavagna   + Five Points   + Bond Street   + Jewel Bako   + Alphabet Kitchen   + In Vino   + Bao 111   + Chikalicious   + Il Buco   + Hearth   + Lima's Taste   + Mercadito   + Hedeh   + Momofuku   + Una Pizza Napoletana   + Winebar   + Uovo-- CLOSED   + Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction   + Gotham Bar & Grill   + Colors   + Chinatown Brasserie   + Knife and Fork   + European Union-- NEW CHEF; SEE APRIL 2007 Review   + Aroma Kitchen and Winebar   + Stand   + European Union   + Mercat   + Gemma   + Back Forty   + The Smith   + Seymour Burton   + Belcourt   + Graffiti   + The Redhead   + Double Crown    + Apiary   + Joe Doe   + Apiary by guest reviewer Kiri Tannenbaum   + DBGB   + Northern Spy   + Goat Town   + Saxon + Parole   + Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria   + Acme   + Calliope   + Nicoletta   + JEPPNEY by Claire Jaffe   + Feast   

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