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Vinus & Marc—A Taste of 1920’s Paris       

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By Doug Singer

Carnegie Hill’s Vinus & Marc is rife with sultry design elements from 1920s Paris. Located on 95th Street and Second Avenue, this prohibition-era styled bistro/lounge has a lush, timeless vibe and is sure to become a favorite. Kicking back in a plush chaise is the way they roll here and comfort in both the environment and the food is the name of the game. 

We started off our evening with a couple of the rather impressive cocktails designed by in-house mixologist, Aziza Omar. She has created some stunning libations as well as re-creating some classics from the 1920's with style. The Baby Vamp (tequila, mescal, strawberry, lemon, Bittermens Hellfire Shrub) and the Dewdropper (bourbon, nocino, sweet vermouth, Brooklyn Hemispherical Black Mission Fig bitters) were simply amazing and were thoroughly enjoyed alongside a selection of charcuterie (Prosciutto di San Daniele & Jamon Serrano) and an array of fine cheeses including Morbier, Reading Raclette and Manchego.

Chef J. Luis Dominguez heads up the kitchen and delivers a Latin-French inspired menu with authority. There is a nice selection of tapas style offerings as well as traditional “elevated comfort food” entrées. 

To keep the deliciously light Beet Salad company (roasted red beets served over citrus-infused goat cheese with micro greens and toasted honey almonds), we imbibed a martini made with the sublimely exquisite house made sage-infused gin—spectacular on all fronts. 

To segue into our main courses, we simply had to try the Golden Fried Calamari and let’s just say this—salty, crispy morsels from the sea that were truly addictive. 

Moving on to our entrées, we eagerly dove into the Pan Roasted Chicken (sauté of spring vegetables, finished with chicken jus and served with jalapeno mashed potatoes) which was a refreshing, elevated plate of comfort food that was executed to perfection. The Grilled Arctic Char (wild Alaskan Arctic Char with sautéed broccoli rabe and a poached egg, served with home fries) was also a winner and solidified a level of consistency that kept coming. 

Whether it is their Bloody Mary brunch, a night on the town with friends, or a romantic dinner, Vinus & Marc is an excellent choice and one that I will personally be revisiting in the near future. 

www.vinusandmarc.com
By Michael Hepworth

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What exactly is GRAND BRULOT I thought to myself as I opened the bottle for the first time just around the time this lockdown took effect. Well, Grand Brulot is listed as a VSOP Cognac Café and it can be used in Bloody Mary’s, Manhattans, Negronis, Martinis, spritzes and sidecars , just for starters. It is a blend of Ugni Blanc & Colombard that is crafted into 80 proof VSOP. Then 100% Robusta Ecuadorian coffee bean essence is extracted and blended with brandy to meld for a few months and finally, it is blended with the VSOP Cognac. There is also a whiff of peppermint, nutmeg and hot cocoa in the drink. The retail price is $42.99.

The idea for the drink was instigated in 2015 by John Bernbach who asked for the help of industry veteran Francisco Tonarely to investigate the potential of a cognac/brandy drink blended with coffee. Three year later in August 2018 Grand Brulot was launched. This cognac comes from the Tardy Cognac Group and the grapes come from its single estate. Grand Brulot also plays homage to a New Orleans specialty of the same name that is still served around town.  The name Grand Brulot was inspired by the famous French pirate Jean Lafite who helped New Orleans repel the British invaders in 1812. He would order coffee, pour cognac in the saucer, set it alight and mix it with the coffee.
Recipes:

THE RISE AND SHINE
2 oz Grand Brulot
Orange Twist

Just pour Grand Brulot over ice and the orange will highlight the flavors
of the spirit.

BRULOT BLACK MANHATTAN
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz Bourbon
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes Orange Bitters

Bartender Todd Smith created this one. Stir all the ingredients together in
a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with ice and garnish

with orange wheel.

FRENCH NEGRONI
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz  Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Campari

Build in a rocks glass over ice and garnish w/orange wheel.

GRAND BRULOT CAFÉ HOLIDAY
1 oz Grand Brulot
0.5 oz Crème de Cacao
3 oz Porter Beer or Stout
3 dashes of bitters

Throw cocktail ingredients between two cups a couple of times to mix
And ignite the foam from the beer. Pour into a highball glass over ice
And garnish with nutmeg.



www.grandbrulot.com
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