Soho Reviews
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[email protected] EDITION.qxd 8/21/2006 3:21 PM Page 111 [email protected] EDITION.qxd 8/21/2006 3:21 PM Page 112 35 Formerly an industrial district, this area has outgrown its early radical 19 12 persona, aspiring to new heights, 6 both culturally and economically 36 with each passing year. 16 27 24 Outh of HOuston lies this glossy community of 1 Ssmall art galleries, sidewalk trendy cafes, and boutiques, bounded by Houston Street, Canal 21 22 23 14 18 36 Street, Crosby Street and the West Side Highway. 2 Here, the same lofts prized for their prime location 33 are no longer inexpensive. The escalating cost of 5 living is now forcing up-and-coming artists to flee 3 to Neo-Bohemian enclaves like Williamsburg in 20 10 32 38 31 Brooklyn, eroding SoHo's cutting-edge reputation. 9 15 The area's established chic character, however, is 4 28 25 29 7 firmly embedded and on display nightly. 8 37 Bordering SoHo and the LES, Little Italy remains the heart of New York's Old World Italian culture — a character slowly being whittled away by time. This is where it all started. The turn-of-the- century flood of Italian immigrants into the area's 26 17 cramped tenements were the launching pad from 30 which they have achieved great heights. 4 For the most part, though, their aura has 11 moved onward and upward, leaving behind faint 13 whispers of what had been. Still, stroll along the area's storied streets and sample from the specialty shops, restaurants and delightful outdoor cafes carrying on the tradition along Mulberry and Mott Streets. Sooner or later, though, you're bound to tire of window shopping for that perfect nightlife experience, and there's really no better place to take the plunge than here. 1 Balthazar 14 Fanelli s Cafe 27 NV 2 Bar 89 15 Grand Bar (SoHo 28 Pravda 3 Boom 16 Grand) 29 Raoul s 4 Cafe Noir 17 Jet 19 30 The Room 5 Casa La Femme 18 Jet Lounge 31 S.O.B. s (Sounds of 6 Chibi s Sake Bar 19 Kavehaz 32 Brazil) 7 Circa Tabac 20 M&R 33 Scharmann s 8 Cub Room 21 Magnum 34 Shine 9 Denial 22 Match 35 S py Bar 10 Diva 23 Merc Bar 36 Sway 11 Don Hill s 24 Mercer Cafe 37 Sweet & Vicious 12 Double Happiness 25 æ 38 V elvet Restaurant & 112 New York @ Night 13 Ear Inn 26 Naked Lunch Lounge [email protected] EDITION.qxd 8/21/2006 3:21 PM Page 114 Type of Balthazar Cafe Noir Type of Establishmen 80 Spring Street 32 Grand Street @ Thompson Establishmen t t Bar/Restaurant Between Crosby & Broadway 212.431.7910 Bar/Restaurant 212.965.1414 Hours Some place in Morocco there is a Cafe Noir, Hours F-Sa 12pm- Daily 11pm- 3am Even though we know this place has seen but if you don’t have the time or resources 4am Su 11:30am- many a Manolo, and though we know that to go all the way to Africa may we suggest a Drink Prices 2am M-Th everyone from Rupert Murdoch to Anna Win- more suitable option in SoHo. The French Moderate 12pm-2am tour has dined in this French-styled restau- Moroccan menu is filled with an array of Food Drink Prices rant, and while you’ll probably have to seafood dishes, colors, and textures. Hand- French Expensive promise to name your first born Balthazar to woven tapestries made of yarn lie on stucco Moroccan Food get a reservation, we still don’t understand walls. Lanterns covered in faux gems illumi- Nearest French why this place has been the definition of nate corners of the room. Gigantic potted Subway Nearest downtown hip for the past two years. It’s not palm trees double as incense holders and A,C,E,1,9 to Subway particularly original in design (one need only Canal Street 6 to S pring archway upon archway takes you to an Credit Cards S treet look at other Keith McAlley creations Lucky exotic place where knights wrapped in white AmEx Credit Cards Stripe, Pravda to see that), but it’s got atti- cloths look stately to the horizon on two- All Major tude and sometimes that’s enough. humped camels. Bar 89 Casa La Femme 89 Mercer Street 150 Wooster Street Between Broome & Spring Between Prince & West Houston Type of Type of 212.274.0989 212.505.0005 Establishmen Establishmen t t Throw away your cutlery and discover just Comfort is key at Casa La Bar/Restaurant Bar/Restaurant how good finger-food can be at this neo- Femme, an authentic Egypt- Hours Hours neighborhood diner. Behemoth burgers, ian spot with beauty rivaling W -Sa 5pm- Daily 12pm- nachos smothered in cheese, and buckin that of