Get a Room

Stephen Starr enters the classic cocktail fray.

by Felicia D' Ambrosio

➤ Just a few years ago, city drinkers on a quest for a mixture more interesting than a gin and tonic but less tooth-decaying than an Appletini had a choice — Southwark or Chick's? Today, a thriving set of cocktail bars and like-minded restaurants are attracting customers. Stephen Starr, who’ll find out if he won the prize for Outstanding Restaurateur at the James Beard Foundation Awards May 3, stepped into the fray this past Sunday with the opening of the Ranstead Room, the speakeasy-like annex to his new Mexi-kitsch El Rey (see Feeding Frenzy), with which it shares an address and a kitchen.

With Manhattans, Old-Fashioneds and Aviations no longer such rare birds, Starr called in a heavy hitter to set apart Ranstead’s drinks list: Sasha Petraske, the brain behind New York’s standard-setting Milk & Honey and Dutch Kills. He developed a list of nine drinks evocative of the '40s and '50s, all relying on the fresh-squeezed juice and hand-chipped ice de rigueur for proper $12 tipples.

If sips like the Boulevardier (bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth) or Sands Cocktail (gin, grapefruit and lemon juices, maraschino liqueur) don’t tempt, guests can request "bartender’s choice" and provide a few words of direction for a custom cup. In addition to curating the classics, Petraske created the House Special, an original recipe. Blanco tequila, chili piquin, lemon juice and sugar play nicely with a selection of tacos, gorditas, guacamole and albondigas drinkers can order off chef Dionicio Jimenez’s El Rey menu.

As with other Starr projects, aesthetics drive the Ranstead Room's environment as much as the drinks. Designer Shawn Hausman (Butcher & Singer, Parc) transformed the former Midtown IV Diner's back room into a 44-seat black-velvet fantasy, lining the snug, wine-hued space with vintage wallpaper, polished golden tiling and R-rated artwork. "The environment is supposed to be extremely low-key," says Petraske. "It's a room for grownups.” That feel is enhanced by the bar’s covert entrance on alley-like Ranstead Street, between Chestnut and Market, the security door marked only with a slim "RR" logo.

Ranstead's small size and no-reservations policy could mean a wait during prime hours, as they are adamant about not exceeding their 44-person capacity. "The cocktails, however good they may be, are only one part of the service," says Petraske. "Our primary goal is to create a room for people who know how to remain polite and quiet, no matter how many drinks they’ve had."

(felicia.dambrosio@citypaper.net)