Evelyn C. Dahab's Blog

Dear friends, family, media, associates, and colleagues,Because of a plumbing break last night, we regret to inform you that we are forced to push the Grand Opening of Lucey's Lounge to Thursday, March 22.We apologize for the last minute nature of this emergency delay, and we all collectively feel the mass magnitude of disappointment.The good news is that the bar is gorgeous, stocked, and ready for business; we can't wait to share it with you!Mark your calendars: On March 22, 2012, at 5pm sharp, Lucey's Lounge will open its doors forever. Please join us in celebration that night and all weekend long!In good spirits, Henry, Lucey, and Evelyn----------------------------------------------------------Evelyn DahabownerLucey's Lounge"pouring new life into old spirits"Park Slope/Gowanus3rd Ave @ 10th St(F,R,G to '4th Av 9th St')Lucey's Lounge, LLC475 3rd AveBrooklyn, NY 11215luceysloungebklyn.com718-877-8272

Lucey's Lounge will open its doors to the public this Saturday!Come celebrate St Patrick's Day at LL!Drink specials! Free food all day! Open noon-4am!Lucey's Lounge is a new Brooklyn classic. Reintroducing pre-Prohibition cocktails to the post-Millennial age, the much anticipated opening of this venue has surged in buzz through all five boroughs. It's not what's different about Lucey's Lounge that will keep patrons frequenting the cozy bar located on the Park Slope/Gowanus border -- it's what's comfortingly familiar. You may have never tasted a barrel-aged Manhattan, or a 9-week-old gin Negroni, but in Lucey's Lounge, these staples of American bar classics are what make the spot feel so homelike and ageless. And if that doesn't stir up warm thoughts of yesteryear, then maybe a real Brooklyn egg-cream or house-jerked soda will take you back.Drawing from the strengths in the backgrounds of its three owners, Lucey's Lounge is more than the sum of its parts. Professional designer Darren Lucey turned a vision of a bar in his mind into a gorgeous Victorian-era speakeasy fantasy. Expert mixologist Henry Lopez takes once-forgotten cocktail classics and turns them into unforgettable liquid emprises. Widely known under the moniker "oenogal," Evelyn Dahab employs her knowledge of oenology and years of consulting in "accessible luxury" to craft a wine list that will challenge, stimulate, and excite the palate of a wine drinker of any level. Together, this team has carefully chosen a selection of spirits that reflect and convey the fundamental premise of Lucey's Lounge; to revive ageless classics and remind us of the fine artistry of barrel-aging and the craft of the classic American cocktail. Evelyn DahabownerLucey's Lounge"pouring new life into old spirits"Park Slope/Gowanus3rd Ave @ 10th St(F,R,G to '4th Av 9th St')Lucey's Lounge, LLC475 3rd AveBrooklyn, NY 11215luceysloungebklyn.com718-877-8272

My favorite Cardio-thorasic surgeon came to NYC on Friday the 9th with the exclusive excuse of visiting me. Playing tour guide is a daunting responsibility in any circumstance, but even more so when your guest is the most neanderthal of man's man who is craving to be cultured. Sam was very clear in letting me know that he wanted to stay within a short distance of my apartment and his hotel (which was only 4 blocks from my apartment, thanks to my careful planning, and the awesomeness of this neighborhood). So planning the target destinations for his stay was easy. I figured that we had to hit Prune, Peels, Pulino's, and Saxon + Parole. But that only covered lunch, dinner, brunch, and breakfast Sunday... We still had Saturday dinner to decide.When Sam effusively told me that the meals we shared at Saxon + Parole and Prune were the best food experiences he'd ever had in his life, I knew that it was my karmic responsibility to bring him somewhere that would challenge his previous perspective of food entirely; I chose to bring him to WD-50.I called WD-50 at about 1pm on Saturday, hoping to get a same day reservation, but knowing that my chances were slim. Relying on my legend as the oenogal, I decided to cross my fingers and drag Sam over to Clinton St anyway, figuring that the oenogal can always, at the very least, be able to snag a couple spots at the bar.But alas, no. This particular Saturday was different. Wylie Dufresne himself was in house, cooking and prepping at the pass. The restaurant was booked to the gills. At first glance, this would not bode well for the oenogal. But what does it hurt to ask? And so I did. And behold! As the oenogal (and this was shocking even to me, and I'm pretty damned cocky and rarely floored by circumstance), I was told that there was indeed a free table for me and my guest -- and the chef had personally offered it to me. We were invited to sit at the chefs' table -- a tiny table for two that sits right outside the pass, just out of the line of traffic, but just inside the kitchen with a full view of the magic behind the scenes. We were cut off from the rest of the restaurant; away from the other patrons, but inches from Chef Dufresne and his crew. I found it difficult to breathe, I was so excited -- but the oenogal always keeps her cool.Meanwhile, country-bumpkin Sam, goodness bless him, addressed Wylie Dufresne himself (no, I am not making this up!!!!) to tell him that our table was wobbly. I almost died. The oenogal almost melted into a pool of poor etiquette right there on the spot. Oh, Sam, how refreshing it must be to to a chef of such celebrity that you not only have no idea who he his, but that you have relegated him to table-straightening duty. And guess what? Without missing a beat, the cool-as-a-cucumber Wylie Dufresne had the maitre d' himself prop our table with coasters. The oenogal, of course, remain with cheeks beet red throughout the entire exchange. But kudos to Chef! And a shout to Sam as well, who clearly lives in a cave without cable TV and freshly prepared food.Before even the first course of the tasting menu arrived, we were presented with the amuse bouche, a gently pickled fluke that had been lightly seared. Sam poked at it, and then looked at me horrified. "This fish is RAW!" he gasped, not even attempting to hide his disgust from me, or the cooks surrounding us in the kitchen. "Oh, crap," I thought -- here I've brought this Kentucky born and bred man's man to the hub of the creation of molecular gastronomy in NYC, and he's already refusing to put the amuse in his mouth... And we have about 15 more courses to go! Yikes! Perhaps I reached just a little too far in my ambition to blow his mind? I've gone 360, and made him crave McDonalds!Discreetly, I had Sam switch plates with me, so that we'd both send back an empty plate. There was no way that I was going to insult Chef by sending back the entire dish untouched. Even more importantly, I didn't want the kitchen to scale back on its creativity just because it seemed that Sam was an Oaf. At least let's give him one more shot. Bring on the next course!From the first course onward, not only was it smooth sailing, but I honestly believe that Sam almost entirely forgot that I was even there; he was so in love with the meal, and so intoxicated by the pageantry of the grace of the staff in the kitchen, that he was almost inebriated by the experience alone. The wine pairings were overkill.It's pointless to go through the courses individually. Suffice it to say that Sam proclaimed each his "favorite and much better than the last!" all the way until the final desert. For me, I was a bit starstruck by the fact that Chef Dufresne himself placed my plates before me. How do you even tip for that on the check? With my first born?This morning, Sam could not stop talking about how WD-50 changed his life. The textures, the pairings, the flavors, the service, and most of all that incredible table right in the center of the action! I don't think he realized how special it was, but I know he'll never forget it. And you know what? The oenogal has had a million wonderful meals in a million wonderful places prepared by a million wonderful chefs, but I'll never forget last night either. Excuse me, Wylie, but my table is wobbly.

