And with Autumn arriving, it’s time to trade up to a new drink for the new season.

Skip the usual cocktails for something more exotic and refreshing. Find it at… The Joy of Sake. If you already know about the country’s premiere sake tasting event, just skip ahead to joyofsake.com for access. For everyone else, The Joy of Sake is the ultimate tasting of premium sakes in the U.S.

This year, over 300 premium sakes (327 to be exact) will find their way onto three floors at Webster Hall—including over 100 that never make it to the US aside from this event. There, you’ll learn to taste the difference between chewy junmai sakes, zippy ginjos, and delicate, aromatic daiginjo labels. Veteran aficionados head for bottles sporting colored stars–the winners of gold and silver awards at the 2008 U.S. National Sake Appraisal held last month in Honolulu.

To enhance your tasting, the city’s top restaurants are lending small plates and appetizers to the cause. Feast on complementary Japanese and pan-Asian fare from 15 East, Bond St, Nobu, Sakagura, SushiSamba, wd-50, and a host of other A-List eateries.

The best part?

You have three hours to indulge in it all.

The Joy of Sake kicks off at 6 p.m. on Thursday (9/25) at Webster Hall, 125 East 11th Street (off Third Avenue).


To score a ticket for Thursday’s main event or to learn more about The Joy of Sake, the country’s largest sake tasting event, head to JoyOfSake.com.

You just need to see it.

So, see it you will… meet Double Crown, AvroKO’s new temple of exotic food and drink. Think of Double Crown as the gastronomic equivalent of Padma Lakshmi — bold, bronzed, and beautiful. Inspired by eighteenth-century British ventures into India and Southeast Asia, Executive Chef Brad Farmerie has crafted a menu with a nod to the heyday of the British Empire. Roll up to the twenty-two seat communal table (the restaurant’s focal point) and start with a little House-Cured Streaky Ham with glazed figs and pecans, or Fragrant Seared Beef Salad with pickled green mango. Main dishes are equally adventurous: try the Pan-Fried Skate with sweetbreads and a biting ginger cabbage, or Lamb and Cashew Meatballs with shaved coconut and onion rings.

For more intimate matters, you’ll want to find your way to the Panel Room, a 40-person dining area between Double Crown and neighboring bar and lounge, Madam Geneva.

Garnish the night with The Gooseberry Smash, Double Crown’s signature cocktail, which starts out as a traditional English Sour, and evolves with muddled gooseberries, lemon juice, and British-style dry gin.


What? You want more pictures of Double Crown? Well, we can do that.


Double Crown, 316 Bowery (at Bleecker Street), (212) 254-0350, doublecrown-nyc.com; Madam Geneva, 4 Bleecker Street (at Bowery), (212) 254-0350 (same number for both), madamgeneva-nyc.com

We certainly did.

Atmosphere is everything when you step into Apothéke, the new, opulent former opium den-turned-cocktail-temple in Chinatown. From the aromatic light sconces floating the scent of Absinthe, to the intense level of detail in the décor, Apothéke (that’s German for apothecary) exudes a different kind of high. Pull up a seat at the generous marble bar, and peruse a grand drink list divided by apothecary categories (Stimulants, Aphrodisiacs, Euphoric Enhancers), and House Cocktails.

Try the Five Points, a luscious mix of Brazilian sugar cane rum, grapejuice, Italian bitters, Australian Elderflower, and Chinese herbs; or an Opium Uplifter, a potent blend of bitters and South American herbs marinated in rum.

Sip slowly: By Round 3, you won’t even remember you got lost trying to find this place.


Apothéke officially opens September 5th but is now soft-open for private parties.


Apothéke
9 Doyers Street, (between Bowery & Pell Street)
Tel: (212) 406-0400

You know what you want after the sun sets.

Let Manhattan’s grandest hotel give it to you… introducing The Rose Club at The Plaza. Inhabiting the hallowed walls of the famed Persian Room, The Rose Club offers a unique, no, full-blown royal experience not soon to be forgotten. Ascend the marble staircase to an oasis of soft pink lighting and mahogany-paneled walls, then settle into French-accented furniture with a relaxed, super-exclusive lounge atmosphere. Tonight’s entertainment arrives from Chef Didier Virot (formerly of FR.OG) and a solid cocktail list.

Indulge yourself in the club’s signature drink, the Park Side Smash: a decadent mix of Hennessey VS Cognac, pressed lemon wedges and organic mint leaves.

Soak up a couple.

Just make sure you stay off the balcony.


The Rose Club
Fifth Avenue at Central Park South
Tel: (212) 546-5311, reservations only after 10 p.m.
fairmont.com

And that’s exactly the point.

Welcome to Country Club, the Meatpacking District’s swanky, new nightlife destination. Designed by Jeani Ziering (popular with the Palm Beach crowd) as a Rolling Stones remix of the classic U.S./U.K. social club, Country Club is a sophisticated retreat from the expected neon-sparkle-cigarette-parties of its peers. Step inside and you’ll feel right at home (well, assuming you live in an English Manor) with luxe interiors and lots of Old World charm. But don’t get us wrong - sophisticated doesn’t mean boring. Get there at cocktail hour for live performances and a high-octane, traditional club scene at night.

