Jason Littrell from Death & Co and Anthony from El Dorado

Already, the buzz for Phil Ward's new tequila themed mixology den has exceeded any healthy level. So, as your eyes and ears, we couldn't turn an opportunity to give you the first look at their full cocktail menu (click through the gallery below).

The cocktails were all as amazing as they sound and the decor downstairs matches the vibe perfectly. We were fortunate enough to score Jim as our bartender last night, and he was as personable as he was skilled behind the bar.

He mixed up an Italian Inquisition for my first cocktail, and I was impressed with how complex and light something that dark and seemingly syrupy tasted. We moved onto El Jimador Shifty next, which featured Mezcal and Negro Modelo.  It was spicy, it was flavorful. In short, it was great. Over the next hour we sampled half of the menu, and were impressed with each drink Jim slid our way.

We spent the bulk of the evening in the downstairs bar, which you can check out over on Urban Daddy, if you're so inclined. Jim suggested we take the trip upstairs to check out the "baby maker" (his term not mine), and the upstairs might be the only part of Mayahuel that underwhelmed me.  The vibe upstairs was definitely very loungey with plush velvet and extreme red lighting.  Somehow, it didn't quite fit with the tiles and veladors downstairs. 

Upstairs be damned, this is a great spot, and certainly a destination for any tequila lover.

Mayahuel
304 E. 6th St
(at 2nd Ave)
East Village
New York, NY 10003
   

Day 1 - total meat overdose

Have you seen this goat?

Walking by our favorite goat themed restaurant in the West Village last night, one of our favorite tipsters, Adeel, noticed something was missing, and snapped this cell phone picture.

Just making sure the goat wasn't out for a late night stroll, we sent out our trusty photog, Dave, to see if Cabrito's cabrito was still missing:

[Update]

When asked about the goatnapping, our friends at Cabrito say they "don't know anything about it."

If you have any information about the whereabouts of this goat, please contact us at info@livethelushlife.com. We just hope the little guy's all right.

LeNell Smothers was not too happy with the blogging community (read: Lush Life) when we spilled the beans that she would be completely closing her current location at the end of the month and heading overseas for a bit.

Hell, we were not happy that we were spilling the beans about one of our favorite places in Red Hook.

But it seems that she has gone on the record with The Examiner (who?) to clear up some confusion and put to rest some rumors that are still being stoked around the barroom.

Here is some of the Q&A from the article.

About her lease:

LeNell: I have lost my lease. The current landlord is not the landlord with whom I signed a lease originally. My lease expired in May of 2008.

Examiner: A friend of mine suggested your landlord is living in the pre-recession past.

LeNell: My landlord is not the smartest stick in the woodpile to let a good tenant go, especially in this economy, with nothing lined up. However, while I built out my space myself and have been a bit emotionally connected to it as my starting point, the building is in horrible shape. … I am ready to leave this location and find a better home, debt free and strong, and ready to grow into phase two of my business plan.

On opening a new store in the future:

I am currently negotiating on a space that would be ideal for a tad larger space where I can expand my selections even more and open my bar in a space below the store.

For the full article, go here.

LeNell’s ‘Grand Finale’ event is planned for Feb. 20 from noon to 9 p.m. Call 718-360-0838,  or go to www.lenells.com for more info.
 

The Dow may have dropped another 100 points yesterday, but there was no sign of recession at the pristine New York Palace Hotel where mixologists from each of the Dorchester Collection Hotels gathered to show off their new signature cocktails. And last night, we got to try them all.

So, click through the gallery below and join us on a narrated tour of classy cocktails, fancy chandaliers, and Giuliano Morandin's Martinez (yes, it is so good it deserves a extra shout out here). 

Following up on rumors we had heard over the weekend, we might have let the cat out of the bag. On Saturday, we overheard that she was done fighting with her landlords and was closing up to head to England.

Although LeNell's destination store in Red Hook has been closed for the past few weeks, she says she has not completle throw in the towel quiiiiite yet.

From Eater's comment board:

We at Lush Life wish only the best of luck and hope for Brooklyn's — and all of NYC's — sake that she sticks around.

I wish I could remember exactly what I wrote on the comment card my waitress forced me to fill out after one of the worst (and most overpriced) dining experiences I've ever had.

Whatever I wrote, it sparked a thrilling dialog between myself and the General Manager about what belong in a Manhattan.

After his correspondence I was assured of one thing:  this man knows how to consult his Old Mr. Boston Bartending Guide. 

Anyway, we're not in the business of trashing — well, trashy places on Long Island — but this string of e-mails was just too good not to share.

Dear Lindsey,
I am deeply sorry that you did not enjoy your visit with us last night. I read your comment card and want to apologize for the service you received.  Surely, it is not our intention to provide mediocre service and poor cocktails.  As a food and liquor reviewer, I am sure you know that grenadine is not an ingredient found in a Manhattan, but perhaps our bartender was heavy handed with the vermouth.  We strive to make Blackwells the best it can be so any further critique is greatly appreciated.  It's the only way we can improve.  I thank you for your constructive criticism and look forward to hearing more.  Again, all apologies about your overall experience.
 

All the Best,

Brian
Blackwells Restaurant

Now, on the surface, that's a pretty reasonable response from a concerned GM- despite the backhanded "as a food and liquor reviewer" comment.  And since, my new e-mail buddy Brian asked to hear more, I just didn't have the heart to deny him his greatest wish.  I very promptly responded with the following:

Brian-

Believe me, I am aware that grenadine should never be included in a Manhattan, but it was clearly in my cocktail.  If you plan on billing yourself as a vintage cocktail purveyor (ed note: this is indicated on the menu, signage, ads, matchbooks etc.), I would make sure all of your bartenders are briefed in the most basic cocktails.

Also, when I ordered the drink, I asked for a Perfect Manhattan, but your waitress must have missed the Perfect part, as there was no trace of dry vermouth.  I also suspect the sweet vermouth used in my drink hadn't been properly stored after opening.  It tasted as if it had turned.

I appreciate your concern, and hope your bar is able to churn out more than just Cosmos (the "classic" cocktail offered when we sat).

To be honest, I had little interest in filling out the comment card, but your waitress insisted (three times), so I felt obliged to tell you the truth about our experience.

Hope it wasn't too harsh a criticism.

Lindsey

Well, gentle readers, I have to tell you, this is when my relationship with Brian went south.  Instead of the overture of attrition (complete with veiled insults), our new pen pal decided he no longer wanted to be friends and replied with two simple sentences:

Thank you very much for your criticism.  Best of luck to you in 2009.
— Brian

And we share your sentiments, Bri.  Best of luck to you in your never-ending quest to destroy the simplest pleasures in our life.