I’m hooked on Velvet Cowboy. The new bar from the team behind Jacob’s Pickles, Maison Pickle, and Tiki Chick takes the former home of Jacob’s Pickles on Amsterdam Avenue and turns it into a psychedelic, maximalist Western fever dream. None of it reads
as shtick. Jacob Hadjigeorgis is obviously a seasoned restaurant guy, and here, the native New Yorker has done his research. Easter eggs pay homage to a type of Lone Star State watering hole, and the cocktail program alone, with its obscure ingredients and something-for- everybody menu, is worth a double take. Most notably, every bite on the menu costs just five bucks, without the corners you’d expect to be cut at that price.
What to order
- In a snack bag, the Frito pie is a couple of bites, but it’s built on a particularly well executed deeply savory, surprisingly spicy Texas-style chili. Mix it up with Taki pie if you’re feeling tired on Fritos!
- The VcRib is a winner. This is a full sandwich for — again — five dollars. It was pitched to me by my server as “what the famous fast food one should taste like” and I could not agree more. The juicy griddled pork patty is doused in BBQ Bronco Sauce and served on a toasted bun with hot and sour pickles. (And remember, if anyone should know how to do pickles right, it’s these guys.)
- The cowboy caviar is a vegan option with its mix of beans—black and elephant, tossed with seasoned tricolor bell peppers and served with chili lime-seasoned corn tostadas for dipping.
What to drink
- I started with a Ranger Rickey ($15), a gin cocktail with ingredients I coincidentally also seem to gravitate towards when I’m in a fragrance shop: sage, cedar, sweet grass, and makrut lime. It was thirst-quenching.
- At the time of writing this, we’re slightly past the season of frozen cocktails but hell, why not grab a frozen while tearing it up to whatever psychedelic rock or country cover happens to be on the soundtrack when you visit. I am not a sweet cocktail sort of guy, but I do love a malt. Here ($15), kola-infused vodka, malted milk, and Dr. Pepper works incredibly well.
Insider tip
Special care has been taken to updating the space. There’s fringe encircling each turquoise and orange barstool, and a wall of Western vistas in mismatched frames above the decommissioned cigarette machine. In the back, the lounge transitions from the front bar’s sunset orange and gold to a more intimate velvet and lace-adorned vibe. I have a sneaky suspicion this will be prime real estate for birthday buy-outs in the very near future.