Cleopatra. Plush pil- 4am Su-T 2am buffalo wings that’ll leave you licking your fin- lows made for the mightiest 5pm-12am Drink Prices gers from the knuckle to the nail are just a of pharaohs envelope you Drink Prices Moderate few of the affordable, belt-busting goodies on the grass-covered floor. Adding to the Expensive Food you’ll find at Bar 89. The drinks are as large opium den-like feel of the room, brass shisha Food Eclectic Egyptian American as the portions and fortunately for you the pipes (bongs with culture) stand tall on center bathrooms are quite a tourist attraction (just room tables inviting all to take tokes of apple- Nearest Nearest Subway Subway ask the overwhelming number of Asians that cinnamon flavored tobacco. Private tents N,R to N,R to frequent the bar). Simple, sleek and sumptu- draped in sheer black curtains are the perfect Prince Street Prince Street ous, it’s no wonder this place needs a door- place to canoodle and nibble on Lahma Bil Credit Cards Credit Cards man on the weekend. Fata (roasted lamb). But, nothing gets the AmEx,V,MC AmEx,V,MC crowd going more than the house belly dancer. Boom 152 Spring Street Between West Broadway & Wooster Chibi’s Sake Bar 212.431.3663 238 Mott Street @ Prince 212.274.0025 When Boom opened seven years ago, it led Type of the SoHo vanguard of places to see-and-be- Type of Chibi, the canine namesake of this charm- Establishmen Establishmen seen. The lines have died down, but the t ing sake bar, proudly towers in a gold- t Bar/Restaurant restaurant still pulls a chic loyal crowd — framed photograph above the lovingly Lounge mainly because Boom makes good on what arranged glass shelves holding the trinkets Hours Hours M-Sa 12pm- other establishments can't. The oil paintings, necessary for authentic sake drinking. Mel- F-Sa 6pm-2am 4am skylight sculpture, and burnt umber walls low, young and old, hip downtowners enjoy, Su 6pm-12am T-Th 6pm-1am Drink Prices create a vibe that's cozy and romantic, and among others, seven-year-old Koshiyu- Expensive the international fare only adds to the Yoshiorino sake in minuscule, hand-painted Drink Prices Expensive Food worldly ambiance. Throw in live music four French glasses, and Japanese appetizers International nights a week and you have a date destina- Food at the curved, marble corner bar. Romantic Appetizers Fare tion guaranteed to make either (or both) of couples disappear behind the blue-velvet Nearest Nearest you swoon. curtain to smooch at one of the little tables in the darker, unadorned but cozy side of the room. 114 New York @ Night SoHo 115 [email protected] EDITION.qxd 8/21/2006 3:21 PM Page 116 Type of Circa Tabac Diva Type of Establishmen 32 Watts Street 341 West Broadway Establishmen t t Bar/Lounge Between 6th Avenue & West Broadway Between Grand & Broome Bar/Restaurant 212.941.1781 212.941.9024 Hours Hours Th-Sa 5pm- Daily 11am- 4am Su-W While the government continues to crack Walk down West Broadway and you can’t 3am 5pm-2am down on tobacco companies and anti-smok- miss Diva. Its doors, a bright fire-engine red, Drink Prices Drink Prices ing campaigns are the growing cause capture the eye and definitely draw attention Moderate Expensive derigeur, it’s become increasingly harder to away from the other more understated Food Food light up without feeling like a walking lung places that surround this Italian restaurant. tI alian Eclectic cancer ad. Fear not our little nicotine But come to think of it, isn’t a diva always Nearest Nearest addicted friends. Circa Tabac is a smoker’s supposed to be the center of attention? Its Subway Subway paradise. Offering over 150 types of ciga- loud exterior is beguiling; however, the can- C,E to A,C,E to rettes from around the world and an dle-lit room is rather sedate. Patrons are too S pring Street S pring Street extremely affordable menu, this 20s style busy enjoying the Ravioli d’Aragosta and Credit Cards Credit Cards lounge tucked away on Watts street, exhorts indulging in a taste of La Dolce Vita. All Major AmEx,V,MC, Diners you to rip off your patches and spit out that wad of gum. And don’t worry about second- hand smoke, that’s what the giant air-puri- fiers are for. Don Hill’s 511 Greenwich Street @ Spring 212.334.1390 Type of Cub Room Establishmen 131 Sullivan Street @ Prince Street Members of the moral majority may not t Type of Club Establishmen 212.677.4100 want to enter Don Hill’s on a Friday night.