Orient Express NYC

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About Orient Express NYC

Orient Express Opens in the West Village

The Orient Express may have inspired iconic novels and films like Dracula and From
Russia with Love, served as the setting for bravado characters like James Bond, and been
featured as the backdrop of Agatha Christie’s most famous works, but the famed vintage
train continues to ride through modern culture with its latest stop in NYC’s West Village,
where Turks and Frogs owner Osman Cakir has re-conceptualized its famous voyages
into a posh, time-reversing cocktail bar with a flair for the spirits of yesteryear.

Its look reflects the nostalgia of train travel: Amid the sexy amber glow, warm vintage-
tinted beech wood panels, faux windows and bronzed luggage racks, the bar—a
handcrafted Caesar Stone beauty—is the clear focal point. Above it, the ceiling curves
to each side, and behind, bartenders bedecked in old-school vests and neckties shake and
pour cocktails designed by Cory Mason, whose mixology career has seen him through
the Standard’s Boom Boom Room and the swanky Beatrice.

Though the space was a rickety laundromat only a year ago, it has a deep sense of
permanence, as if it dates back as far as the Orient Express 1880’s timetables whose
replicas dot the walls. It’s largely due to the detailed work of antique collector-cum-
restaurateur Cakir, whose fascination with the storied train traces back to his childhood
in Istanbul, the final destination for the Express’ Paris line. Indeed, it’s a subject that
Cakir has taken to throughout much of his life, and a passion he knew he’d transform into
a sophisticated watering hole at some point in his career. Thus, when a slice of the West
Village opened up just two doors down from his buzzy, bohemian wine bar, Turks and
Frogs, Cakir understood it as a call from fate.

There is a story for each nook and cranny at Orient Express, as is true, of course, for
the menu as well. The Nagelmackers, a blend of port, dark rum and rye served with
orange and Angostura bitters in an Absinthe rinsed cocktail glass is Cakir’s ode to the
man who financed the train in its infancy; the Zaharoff (tequila, lime and honey topped
with house-made grapefruit soda and floated Campari) refers to a writer and banker
whose stingy history on the Express garnered him the nickname “Mr. 10%.” One of a
handful of champagne cocktails, the B2C2, may be the most intriguing story of all: the
recipe dates back to WWII, when a brigade of German soldiers who deserted the army
found themselves stuck in France’s champagne caves with nothing more than a bottle of
Benedictine to mix it with.

In addition to recreating these storied, lost recipes—drinks The New York Times praises
as being uniquely “swellegant”—Mason’s beverage menu also pays homage to forgotten
spirits such as Kummel, St. Germaine and Cocchi Americano. The latter, for instance,
is a little-known predecessor to Lillet and the star of the Le Voyage, where it’s combined
with rhubarb vanilla syrup, drunken fruit, Prosecco, rum and rhubarb bitters. By making
all syrups and flavors in house, and even squeezing all juices to order, Mason recreates
bygone flavors to pair with these rarified spirits: Falernum (a cousin of orgeat with
cloves and lime), green chartreuse, ginger syrup, anisette, and even house-cured onions
(to be combined with dry and blanc Vermouths for the classic Gibson).

To complement, Cakir has introduced a menu of small plates inspired by the Orient
Express and its stops, with Istanbul—the culminating destination—taking a heavy hand.
Cold dishes like baby artichoke hearts, pastirma, and tarama take a cue from the
Turkish endpoint, while a carefully chosen cheese plate sourced from nearby Murray’s
voyages through Italy and France. More substantial eats are served in skillets, such as
jumbo shrimp in a fin bois sauce and a presentation of cabbage with ultra-thin apple
slices and spiced beef sausage—a nod to Eastern Europe. For dessert, crème brulee
is spiked with Turkish coffee, a nice touch befitting the concept. During the day, Cakir
plans to introduce afternoon tea service, with a range of artisan loose leaf teas and
nibbles.

As much care is given to the ambiance, from the soft glowy lighting to the music that
plays overhead, a compilation of retro tunes to the likes of Etta James. It’s enough to
make anyone feel as if they’ve stumbled into a period piece—a time capsule of sorts—far
removed from the fashion-filled boutiques and bustle of the village just outside. Sip and
stay, and sip some more—this destination is unlike any other.

Orient Express launches its full menu with its official opening on October 1, and is
located at 325 West 11th Street, between Greenwich and Washington Streets in the West
Village. It is open from 5PM – 1AM on Sun & Mon, 5PM – 2AM on Tues - Thurs and
5PM – 4AM on Fri & Sat, with afternoon tea service to be introduced in addition. The
forthcoming website can be found at www.orientexpressnyc.com. Call 212-691-8845.

Press Contact:
Maria Benvenuti, Telma Benvenuti
& Michael Gartenlaub
Benvenuti Public Relations
212-696-9883
benvenutipr@benvenutipr.com

http://www.orientexpressnyc.com/