Employees Only

A few months ago wormwood absinthe was legalized for sale in the US. Now instead of trekking to Europe, we can openly sip the green fairy in a few reputable New York City lounges. Employees Only (fear not the psychic in the window–walk on by and through the velvet drapes) has the kind of classy, speakeasy-inspired vibe ideal for quaffing vaguely-illicit substances. But Jazz Age ambiance aside, the artistically mixed and presented cocktails are the big draw there.

The bartender charmingly answered all my questions about absinthe, despite teasingly asking if I was a cop. At Employees Only, instead of merely diluting the absinthe by dripping water over a sugar cube, they light the sugar on fire, which adds a carmelized flavor as well as a dramatic flair to the drink. He thought that the absinthe sold in the US still lacked a few ingredients one can find in their foreign counterparts, and although it is strong (about 120-140 proof), its hallucinogenic effects are much exaggerated. The “real stuff”–his eyes darted to a glass liquor cabinet–cannot be “sold,” he said carefully.

I wanted to try straight absinthe, but being a bourbon fan I opted for the billionaire cocktail–Baker’s Bourbon shaken with lemon juice, grenadine and absinthe bitters. The bitters are made in-house and stored in a glowing green stoppered bottle with “absinthe” etched on the side–how I coveted that bottle. My drink was strong and delicious, the bourbon tempered by grenadine, and the bitters adding a slight licorice kick. This probably ranks equally with the 19th Street Special at Death & Co. as my favorite bourbon drink.

The cocktails, at $15 bucks a pop, are expensive, so my stay was a short one. But I’ll definitely be back next year for another buzz-inducing happy birthday beverage, (or possibly much sooner).

Employees Only 510 Hudson St. behind the psychic