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We can't deny it: we're suckers for any sort of speakeasy-like concept, especially if it involves properly made cocktails and "secret" entrances.
The latest entry on that list is The Newsroom, a bar-restaurant at 11-01 43rd Avenue in Long Island City found behind the facade of a newsstand complete with a soda vending machine.
The space debuted this past September as part of a larger project that includes a new hand roll bar by Michelin star chef Michael Collantes. Dubbed Sushi Saint, the latter portion of the business has yet to debut—but visitors will be able to satisfy their penchant for food at The Newsroom until then.
The menu is presented by chef Ricardo Cardona, the New York Yankees’ very own cook, and features a fusion of European and “nuevo Latino” flavors, according to a press release.
Outstanding items include a whole branzino stuffed with coconut rice and the Newsroom paella, made with squid ink, pulpo, shrimp, clams, chicken and an herb sofrito.
The theme is also reflected in the available cocktails’ names: the Interview is made with Mezcal, coconut milk, orange blossom water and chocolate bitters while the vodka-based Front Page boasts matcha, lemon, honey and is garnished with edible flowers.
There is also the Editors Punch, a rum-and-Chambord combo with notes of orange, lime, Grenadine and blossom bitters.
Departing from the sort of traditional speakeasies that were prominent during Prohibition, The Newsroom also presents eclectic live performances when open on Thursdays through Saturdays, including jazz nights and spectacles put on by aerialists.
Despite its "secrecy" and location, The Newsroom certainly does not feel like the sort of prohibited cocktail bar that has come to define a very specific era in American history. That being said, given the staff's dedication to detail, the place is certainly worth exploring.