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Pegu Club

<p>Tony, candlelit, and elevated one story above traffic, this refined SoHo lounge feels like the sort of place where two lovers conducting an illicit affair might rendezvous. Named after an actual British officers' club in Rangoon, it has an appropriate interior—all dark woods, velvet seats, and Asian accents. The Eastern-influenced snack menu by Gavin Citron changes seasonally and according to the owners' inspiration, though the namesake cocktail—a tangy mix of London dry gin, orange curaçao, bitters, and lime juice—is always a safe option, as is the heavily alcoholic, aromatic Fitty-Fitty (gin, vermouth, bitters, lemon) or the delicious Old Cuban (rum, champagne, bitters, muddled mint). On each table, there's a carousel of pipettes filled with bitters, sugar water, and other cocktail “seasonings” so that drinkers can customize their pro bartender's mix to their own preferred tastes. Expect to pay around $15 a drink.</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Go as close to opening time (5 p.m.) as possible, since this joint will fill up around you—whether or not you're having an affair to remember.</p>

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From Food & Wine , JAN 2006

Co-owner and mixologist Audrey Saunders stocks the tables at Manhattan's Pegu Club with dropper bottles filled with...MORE>>

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Last updated January 2006