Wait a minute, if the oenogal is now a member of the trade, why write about the NY Wine expo as though she were a member of the press? Well, old habits die hard. Besides, loyal readers, a fresh perspective on these shows is a welcome change. You have to admit, wandering around all of these shows with no purpose beyond a critical eye and a curious palate was getting boring. At least it was for the oenogal. Which is why this webpage has been left relatively content free for the past year -- the oenogal just lost interest in eating and drinking for eating and drinking sake.But now? Well now the oenogal owns a bar! Which serves wine! Which the oenogal must select and buy directly from purveyors to serve to patrons who will enter the doors of Lucey's Lounge and plunk down their hard-earned cash to trust her judgement! And that, loyal readers, is true responsibility. This means that the oenogal has once again found purpose in the world of food and wine trade shows; the oenogal spirit is returned...So, along with her business partner, the oenogal will attend the NY Wine Expo this weekend. As a buyer. A mover and shaker. Using an eye for quality and value at price point. A deal maker. A bar owner. But of course, a critic at heart ;)Stay tuned...

That's right! The oenogal's first venture into bringing quality libation to the masses officially begins March 9. Please join the oenogal and her two partners at Lucey's Lounge from that date onward to sample barrel-aged cocktails and house-made sodas and egg creams. 475 3rd Ave at 10th St, Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York City. Take the Brooklyn-bound F, R, or G train to the "4th Av 9th St" stop. Come meet the oenogal in person!

First of all, the oenogal apologizes for the lack of recent postings to this site. Not that this is an excuse, but aside from writing the prequel to INCAPITATED, the oenogal is busy opening a new cocktail lounge in Park Slope, Brooklyn... But wait! This is a good thing for oenogal.com, as it means that the oenogal has returned to working the circuit of trade shows and expos in the metro NY area.Yesterday, Feb 13, the oenogal brought her two business partners, Henry and Lucey, to JETRO's shochu exhibition at Astor Center. Henry and Lucey are constantly on the hunt for excitingly different, yet intimidating to the Brooklyn audience, spirits to carry at our bar. The oenogal, having spent much time in Japan, was very aware of shochu, and knew that this was a spirit not to be overlooked. Plus, it's just now being introduced to the NY market. Who better to first offer it than the 3 owner team at Lucey's Lounge? On top of that, Lucey looooves to tell a story when he's poring a drink, and shochu has one built-in.For those of you who don't know, shochu is a spirit distilled similarly to sake that has characteristics more similar to vodka. It tends to range from 40 to 80 proof, depending on the distiller, and can have aromatics almost as fragrant as gin. Primarily, it is made from either barley or sweet potato, and the difference in the taste between the two is enormous. The oenogal took it upon herself to enroll the three of us in an hour-long cocktail making seminar as well. Henry raised his hands with more questions than anyone else in the room; it was quite endearing. Needless to say, we will be carrying our chosen favorite 3 shochus at Lucey's Lounge when we open next week: one barley, one sweet potato, and one barley pomegranate liquor. When you drop in to try some, ask Lucey to tell you the story.

www.amazon.com/author/oenogal

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Giveaway ends December 15, 2011.

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Giveaway ends October 14, 2011.

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