Keith Larry, formerly of Employees Only, has partnered with Michael Bray to debut Bar Etienne in the West Village in New York.
Bar Etienne is inspired by Parisian bistros and New York neighbourhood bars
Located at 44 Bedford Street, the cocktail bar is the first collaboration between Bray and Larry, who have known each other for more than two decades. The pair met on Bray’s second day in New York and became bandmates, roommates and colleagues in the city’s hospitality and nightlife worlds.
Larry spent more than a decade at Employees Only and will now lead the cocktail programme at Bar Etienne.
Meanwhile, Bray, the restaurateur behind the city’s Bar Valentina, is the ‘creative force’ behind the bar’s interiors and service. He designed the space alongside Cody Parks, drawing from classic Parisian bistros and downtown New York bars.
The drinks list is built around what the team calls ‘crushers’, which balance approachable flavours with ‘serious’ technique such as clarification, infusion, centrifugation and carbonation.
Larry said: “Modern culinary technique is central to the programme, but it should always be in service of the drink.
“We might clarify fresh bananas through a centrifuge or work Parmesan and oregano into a Dirty Martini, but none of that should make the drink feel complicated. The goal is something interesting enough to draw you in and enjoyable enough to order twice. That’s what we mean by a crusher.”
The Martini Tomate
Examples include the Martini Tomate, a Dirty Martini that combines vodka with clarified tomato, Parmesan, fresh oregano and vermouth.
A twist on the Espresso Martini is named Coffee, Mate and features the flavours of baklava, with toasted pistachio and sesame.
Meanwhile, the Banana Question pairs aged rum with clarified green banana, Bana Canne and lime.
The bar will offer a Teeny ‘Tinis menu, with small-format Martinis available for US$14.
Guests can also pair a pour of pastis with a petit panisse, as a nod to the French ritual of an apéritif and snack.
The wine list focuses on French wines, while the food draws from classic French and European neighbourhood cooking.
Dishes include the French Onion Grilled Cheese, while larger plates such as steak frites are also available.
For dessert, Bar Etienne has partnered with Claude Bakery to offer tarte Tatin and chocolate cake.
The interiors
The bar features a mosaic floor by Mezzocosm, which features five different tiles broken up and individually reassembled into an irregular mosaic – commonly seen in Paris. The mosaic spells out the bar’s name in the entryway, with other small motifs – including a Martini glass, lips, a boot and hearts – hidden throughout.
Bar Etienne has preserved some of the site’s original features, including original mahogany millwork, paired with new additions like a zinc bar top made in Brooklyn.
Other vintage and custom pieces include 1960s French Mullica dining chairs, Nicolle stools, black laminate tables with nickel edging and a red banquette paired with a vintage French Vigneron table.
Bray said: “I’ve always been interested in spaces that feel like they’ve evolved rather than been designed all at once.
“There are references here to bistros in Paris, old New York bars, places Keith and I have travelled, music and art we’ve shared, but I never wanted it to feel like an imitation of any one thing.
“The idea was to take those memories and details and build our own version of a neighbourhood bar – something simple and elegant but still a little unexpected, and something that can continue to change as we make new memories here.”
In other NYC bar news, a venue named Bar Leone opened in the city – but it’s not related to the Hong Kong original.
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