Wednesday, November 24th, 2010—Bar 318
Day 318—Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
Savoy (originally headed to Oficina Latina)
(We now interrupt the bar crawl for this crass holiday announcement.) If you’ve been thinking about getting a 365 Beers t-shirt or some other product from the 365 Bars store, now is the time to act on that impulse, there’s free shipping at the store from the 24th to the 28th. Check out “Boris’” new “Crawlapalooza” design and if you’re a fan of Woody Radio, there’s also three designs there including shirts for the coolest DJ in the world, Gidget and for in-house artist’s “Boris’” Secret Weapon show. Perfect holiday gifts!
Okay, back to the bar crawl. I stumbled upon Oficina Latina while Googling around tonight and it looks like it might be something a little different. It’s a Latin American-styled bar/restaurant and they have over 100 rums and feature lots of specialty cocktails. The cocktails are 12 bucks a pop, but what the hell, I drank three dollar cans of Pabst last night, so we may as well mix it up a bit. So away we go.
This fellow was entertaining people down in the subway. It kind of gave me a Shmenge Brothers flashback. Cabbage rolls and coffee!
Huh, here we are, 24 Prince Street, but it looks more like a place that sells used tires and crack.
Looks like this is the place after all, let's go inside.
Wow, it's really crowded and loud in here, my first impulse was to run out the door, but I see a seat at the bar. Let's go snag it.
But before I could sit down, this guy grabs me and asks me what I'm doing. When I told him I was sitting at the bar he said I had to wait to be seated there. Wait to be seated at the bar? I told him that I didn't need to wait and walked out the door and out onto Prince Street.
Time to improvise and take that lonely walk.
The Savoy...hmmm...wonder if there's a bar in here?
I think I spy tonight's destination. Looks like a nice little bar to relax at.
Plenty of seats and I bet there's no waiting.
No waiting indeed! Friendly bartender Brian quickly pours me a much needed beer.
Cheers!
It's a small, but well-stocked bar.
Another angle of the "U" shaped, wooden bar.
Doorba and Alok were seated to my left. They live in the neighborhood and stopped in for a nightcap.
The dining room is in the back and there's a second floor dining area as well. I didn't go up there because the bar is down here.
There's window seat tables opposite the bar. Let's go say hi to these two diners.
Hi! Ken and Marco were just finishing dinner and relaxing at their table.
A glance out of the view of the window of Prince Street.
Emna stopped in for a glass of wine after a long day and night of work. Love the smile!
I decided to try one of their specialty cocktails for the last drink of the evening and Brian mixed me up the "Sgt. Pepper," which is tequila, cynar, granada pepper and lime.
He blew his mind out in a bar. Goodnight, everybody!
Review
The Savoy has been a neighborhood favorite on the block for over 20 years now. The restaurant has a cozy, rustic feel to it with exposed wooden beams and a working fireplace. The bar area is small with a wooden “U” shaped bar that allows for interaction among all present. Brian the bartender is friendly and is happy to share his knowledge about the signature drinks and wine available. The cliental is a nice mix of neighborhood locals, people stopping in after work and the odd tourist that has happily stumbled onto this welcoming oasis of food and drink.
The beer selection is small but choice with just two draft beers to choose from and both are local New York brews. They are: Ommegang Rare Vos and Six Point Sweet Action Pale Ale. Your choice of bottled beers include: Reisdorf Kölsch, Two Brothers Pale Ale and Geary’s London Porter. There’s a decent wine list and a half dozen signature cocktails that are house inventions. Happy hour runs daily from 3pm to 7pm.
The food menu is American Traditional and some of the choices are: Chicken fried duck livers with honey mustard; roasted wild striped bass; pig head torchon and country ham. And tomorrow there’s a four course Thanksgiving dinner for 75 dollars. Gobble, gobble.
Savoy
70 Prince St. (Near Crosby St.)
212-219-8570
28 Comments
Reader Comments (28)
I never knew that duck liver and pig head torchon were american traditional. Guess I'm not traditional. Nice small bar. Love the beams! And waiting to be seated at a bar? That place must be pretty damn special.
"He blew his mind out in a bar." LMFAO! Nice bounce-back as always. Glad you skipped the first joint and found the Savoy. Nice small bar and friendly people. And I loved the Shmenge links! Cabbage rolls and coffee! LOL!
@kari: I'm just going by the listing in New York magazine. To me American Traditional is Cheez Whiz and crackers with a side of Budweiser. Maybe Clacky will chime in on this subject, he's the chef here after all!