And did we mention the Bellini menu? Get wet with one of twelve signature Bellinis, including the Orange Cardamom and the Roasted Pear purée. You can even graze on one of ten gourmet popcorns (Sweet Georgia Pecan, anyone?).

Break out that seersucker.


Country Club debuts tomorrow.


The Country Club
248 West 14th Street (between 7th & 8th Avenues)
Tel: (212) 367-0822

Monday “Model Nights” at China Club?

Yeah, neither do we. Thankfully, the impresarios behind China Club have been busy reinventing the former space… behold Eden Rooftop. Part of a nightlife trifecta starring Crest Lounge, Opera, and of course, Eden, the former China Club is a jack of many trades but master of one: nightlife.

On the main floor will be Crest Lounge, a soon-to-be-completed lounge accented by espresso-colored woods. Navigate up and you’ll enter Opera, anchored by an island bar and a performance stage. And then there’s Eden, a high-ceilinged indoor space complemented by an outdoor area perfect for after-work unwinding and sunset cocktails. We hear a solid beverage program is in the works when the lounge officially opens in a couple of weeks.

For now, try out the open bar by Trump Vodka to kickoff Joonbug’s St. Tropez Thursdays.

Let the Summer begin.


St. Tropez Thursdays kickoff this Thursday and runs every Thursday through September. Eden opens to the public early June.


Eden Rooftop
268 West 47th Street (between Eighth Avenue & Broadway)
Tel: (212) 398-3800

There’s something wonderful about a spirit that manages to be incredibly smooth and satisfying… introducing Café Bohême.

Inspired by the rich cocktails enjoyed in the Salons of Paris during the Roaring Twenties, Café Bohême is a luxurious mix of gourmet coffee, multi-distilled French vodka and premium crème. Blended to be served straight up, on the rocks, or mixed with other premium spirits, Café Bohême also makes a fine after-dinner companion. Its amazing taste (ranked “Superb” by Wine Spectator) and low-alcohol component means it’s great for gifting.

And with Mother’s Day right around the corner (ahem, this Sunday), why not treat her to a little taste of Paris.

Sure it’s not your average gift of flowers or chocolate, but then again you’ve never been the average type.


Visit cafeboheme.com for cocktail recipes, Café Bohême souvenirs, and more.

Take Terroir, the new 24-seat wine bar in the East Village from the owners of Hearth and Insieme. Part wine temple, part café, Terroir (Latin for terra firma) takes its name and inspiration from wines deeply rooted in a region. Designed by the brothers of co-owner Paul Grieco, Terroir is the size of a jewel-box with a 16-seat communal table in the center.

Once you step inside, unwind with one of 24 wines available by the glass, sourced from all over the world. Get there early for the daily special from 5 p.m to 6 p.m., where you can choose from five different wines for five dollars each. Complement your vino and indulge in a small Italian menu of paninis (try the duck ham with hen-of-the-woods mushrooms and Taleggio), hand-cut charcuterie plates (Iberico ham, duck prosciutto), and fried stuff (sage leaves with lamb sausage).

There’s even daily pasta and meatball specials.

And on a cold Winter day, who can resist that?


Terroir Wine Bar opens Wednesday (3/5).


Terroir Wine Bar
413 East 12th Street (off First Avenue)
(no phone available yet)
wineisterroir.com


Photo: Daniel Krieger

So it’s nice to see a club that shares your eclectic thirsts and proclivity for excess. Introducing Mansion, the new “ultralounge” from Opium Group, the nightlife powerhouse behind Miami’s Mansion, Opium Garden, Privé and Set. Designed by longtime Opium collaborator Francois Frossard, Mansion is a lavish landscape of glass elevators, Persian rugs, crystal chandeliers and grandiose fireplaces (a signature décor in Miami that’s better suited for NYC winters).

But Mansion’s not just a pretty face. With the booking power of Opium you can expect substance, like big-name international DJs and a state-of-the-art sound system. Best of all, Mansion will also feature a ladies-only space, The Cougar Room, where offerings range from Champagne cocktails to more adventurous items. Co-owner Mark Baker adds, “[a woman] should be able to have a glass of champagne, have her make-up done, fix her broken heel and buy a platinum vibrator.”

Nightlife returns - opulence included.

Mansion opens tonight with a party hosted by designer Jeremy Scott and models Sasha Pivovara and Shalom Harlow.


Mansion
530 West 28th Street (between Tenth & Eleventh Avenues)
Tel: (212) 763-9131
mansionnewyork.com

What’s not to love about Suzie Wong, the new Asian-styled club from the Gotham Group?


Suzie Wong opens Saturday (2/2).


Suzie Wong
547 West 27th Street (near Tenth Avenue)
Tel: (212) 268-5105
suziewongnyc.com