Bar Review - Death and Company

Death and Company is a speak-easy type bar in the East Village with an extensive drink menu and a limited offering of small plates. It's one of these places that has no signage, just a tall guy standing outside the door who will take your phone number and call you once a table is ready. Obviously at a hip joint like this one they won't be giving you any ideas about how long the wait might be so you're stuck wandering around trying to decide how long to wait before eating somewhere else. If you do hang in there and get called in, you'll be enjoying a few stiff drinks and some strong apps.

Slap n' Pickle
This gin based drink includes muddled cucumber and ends up having a subtle pickle flavor. If you're a pickle fan it's fantastic.

North Garden
This strong cocktail is based with applejack, bourbon, and scotch and has been the root of overindulgence on several nights. Also, it is served with one huge ice cube which I like very much.

Hot Lips
One problem I have with this place is you have very little idea of what your drink is going to look like. I may have been asking for it when ordering a drink with this name but had I known it would be pale yellow, come in a tiny glass and make me look like a fool, I would have skipped it. They should have some tell as to whether or not a guy should be ordering these things to avoid this kind of embarrassment. Having said that, it tasted like tequila and cayenne pepper and was not a favorite.

Jive Turkey / Koko B Ware
Haven't had either but great names for drinks although some may feel Jive Turkey is a little over the line.

Food
Truffle macaroni and cheese is served on seven or eight individual spoons and tastes great but is a little awkward if you happen to be on an early in the game date and neither of you want to look like a fat ass. The lobster sliders are solid although I am not a lobster roll aficionado, I think they hold up well against the real thing. The tuna and fillet mignon could be boring but are both executed well enough to make for a good order and the crispy pork belly is a nice choice as well.

It seems like every trendy spot has pork belly on the menu in some way or another, which is not a bad thing but it's one of those things that the "foodies" flock to. For the record, I enjoy the hell out of a good meal but do not consider myself a foodie because I find them somewhat irritating. Therefore you won't find any pictures of the food above because I can't bring myself to whip out a camera in the middle of dinner and take money shots of bacon. Also, I don't use the term "goodness" because it makes me cringe.

Death and Company
433 E 6th Street
http://www.deathandcompany.com