Caviar and CocktailsThe M Bar is The Place to BLord Byron called it a "mere pause from thinking." One 19th Century wit described it as a way of "making other people more interesting." While Elbert Hubbard found it to be "an infallible antidote to common sense and seriousness." They were talking about drinking�the kind that happens around the lively tables of a bar, where banter is exchanged freely and the pulse of a city comes to life. This free flow of creative energy and mix of all types of spirits will soon have a new venue, The Mansfield's dynamic new bar, The M Bar. Drawing from the hotel's celebrity clientele, which includes such superstars as Iggy Pop, Jane Alexander, Reba MacIntyre and Helene Christensen, the M Bar is soon to be mid-town�s most fashionable watering hole. The M Bar will open Sept. 29. The new M Bar has a significant address 12 West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan, which has been The Mansfield Hotel's location since 1904. The boutique hotel has a rich historical past dating back to its original conception as a hotel for well-heeled bachelors during New York's "Gilded Age." It is here where residents such as painter John Butler Yeats, father of the poet William Butler Yeats, stayed to experience a thriving New York. Its architectural details highlight its rich traditions coffered ceilings, interior spiral staircases, red mahogany railings, intricate iron balustrades and original terrazzo floors. The new bar will pay tribute to the hotel's past while contributing a contemporary character of its own. Padded banquettes and chairs, a domed Victorian skylight and art deco lighting fixtures tip a hat to its unique history. A purposeful stylistic technique is introduced with the use of square and round cocktail tables, lined against two walls, that draw the guest's eye to an elaborate back-lit bar. At these tables guests can pluck a book from the library shelves or opt for a game of backgammon while sipping a Martini The M bar keeps up with caviar trends with its fine selection of featured specialties--Beluga, Sevruga, and Osetra (Golden). All can be complemented by blinis and Crème Fraiche. Other savory bar menu items include Prawn Cocktail with Sweet Ginger Sauce or Truffle Butter, Foie Gras Terrine with Brioche Points, Smoked Salmon Carpaccio with Caviar, and Potato and Goat Cheese Tart. The food will be overseen by Chef Rita Pescatore, former Executive Chef of Torch Restaurant. Specialty drinks include the "sleek and shaken" Mansfield Sidecar cocktail consisting of five-parts Brandy, and cointreau with a splash of orange juice and sour mix all served in an elegant martini glass. Another signature drink of The Mansfield�The Jane Mansfield�pays tribute to the great film star and is a mixture of Stolichnaya Gold Vodka and a splash of Chambord that is shaken and then served in a "full bodied" glass with a delicate rose petal. M Bar Edited by Dave Shultz -Updated 9-7-99- |
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