Saturday, October 22nd, 2010—Bar 286
Day 286—Friday, October 22nd, 2010
Do Hwa (Originally headed for Sweet Revenge)
Okay, everybody in New York is all worked up over tonight’s Yankee playoff game against Texas. If they lose they’re out and if they win, the final game is tomorrow. I don’t want a repeat of last Friday night, so I need to find a bar that won’t be packed with people watching the game. I think maybe I found the place. While Googling around I found a place called Sweet Revenge that’s a bakery and sandwich shop and it’s also got a liquor license. I didn’t know if they had an actual bar in there and I just called and they do. I’m guessing it won’t be packed with Yankee fans. I mean, when’s the last time you saw people eating cupcakes at a Yankees game?
Here we are at Sweet Revenge. Shit, it looks kind of crowded in there.
The bar is jammed and there's no seats. Goddamn, time to improvise once again.
But this time there's no lonely walk, for right down the block is this place, Do Hwa. I bet there's a bar in here.
And baboom, here it is with a couple of choice seats front and center. We've arrived at bar number 286!
And Caroline the cute and super-friendly bartender serves up a pepper agave margarita.
Wow, it's really spicy, hence the goofy look on my face. Okay, the face is always goofy, but the drink is delicious!
The back of the lit up bar in magenta hues.
Some of the draft beers available at the bar.
There's a long wooden, candle-lit railing opposite the bar to enjoy food and drinks at.
Silent movies play continuously on the wall at the front end of the bar.
Here's the large dining area.
Back at the bar, Caroline pours me a German beer that's served in special ceramic mug.
The lovely duo of Betty and Tina were chilling out at the end of the bar.
Someone at the bar drew this picture earlier in the evening with the prophetic words: "The river around hell is made of fruity martinis."
Here's a long shot of the bar.
Here's Daniel, Trina and John who are regulars at the restaurant and bar. Trina suggested I check out a bar called Fred's on the Upper West Side, so that's a future stop for sure.
And a new tradition begins on the bar crawl. Caroline happily gives us a double fingered salute! Goodnight, everybody!
Review
Okay, today is my first day off in two weeks and I slept in really late. I have a bunch of stuff to do, so once again, I’m going to laze out on writing a review and use one from New York magazine. I do highly recommend this place though, really friendly bartenders and staff and the patrons are locals from the neighborhood and nice people. Okay, here’s what New York magazine has to say, and it’s one of their critics picks by the way.
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Jenny Kwak and her mother Myung Ja try to familiarize diners with their home-style Korean cooking with family-style dinners for four, as well as various combinations of dumplings, spicy pancakes, stews, sautés, and the barbecue dishes that provide all the drama. If you’re a do-it-yourself type, request a table with a built-in grill. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld
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Do Hwa
55 Carmine St. (Near Bedford St.)
212-414-1224
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Bonus Photo!
Al Rizo whom I've dubbed my co-pilot on the adventure due to the number of fine bar recommendations he's suggested sent in a picture of his bar in his home in Miami. I have to try to get there and have a drink or ten before this whole thing is over. I think a winter weekend in Miami sounds nice, stay tuned and thanks for the picture Al. Your bar looks like a dark slice of paradise! Cheers!
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Reader Comments (22)
Once again the king of the bouncebacks strikes again! Love the fact that this place plays movies. You didn't have to watch the Yankees blow the playoffs in here! And lots of pretty ladies in here! And Al, what a cool bar you've set up, I hope Marty gets out there!
P.S. LOVE Caroline's double finger salute! The tradition begins!
Man-O-Live, what a bunch of cuties in there! Oh, by the way...I don't think that hand drawn poster was entirely original...I think it was something Dante Alighieri said while drying out down at the Florence Rehab Center back in the year 1311 or so....
@Jaws: The 13th ring of martinis!
@365: Nice bounce back last night man.
Where is everyone? I guess all the commentators have hang overs from watching base ball?
That German mug looks pretty cool. Did you drink that or stick to the Margarita's? For some reason I've taken a dislike to German beers lately...too hoppy and too malty for the climate. I'll give them another bash in the chilli NY night time.
@Al: You have no idea how impressed I am with your home set up. Would be great to get Marty down there to crawl through it. I'd like to build something similar but I'm afraid I'd never leave the house....and my mates would never leave either....great job mate! Do you make your own home brew? That would complete the picture perfectly.
@Tim Clack: The audience really dies down on Saturday, a lot of people check it out from work. Yeah, I had two of the German beers and one of the margaritas, the beers were good, but the margarita was great! Caroline makes a mean drink! And I totally agree with you on Al's bar, I really want to try and get there and have a drink before this bar crawl is over.
Caroline with the great greeting,,,keeps us real. That pepper agave margarita I know was hot, Koreans love spicy everything. Kimchi on the menu is a must and they eat it all the time,, bury it in the ground for a few weeks, let the cabbage ferment along with hot peppers and presto, Kimchi. That brew on tap,,,Pumpkin Stout caught my attention. Marty,, come down,,,stay at my home, you can stagger from the bar to the room. (I'll play 'Lonesome town' for the short walk) Im still planning my trip up there and it has to be before this ends. @Tim Clack: Thanks,,,I had a good friend who brewed his own and though rewarding,,,it was a lot of work, plus during that time I was working a ton of overtime and just didn't have time for it. Now I just buy the beers though I cut back, (getting too fat) prefer the scotch. And you are right ,,,I don't leave the house much,,,but the bar does not get used really,,,only when I have friends or relatives over,,,,for me and the wife,,,we just sit on the recliners and drink there.
@Al: I'm definitely going to try and get there and have your bar on the list!
@365: You'll have to let us know where yourself and Biff will be drinking next tuesday after the show. Somewhere on broadway/Times square? We should be in need of a drink by then.
Like I said before, I'll send you an email on the day sometime...
as always "originally headed for...=one hell of a post...as always this did not fail...in fact it is right up there...man it is getting harder and harder (yea i know "that's what she said") to say what the top stop should be...have to wait till the end...wait they have a "school girl cocktail" cue "good morning little school girl"...hey al you got one of those in your neat set-up?...nice...365 has a great co-pilot...double fingered salute added to a great stop...크롤 링을 계속
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@raginrr: I get what your saying and just had to read it a few times,,,,,,yeah,,,I got it and no problem,,and I agree double finger greeting is great............
@Tim Clack: We'll definitely have to meet up. I'll be sending a gang email out soon.
@raginrr: 크롤 링을 계속???? Is that Korean for KOC?
damn even my co-workers or my wife don't understand what i'm saying ,most of the time...the cats even the feral ones have no problem...as close to KOC as i could find...KOC
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love the new finger tradition! LOL! cool bar and people, nice stop on a firday night.
@marty and raginrr: what does KOC mean?
@rita r: I'll start it and let raginrr finish, Keep On...(you out there ragin?)
when i started posting i'd finish with Keep On Crawling...but i'm such a lazy fuck that keying KOC was three keystokes as opposed to sixteen keystrokes...ergo KOC...while i'm here i want to apologize to one and all on the crawl for my sometimes off topic and somewhat cryptic posts...most are probably dense and don't mean shit to a tree...KOC
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@raginrr: No need for apologies, we all enjoy your comments! KOC—Keep On Commenting!
Glad you found a friendly second stop, but I do like the idea of the bar in a bakery. And Al, awesome bar you have there!
@kari: I'll try the bakery place on a Monday or Tuesday night when hopefully it'll be less crowded.
Pepper Agave is my porn name!
@Biff: Ha ha ha!
Wow what a very cool bar you happened upon!!