Bar Openings: December 2014

NYC cocktail veterans open the rockin' Midnight Rambler in Dallas, and Manhattan's Boilermaker celebrates the classic combo.

Dallas's Midnight Rambler is designed with a 1960s cinematic feel, with leather and metallic finishes, checkerboard flooring, a walnut-barreled ceiling, and new and vintage art.
Dallas's Midnight Rambler is designed with a 1960s cinematic feel, with leather and metallic finishes, checkerboard flooring, a walnut-barreled ceiling, and new and vintage art. (Photo by Daniel Driensky)

Midnight Rambler Rocks The Dallas Cocktail Scene

Top-notch bartending duo Chad Solomon and Christy Pope, who have ties to some of the best drinks venues in New York City, opened the craft cocktail bar Midnight Rambler in October in the basement of The Joule Hotel in Dallas. Named after a song by The Rolling Stones, Midnight Rambler has a rock ’n’ roll vibe and boasts two bars and several lounge areas. Highlighting cocktails, the venue divides its menu into sections for aromatic, sour and sparkling drinks and also lists a variety of punches and shots ($8 to $14). Standouts include the Hocus Pocus, a blend of ancho chili-infused Lustau East India Solera Sherry, Tapatio Blanco Tequila, Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao liqueur and cumin, and the Savory Hunter, made with lemongrass- and kaffir lime-infused Tanqueray gin, fresh lime, coconut, cilantro and Thai chili. The bar staff is committed to advancing cocktail development and often experiments with a centrifuge, immersion circulators, dehydrators and refractometers to make new concoctions. Midnight Rambler also offers a variety of American and European beers ($3 to $15 a can or bottle), wines ($7 to $16 a glass), and upscale bar fare like chicken liver mousse and a roasted eggplant sandwich ($5 to $14), which is prepared by the adjacent CBD Provisions.

Boilermaker in New York City celebrates its namesake drink with beer and shots.
Boilermaker in New York City celebrates its namesake drink with beer and shots. (Photo by Paul Wagtouicz)

History Is Revisited At Manhattan Bar

Paying homage to drinks dens that were popular during the Industrial Revolution, Boilermaker opened in September in New York City’s East Village neighborhood. The bar aims to be a local respite where bartenders can relax after work. Boilermaker features a handful of its namesake drinks ($6 to $10), such as the National Anthem, which pairs Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon and Brooklyn lager, and the Dark & Bitter, a combination of Ramazzotti amaro and Victory Storm King stout. The bar also boasts a selection of classic and signature cocktails, including four on tap ($10 to $16), punches for large groups ($45 a pitcher) and a variety of craft beers ($4 to $7 a draft pour, bottle or can). History plays a part in Boilermaker’s design too, as the dark and intimate space features burlap, wood and metal elements.

Bar Briefs

  • Spain’s world-renowned nightclub Space Ibiza made its North American debut in September with the opening of a location in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. The 20,000-square-foot club houses several different rooms, a rooftop terrace and dance platforms for performers.
  • Cocktail bigwig Albert Trummer opened his 1940s apothecary-inspired den The Drawing Room this fall in Miami’s Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach hotel. The venue’s bartenders wear lab coats and craft elixirs from a roving cart, offering specialty drinks under headings like “Health and Beauty,” “Stress Relievers,” and “Pain Killers.”
  • The operators of the Chicago bars Benchmark and Gaslight opened the sports venue Highline Bar + Lounge in September in the city’s River North area. The rustic spot boasts some 50 beers, classic cocktails and a variety of wines, along with upscale pub fare like bison Reuben sliders and lobster nachos. Highline has wood floors, plush bar stools and 20 televisions.
  • Gerber Group has partnered with contemporary artist Domingo Zapata to unveil Studio at the W New York Union Square in September. Decorated with large murals, Studio features classic cocktails, Spanish drinks, and a DIY Gin and Tonic bar.