Half way through the US sojourn

The half way point of my stay in the US was marked with a trip to two of my favourite places in New York in one day. Veselka is a Ukranian diner that sits at the heart of the East Village, a pretty gauche part of town with boutique vintage clothing shops, dive bars and record stores characterising the streets around the southernmost part of 1st and 2nd Avenues. Its reminiscent of Old Street and Hoxton with some Camden charm thrown in for good measure. Veselka serves the usual diner fare as well as its Slavic specialties such as a great borstch (beetroot soup) – which harbours beans and vegetables in contrast to the Polish mushroom dumpling version – pierogi, and kielbasa. Clientèle is a mix of Ukrainians, Russians, and other interested parties, mostly the creative student types – one of NYU's college buildings is a just across the street – musicians, fashion conscious Asians, and fans of Ukrainian food such as myself. In fact, the place seems to have developed a bit of a cult following and has been able to profit from its Manhattan monopoly, adding extra outdoor seating since my last visit (maybe two years ago) as well as a kiosk serving a take away menu just outside the nearby F line subway station. The waiting staff are also very friendly, and appear to be truly flattered by any foreigners ordering their native cuisine.

The second place was Pegu, a very laid back and sophisticated lounge, named after the original Pegu Club in Rangoon, which was a favourite spot of British colonial officers in the early 20th century and renowned for the skill and creativity that goes into making a cocktail. The place does have a Burmese feel to it, with dark woods, decorated trellises at the windows and soft lighting throughout. Those who know where I like to drink will know that its my kind of place, and whilst my date was content to play it safe with a glass of Pol Roger, I tried the Jabberwocky Fizz - London Dry Gin, Drambuie, Lemon and Lime Juice, Soda, served in a hi-ball - which has a sharp sparkle to it that was rather enjoyable.