As we waited for Courtney to arrive, we ordered beer --a brown ale Greg and black seasonal for me. Courtney arrived shortly after as the servers dove in to get our order. After ordering they sent out pop-overs, which were probably the best part of the meal. Warm, light, crusty bread that didn't need butter but of course got it anyway. We started with the bacon appetizer which was quite delicious. Nothing like smoked, thick-cut bacon to get a meal going. We then quickly transitioned into our next course as backservers attempted to take away our unfinished appetizer. Trying to take bacon away from the three of us--thats how you lose a finger. Greg and I got the burgers while Courtney opted for the ribeye cheesesteak. The burger was delicious, but the cheesesteak wasn't too good. The flavor was OK, but the meat itself was chewy and not appealing. I did enjoy my burger; but not enough to go back for one. Then again, those pop-overs might be worth going back. The service was pushy and made us feel rushed. I know its not ideal to have a table sit at 2:15 when lunch stops at 2:30, but its not fair to guest when they feel rushed and not welcomed.
Our next stop was the King Cole Bar in the St. Regis Hotel on E 55th St. I've wanted to come here, because this bar is always on TOP BAR lists whether in NYC or the world, so I wanted to know why. As you enter the St. Regis, hang a left and proceed toward the mural. You will pass Adour, the restaurant inside the St. Regis where businessmen have lunch while listening to a lady on the harp. An old man in a tux was behind the bar, but that shouldn't be a surprise. We looked over the menu, which I was very disappointed with. How did this bar get so much hype? Maybe because it had that speakeasy feel and you mingle with the worlds richest? I'm not sure to tell you the truth. it was a comfortable space and that harp played beautiful background music, but one round here was almost as much as our entire meal at BLT. It hurt to see the guy uncapping a bottle and pouring it into a mixing cup while making a Manhattan. No jigger or no sense of measurement were used. It was quite sad. I would expect this from a bunch of places, but not a bar in the St. Regis, not a bar where you're paying $25 a drink and certainly not a bar that is one of the "worlds greatest bars." After the disappointed dissipated, I began to enjoy the warm atmosphere that kept us out of the rainy cold streets of midtown. We finished up our drinks and braved the weather, back downtown.
Later than night, I met up with my sister at Salud: a restaurant serving Latin and South American cuisine. Salud is on Front Street, so when I don't feel like traveling its a great neighborhood spot. We shared a bottle of wine and some tapas. The space itself is cozy, but comfortable. In the summertime its nice to sit outside and enjoy a bite of South America. The service good for the type of place. The food is solid. We got a bunch of small plates like the skirt steak, shrimp in chipotle pepper sauce, lobster tacos, and a braised seafood medley. For the price and location, Salud is a pretty decent spot that I will be sure to visit again I'm sure.
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