Inside the Gleaming New Art Deco Cocktail Bar Above New York’s Le Jardinier
In just under four years, Le Jardinier has become one of the more calming respites in what can be the craziness of Midtown Manhattan. Now the team behind the Michelin one-star restaurant is amping things up with the debut of Bar Bastion upstairs.
Robb Report got an exclusive first look at the new cocktail bar (opening March 2), which will serve drinks, small plates and desserts in a slightly more casual—although just as stunning—atmosphere. Designed by the French architect Joseph Dirand, Bar Bastion exudes Art Deco glamour via its mirrored glass, bespoke lacquers and custom-designed furniture like velvet banquettes and brushed brass tables.
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It’s a chic spot to cozy up with one of head bartender Rachel Prucha’s cocktails, which include five house staples, five rotating seasonal drinks and a couple of mocktails. Always on the menu will be a creamy Daiquiri with spiced rum, cachaca, coconut, creme de banane and lime, as well as an herby Martini made with olive oil–washed Gin Mare, dill-infused dry vermouth and orange bitters. The rotating drinks, meanwhile, will play off of Le Jardinier’s veggie-forward menu.
“I am thrilled to be leading a cocktail program that is largely inspired by and focused on seasonal produce,” Prucha said in a statement. “We’ve worked hard to create a menu utilizing fresh ingredients, the best spirits from around the world, and innovative techniques for a superior cocktail experience.”
Those qualities show up in drinks like the Carrot Me Away (carrot juice, honey syrup, chamomile-infused Scotch, Laphroaig rinse) and the Off Beet (beet juice, lemon oleo saccharum, caraway seed–infused dry vermouth, shochu, nigori sake). And they’re even apparent in the mocktails, like the Blood Type (Seedlip Grove 42, blood orange syrup, basil, lemon, tonic) and the Over-Cuked (lime, cucumber, mint, pineapple, ginger syrup, ginger beer).
To accompany Prucha’s libations, Le Jardinier’s chef de cuisine, Andrew Ayala, has cooked up decadent small plates like Maine lobster tartlets topped with curry aioli and Kaluga caviar and beef tartare with sourdough toast. You can even end your night with a mini version of the restaurant’s butterfly dessert, featuring yuzu mousse, raspberry compote and a pistachio sable.
Think of Bar Bastion as the sultry little sister to Le Jardinier, with the two spots acting as the perfect upstairs-downstairs combo.
Click here to see all the images of Bar Bastion.
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