Paris’ favourite cocktailbar the experimental cocktail club has opened in New York with the same set up as at its outposts in London and the second arrondissement: a louche atmosphere, some of the best mixologists in town good looking patrons and a short but potent menu of 12 seasonal cocktails.
Experimental Cocktail Club was successful enough to pave the way for four more locations throughout the city (the Prescription Cocktail Club, the Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, and the Curio Parlor, and the Beef Club Ballroom), and then another across the channel in London. For Pierre-Charles Cros, Olivier Bon, and Romée de Goriainoff, the trio of strikingly handsome Parisians (and childhood friends) behind the venture, New York was the obvious next step. “The inspiration for our first ‘Experimental’ came from our trips to New York and the discovery of the amazing cocktail scene here,” explains Cros. “So coming back to New York after almost five years felt very logical, like a return to the source.”
A simple charcoal-and-white striped awning (the same one you will find outside a few of their European venues) discreetly marks the entrance to the Lower East Side locale, and inside, each detail strikes a perfect balance between the comfortable and the ornate. Decorator Dorothée Meilichzon, the eye behind several of their venues, created the amalgamation of perfectly mismatched textures: “Taken individually, each element of the design is completely different from those of our previous bars, but when put together, you’ll find that it does have our signature feel: a mix of elegance and a laid-back, jolly mess,” says Cros. Whether seated on one of the plush ikat couches or standing at the sapele wood bar, guests will be able to take their pick from an original menu of mixed drinks featuring brand-new concoctions and a few ECC classics, like the “Experience No. 1,” a blend of gin, elderflower cordial, lemon juice, lemongrass, and fresh basil. And as for the New York spot’s additional Experiences (and experiments)? “That,” says Cros, refusing to give even a hint of what’s in store, “you will need to discover in situ.”