Is Butter A Carb: Schiller’s Liquor Bar

I had wanted to try Schiller’s Liquor Bar for a little while, and this post on A Cup Of Jo served to further pique my interest. Despite an apprehensive review from J, my dining-partner- in-crime (this is a girl whose taste buds I admire and trust with an unparalleled fervor, and who in my one month back in New York has joined me in compiling a Google doc of 100+ restaurants we’d like to try within the financially and diet-eraly responsible period of one year), the boyfriend and I headed to Schiller’s for our most recent date night and are thrilled to report an excellent experience.

We were seated right on time for our 8PM reservation and offered a choice of three carafes of wine, simply marked on the menu as “1. Cheap,” “2. Decent,” and “3.Good.” (Alright, Schiller’s. I like yo style). As I opened my mouth to ask for the “Cheap,” (duh), my boyfriend, admirer of fine things that he is, interjected and got us a carafe of the “Good.” At a mere $6 more for a $22 carafe, I will concede that his choice was a great one (though I maintain that my dinner buzz would have been just as pleasurable with the $16 “Cheap”).

I opted for the tuna burger for my entree, and the boy chose scallops, both of which came out rapidly and were delicious.

[Tuna burger with guacamole, chipotle pesto mayo, and side salad]

[Seared sea scallops with curry and lentils]

Though the food at Schiller’s was seriously tasty, the prices just right, and the service a great mix of casual and well-informed, the thing I loved the most about this place was the ambiance. The diners next to us were excellent to people-watch–I am 95% sure they were immediate relatives of Alexander Skargard, dressed head to toe in black couture and enjoying a meal of nothing but deviled eggs and a copious amount of vodka martinis. The entire dimly-lit dining room buzzed with conversation and laughter without overwhelming our little date. The decor seemed to aim for “crackden chic,” (which I obviously mean as the utmost of compliments), with cracked tiles, foggy glass, haphazard tables and an unpretentious vibe .