Bar of the Week: PLAY in NYC at the Museum of Sex

This week's "Bar of the Week" is Play, located adjacent to the Museum of Sex on East 27th Street in New York City. True to its name, Play is an inviting spot to relax, enjoy good company and fine fare in an atmosphere that is pure pleasure. Whether you're a guest of the museum or in the neighborhood, we highly recommend you visit Play.

Though the bar is just a few steps from the crisp white walls and ample displays of the museum's gift shop, the atmosphere couldn't be more different. Play is the kind of establishment that should could exist in a fantasy version of 1920s Paris--low-slung couches, bookshelves everywhere, rows of apothecary bottles that may or may not contain super-strong liquor--but that by some stroke of genius exists in 2014 Manhattan. Play is smart and, yes, sexy.

The menu at Play is also perfect for arts-and-literature types: there are drink names that reference Lolita, Lady Chatterley's Lover, and the Cohen Brothers, and all the other items on the list are whimsical, suggestive, or both. Some of the most popular drinks even divide up gender-by-gender.

With its combination of ginger and rose-infused blanc vermouth, the gentle yet estimable "Rosebud" ($14) is part of their permanent cocktail collection and one of the go-to drinks for female guests. While the "Clare Quilty," ($15) an aggressively smoky mixture of scotch, mezcal, and bourbon, among others--radiates dark masculinity. Their "Black Diamond Swizzle" ($14) has a distinctive pastel pinkish color and is served in a tall, curvy glass filled with crushed ice. Innocent, right? It seems so, until you take a sip and realize that the entire recipe loaded with two kinds of rum and tinged with absinthe.

To keep the menu interesting, there are also creative specialty cocktails that coincide with current exhibits at the Museum of Sex. Play also features a fine selection of wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks, their "Softies."

Naturally enough, Play complements their drinks with excellent bar food by Chef Merrill Moore. The recipes range from the familiar with a twist to uniquely delicious. The Jack's Crack ($5) candy corn with miso-caramel sauce and spicy Szechuan peanuts and the Shishito Poppers ($6) fried peppers with lemon ricotta cheese and raw tomato salsa are indispensable small plates. Yet the larger entrees are tapas style; the Griddled Burger ($9) with smoked mozzarella and hot peppers is filling on its own, and wonderful to pair with drinks.

Come solo, meet up with colleagues after work, take a date or gather some friends and have a great night out at Play. Adjacent to the Museum of Sex, Play is located at 1 East 27th Street, New York, NY 10016. It is open Tuesday to Saturday 5:00 pm to 2:00 am. Call (212) 447-PLAY or visit their web site at www.willyouplaywith.us.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Play