Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Food

LES Chef On Four Loko: "People Like To Black Out"


By

Jaya Saxena

Published Nov 9, 2010

Modified Nov 9, 2010


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Jaya Saxena

Published Nov 9, 2010

Modified Nov 9, 2010


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

We've been told to quit smoking. We've been told to stop eating salt. We've been barred from enjoying trans fats and reminded that soda equals fat. But New Yorkers will be damned if we can't drink enough caffeine-infused alcohol to make ourselves black out and wake up naked somewhere on Orchard Street. Unless it's illegal, which it apparently is.

Restaurateur Eddie Huang was planning a $15 all-you-can-drink Four Loko cocktail (that's right, cocktail. It would have been mixed with Hennessy) special on Thursday night at Xiao Ye, but was forced to cancel it because the state forbids all-you-can-drink offers. The law "prohibits from selling, serving, delivering or offering to patrons an unlimited number of drinks during any set period of time for a fixed price," and Huang told the Daily News, "This is horrible. I was excited about this. Now I gotta figure out how to give people enough Four Loko so they can get their blackout. People like to black out." And somehow just chugging the Hennessy won't get the job done.

Huang planned the event after learning the State Liquor Authority was considering banning the drink and all other caffeinated alcohol drinks. However, the law does "allow 2 for 1, half price and other such specials where the price of a drink is not lower than one-half of the premise's normal or regular price for the same drink." So that means he could offer Four Loko at something like $3 for two cans. Or perhaps just a "one fewer than all-you-can-drink for $15" would do the trick.

Tagged

all you can drink

eddie huang

four loko

sla

xiao ye


Jaya Saxena

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE food

North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.

Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.

By

Robert Sietsema

Published Oct 10, 2026


10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.

By

Robert Sietsema

Food

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.

By

Robert Sietsema


Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

By

Sonia Rao

5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's

By

Hannah Frishberg

Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian

By

Robert Sietsema


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .