Day 238—Saturday, September 4th, 2010
The Collective (Origninally headed for Bill’s Bar & Burger)
Okay, it’s cheeseburger Saturday night, so what could be more appropriate than heading to the Meatpacking district in search of a great burger? Irony board at its finest hour! I’ve read good things about Bill’s Bar & Burger and it’s not far from where I live. So let’s hoof it on over and check out the Bill of fare. (rimshot)
And we're off! A little too sunny out here for my tastes, but a nice day none the less.
Okay, we're here, the corner of 13th and Ninth.
And here we are. Unfortunately I was told by the manager that since they are part of a corporation I couldn't take pictures for a website. That's okay, I don't like drinking in corporate bars anyway. We hardly knew ye, Bill and thank fuck for that.
And so we begin a lonesome walk in search of a cheeseburger.
Let's see what's down this way.
The Collective, a restaurant and bar. I'm starvin' like Marvin, so this looks good enough for me.
It's a nice sized bar and it's got a retro '70's vibe going on.
And bartender Adam dutifully serves up an ice cold beer.
Here's a long shot of the bar, it may be sunny outside, but it's nice and dark in here.
Joel and Amy were enjoying an early evening drink at the bar.
Some of the beers on tap at the bar.
The dining room is huge.
And it houses a second bar. I like the one I'm at better. It's darker.
I love this "Don't Walk" chair!
There's lots of tables outside to drink and dine at. Great for people-watching.
Back inside I meet the lovely chef Ariel and Eddie the second bartender of the evening. Nice and friendly people.
And here comes dinner! First up is the devlied eggs. They were fantastic andI love the fact that they're surrounded by popcorn! Nice touch!
And here's the main course, a cheeseburger and fries.
The burger is not only topped with cheese, it's got a special truffle sauce on top. It looks great.
And here I am trying to stuff the whole thing in my face.
It was delicious! Burp! Goodnight, everybody!
Review
The Collective is a restaurant/bar that has a loungey atmosphere with a funky and unique atmosphere. The floor is wooden and the back main bar has a ‘70s retro feel to it. The main dining room has creative furniture and candle-lit tables. There’s also a second bar and plenty of areas and nooks with comfortable couches and chairs to kick back in. Outside there’s plenty of tables to eat, drink and watch the crowd in the Meatpacking district wander by in search of the next club they’re going to hit.
There’s a full bar and some of the specialty cocktails include: the My Tie wich is, 10 cane and Myers dark rum with liquefied almonds over traditional fresh juices; an Electric Blueberry Collins which mixes Smirnoff Blueberry Vodka, vermont blueberries and fresh lemonade topped with prosecco; the Robert Maple Roy which is Glenlivet 12-year-old single malt whiskey with cherry bitters and fresh maple syrup and the Modified Moscow Mule which is Russian Standard Vodka, fresh lime, cucumber and ginger beer.
There’s also an eclectic food menu featuring: Hong Kong Ribs, Chicken-n-Waffles with maple gravy, Vermont Cheddar Mac & Cheese and B.B.Q Spiced Rib-Eye And Fries. And if you’ve still got room, try the Baked Alaskan Ding Dong dessert which is Texas sheet cake, toasted marshmallow, cookies and cream gelato.
The Collective
1 Little W. 12th St. (Near Hudson St.)
212-255-9717
And now for tonight's Sunday video, Iggy Pop with Soupy Sale's kids, Hunt and Tony on "Lust For Life."