Another great bounce back Marty! Hey, maybe someday when the Officious Latino or whatever it's called finds itself in need of some promo, when they go to the add agency to pay for it, the receptionist will tell them they have to wait to be seated and please take a number!
Wait to be seated at the Bar?
Good way to make room for a seat by knocking that person on his ass.
Unreal.
Their loss not yours/ours.
Another nice comeback.
I need to stock up on some personal wardrobe too and will take advantage of the special.
It'll be a 365 Christmas!
(we didn't HAVE the Crawl LAST Christmas1)
Happy Thanksgiving Eve to all.
(I remember one from 1978)
I know I am Grateful for this Crawl, all your hard work and perseverance along the way.
A man on a mission.
Well done Daddio.
"Boris"
Savoy's a great place, and another nice save, Marty! K. and I have eaten in the dining room upstairs a couple of times and it's always been top notch — we ate like a couple of pig head torchons, whatever they are. One gimmick they do is cook stuff in the fireplace upstairs which makes for smoky goodness. The creme brulee is particularly awesome done on the open fire.
Incredible. In 1997 I went to UC Berkeley to do an MBA. While I was there I was roommate of a guy called Alok... the same one you took a picture at Savoy!...Unfuckingbelievable!... I don´t see his face for almost 10 Years!... Thanks for showing me that he´s alive and ok!...
Also, you should check a Brazillian bar sometime. I talk to some friends that live in NY and they pointed me:
Cabana Carioca, Ipanema, Via Brazil, Favela Cabana or Brasilia.
They said you can have the best caipirinha money can buy!.
Take Care and keep crawling!
@"Boris": Thanks, Daddio! And thanks for all the work you've done here, from the top banner art, to all the designs in the 365 Bar Shop! Happy Thanksgiving to you and everybody!
@Ned Sparks: That creme brulee over the fire sounds great!
@Pops: That is truly crazy! Another wacky coincidence on the bar crawl! I've been to Ipanema, it was bar number 179, but I will check the others out, thanks for the tips! And thanks for sharing your story about knowing Alok, unbelievable!
Please wait to be seated,,,,at the bar? Only if the drinks are free, then I can wait two minutes only.
WaIt to be seated at the bar? WTF! That manager has some screws loose! That's how you lose business!
@Al and NYCman530: I didn't get it either. Usually the rules at the bar are if you move your drink and feet, you lose your seat. I won't be going back there anytime soon!
I never comment, but I read your blog every day and just wanted to say it's a fun daily diversion on the internet! Great work and happy Thanksgiving to you and the whole crew here!
@Norman W: Thanks, Norman, nice to hear from a "silent reader." I appreciate the kind words and Happy Thanksgiving to you and everybody!
damn a silent—no more—crawler...how many are out there?...chime in...if you have been followin'...speak up...i don't post on almost all the blah blah...but i believe 365 not only enjoys but needs all the support that can be given...sermon over...amen...other originally headin' to goin' to on my way to started out to...without fail ends in "great stop" on the crawl...savoy...hell no tin ceilin' ...looks like a place to check if you got a couple bucjs in your pocket...sorry but i did not see any wait to be seated sign...KOC
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"Savoy" always reminds me of New Orleans, but I like this place too! Love Accordion Man, think the Latin Office stinks (by the way, really interesting name, motherfuckers). Glad you rebounded, Marty! Hope you, Norman, Boris, Gidget, Kari, Jhwang, Zioum, Jaws , Shannon, Clacky, M.R., Birthday boy Fitzy, Al, Pops, Barfly, Grade A Fancies, Auntie Em, Toto, and all the other usual suspects - red shoes or not - have a happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your families and friends, stay away from the sales, and pray to the football gods that Colt McCoy's high ankle sprain heals up right quick! Cheers!
And raginrr too!
And Tiki Bar Susie! The turkey has been drinking (that's me).
right back at you biff...and all...KOC
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@Biff and raginrr: Cheers to you two! And everybody else. And god bless Tiny Tim!
hey 365...tiny tim...different celebration...this has sumthing to do with indians corn and strangers in a "new" world...KOC
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Happy Thanksgiving to @biff and the rest of the 365 crew!
@Biff: We don't do the Thanksgiving thing but Thanks for the well wishes for your Holiday, Biffster!
What is Thanksgiving and why do you guys celebrate it?? Typical australian question.
@365: I could be a bit absent from the crawl in the next couple of days so Keep On Crawling!! Work crazy!!
@Biff: Go Eagles!