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Inside Mother Of Pearl, A New Polynesian Tiki Bar On Avenue A
By
Nell Casey
Published Jul 13, 2015
Modified Jul 13, 2015
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By
Nell Casey
Published Jul 13, 2015
Modified Jul 13, 2015
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If you're wondering what became of the Golden Girls set once the show went off the air in 1992, head over to Mother Of Pearl, a new restaurant and cocktail bar that's the new lanai of Avenue A. Restaurateur Ravi DeRossi of Death & Co., among others, opened the "Postmodern Polynesian" (read: lots of tiki-influenced artifacts and a penchant for retro florals) spot last week, replacing his rather dark and dour Gin Palace bar with this sun-drenched sip of nostalgia.
The menu features Hawaiian-influenced eats like Tuna Poke ($18), Hamachi Mahalo ($18) and Soy Garlic Chicken Wings ($12). The Uni Kalani ($18) uses a base of French eggs to showcase briny sea urchin, further salinated by an infusion of Spam; airy puffed rice crisps dusted with spices serve as utensils to spoon up the delicate mixture. On the opposite side of delicate, a Hanger Steak ($24) doused in shallot teriyaki and a ginger-glazed Kalua Pork Belly ($26) served with coconut rice and pineapple kimchee.
Given his cocktail bar background, DeRossi isn't skimping on an opportunity to go all out with his concoctions here. The Imperial Bulldog ($20) will likely be the winner for most photogenic; the cachaca and aquavit drink comes garnished with raspberries and an upturned bottle of Underberg, a German digestif. Snaps also go to the Shark Eye ($20), a curacao and bourbon-based drink with passion fruit, lemon, maraschino and tiki bitters served inside a shark's head-shaped glass.
95 Avenue A, (212) 614-6818; website
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cocktails
east village
golden girls
mother of pearl
new restaurant and bar radar
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Nell Casey
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