Absinthe and Essex
Location-The lower east side area of Manhattan.
The scene- a nondescript door next to a fortune teller.
The only indication of anything out of the norm is a dangling white star above the door. Placed in a way that conjures up images of mistletoe hanging around Christmas.
You walk into this place not knowing what to expect.
You’re greeted by a small bar with a few randomly scattered patrons. On initial glance, it seems to be reminiscent of most other bars, you’ve been to before, you continue on past the bar and up a small flight of stairs. Your presented with several wooden booths, or if you’re with a large group of people, the back room seems to be the right fit.
Welcome to White Star- Another bar in the ever-expanding Sasha Petraske, cocktail empire. The man behind the original NYC speakeasy,Milk & Honey, he opened White Star in August 2008. Originally meant to focus on Absinthe,and sipping liquors such as Whiskey and Scotch, the menu was revamped several months ago to incorporate some of Sasha’s signature creativity
The menu, is presented on a clipboard.
One page dedicated to cocktails
And another covering the Absinthe Selection
In the corner of the backroom, the eye of a La Fee Absinthe Fountain eerily watches as you partake in your nectar of choice.
In attempt to pay homage to the Absinthe inspired roots of White Star, we ordered a few different drinks that incorporated Absinthe as a main component.
The Waldorf- Sweet Vermouth, Sazerac Rye Whiskey and Absinthe
The Purgatorio- Prosecco and Kublar Absinthe
The Seafizz-A combination of Abinstihe, Seltzer, Eggwhite and Lemon Juice
Absinthe Sampling
The mansithe(Marilyn Manson’s own brand of Absinthe) and Duplais(originating from Switzerland)
Whereas Little Branch, feels like the easy accessible version of Milk and Honey, White Star somehow manages to give off that same classic vibe yet, at the same time is reminiscent of your neighborhood pub. What if your local pub happened to be manned by one of the best mixologists in the country from time to time? (Sasha’s still rumored to work his magic on Mondays).
Editors Note: As we concentrated on cocktails during this trip, we plan to go back and further sample more of the absinthe selection.
