Find Your Fix at Apotheke
In my early twenties I was the queen bee of NYC’s latest and greatest hotspots. I knew about a bar, lounge or restaurant launch weeks before everyone else did because I followed commercial real estate websites and newsletters—nope, I didn’t have a life.
Once I began working at a fashion magazine I became lazy and gave up on the space stalking aspect—they wanted me there on opening night no matter what—they wanted me to cover the hangover-inducing bash. Well … then I stumbled onto something called responsibility *yawn* and rolling into the office reeking like a plastic bottle of Popov Vodka was no longer acceptable. What would I do if I got fired because I was out until 4 AM buying shots for random guys who used to be on The Bachelor? Needless to say, I feel like I’m slightly out of the hotspot loop, but—don’t you worry—this is all about to change.
I am embarrassed to say that I just discovered the sexiness that is Apothéke—a year late. You see, I tend to stay in on weekend nights and get my fix at random brunch spots on Saturdays and Sundays. Who feels like dealing with out-of-towners and day-long hangovers on Saturday and Sunday? My friends do.
Well, my friends won and I was taken (kicking and screaming, of course) down to Chinatown to the deserted Doyers Street, which is an alley off of the Bowery. I felt like I was about to walk into the middle of a “West Side Story” street gang fight. As we approached 9 Doyers Street I searched for a sign that said “Gold Flower Restaurant” and we entered into the former opium den and gang hideout. Like lots of “underground” NYC spots, I was taken aback as I was transported into this uber-sexy, candlelit, vampire’s lair.
After briefly scanning the crowd—more locals than bridge-and-tunnelers—I bellied-up to the 30-foot, five-ton marble bar and swiped the menu of magical potions from Dr. Jekyll’s grip like he was handing me a personalized Centurion card. I looked through the list of fresh fruits, botanicals and secret elixirs and immediately zeroed in on the rose water and cucumber-heavy “health and beauty” section—so this means I’ll wake up looking like Adriana Lima and feeling like I ran five miles? After perusing the other sections of the menu, including “pain killers”, “stress relievers” and “aphrodisiacs”, I requested the sidecar (because I’d heard so many great things about their version) and took in the sights as my mixologist perfected my medication.
Apothéke is floor-to-ceiling; chock full of old world luxury and charm. Inspired by old European apothecaries and absinthe dens, it successfully recreates the vibe you’d expect to come across if you were to stumble into an underground bar in a Victorian castle in Austria. The hand-carved, back bar houses hundreds of antique medicine bottles that were collected from around the world. The jewel-toned drinks are perfectly poured into uniquely shaped, Austrian crystal glasses that only accentuate the dramatic stage that is this bar. No need to worry if you don’t find anything of interest on the menu—how is that possible?—a friend wasn’t craving a sugary hangover so she ordered a Stoli martini with olives and they happily obliged.
I took a sip of the sidecar and was delighted by the orange-flavored concoction. I familiarized myself with the ingredients: XO Cognac with lime, sugar cane juice, elderflower jelly, hibiscus water and Valencia orange oil. Nice twist on a classic cocktail!
“You cannot leave Apothéke without an absinthe tasting,” exclaimed the mad-scientist bartender. My friends agreed and we ordered the homemade absinthe. We watched in awe as he set the liquor on fire—supposedly the flames burn off some of the alcohol, making the shots smoother. Hmm … mental note: since I’m not particularly fond of black licorice absinthe will NOT become a regular drink of mine. After chasing the shot with a sip of some peppery vodka martini, I picked up the menu, in an attempt to order another tasty beverage, and realized it was time to go because I was seeing double—whoops! I guess that meant that I was having a good time?
I stumbled towards the door after switching to flip flops, said good night to the bouncers (who were very nice to me!) and grabbed a cab to the Upper East Side. I was ravenous by the time I got home—I forgot to mention that Apothéke does not serve food—so I popped into my local deli for a snack and went to sleep.
Due to my drunk-o-rexia and the mixing of absinthe, vodka, tequila and cognac, Sunday morning was as painful as expected, but worth it.
As always if you need help finding the newest hotspot contact us at www.premiumlg.com
