American Traveler

P1010839, a photo by wjsvt on Flickr.

Young Doctor Schultz with Proud Dad

Cool and Cozy Wine Bar

I don’t know if there’s a cooler place to have a glass of wine in NYC than Bahr Che at Astor Place. It’s in a tiny candle-lit curvy space looking out on Cooper Square.

The wine bar features a nice selection of small plates from cheese plates to charcuterie to salmon tartar to eggplant and grilled shrimp. We tried all of the above, but the one that really stood out was the generous helping of lobster mac and cheese with truffle oil. Delicious! The pasta was perfectly done and mixed with just the right amount of cheese and large chunks of buttery lobster. For cheese, I enjoyed a creamy LaTur, which was made from cow’s goat’s and sheep milk and an aged Cabot cheddar.

But the real reason to visit Bahr Che is the wine.. all 1500 bottles of it. They pick their favorites and present an ever-changing list available by the carafe or bottle. I really enjoyed a super dry, minerally Gruner Veltliner and an exotic Txakolina.  Our knowledgeable and helpful server helped to point us to the right choices with generous samples of wines on the menu.

We were there on a quiet Tuesday evening. I’d like to come back on a weekend when it’s buzzing with oenophiles.

Bahr Che

26 Astor Place,

New York, NY

You know what happens when you’re in a dark, cold, dry room and you rub a fat long-haired cat the wrong way? Right: sparks fly. And that’s just what happens in Venus in Fur at the Lyceum. The play opens as thunder and lightning boom and flash on a dark stage. What follows is an hour and a half of non-stop building sexual tension between Vonda (Nina Arianda)  and Thomas (Hugh Dancy). Just the two of them, a bag full of costumes dragged in by Vonda, a few pieces of furniture and a witty, edgy script full of twists and turns.With it’s play-within-a-play structure and 19th century shadow story, the play is quite Tom-Stoppard-esque. The plot is convoluted, the characters exchange roles, and, in the end, a bit more clarity would have been appreciated. But, when leaving the theater everyone can be hard exclaiming the same thing: Nina Arianda! She is a force of nature. Beguiling. Sexy. Dangerous. Eccentric. Endearing. As electric as the lightning that flashes throughout the show. Hugh Dancy does a great job just to keep up with her. Don’t miss it!

Lexington Avenue in the ’20s and ’30s is know as ‘Curry Hill’ for the plethora of Indian restaurants there. So i was surprised to find the new American-style bistro The Three Hens nesting right smack in the middle of the ‘hood at 115 Lexington Ave.

The small room sports a casual bistro decor. We were seated promptly and welcomed by Bob, our server, who doubled as bartender. Service was friendly and prompt. Lauren started with the warm lentil salad, which she thoroughly enjoyed. I had one of their specialties—the french onion soup. It was very tasty, though i thought it could have used a bit more cheese. We don’t eat a lot of red meat, but Lauren had a hankering, so she ordered the steak frites.The steak au poirve came out cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. She’s normally not a big fries fan wither, but she loved the ones accompanying the steak.For my entree, I went a bit lighter, choosing the skillet-roasted chicken with potatoes, leeks, and mushrooms. It turned out just as i had hoped—moist and flavorful.

The Three Hens is a delightful, inexpensive alternative to other restaurants in the area.