Sardi’s, My Sis-In-Law & A Sidecar

Well, it’s official folks. After 30 years on the Great White Way, my sister-in-law, Charlotte d’Amboise, is officially a Broadway legend. She’s got her illustrated mug on the walls of the legendary Sardi’s- that bastion of Broadway glory. If you ask me, it’s a little late in the coming, she’s only been nominated for a Tony twice over and starred in over 10 shows but I digress… I’m thrilled that her lovely and sparkly face is now hanging on those legendary walls alongside the likes of Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon, just where she belongs.

If you’ve never been to Sardi’s, it’s worth a trip. Saddle up to the bar on 44th St. right smack in the heart of Broadway’s best theaters and order up a classic NYC cocktail. They serve lots of Rusty Nails, Cuba Libres and Manhattans here, the usual suspects in the tried and true midtown drink lineup, but my favorite at Sardi’s is The Sidecar. It just feels right. Pre-show at Sardi’s with a Sidecar- yeah, it’s good stuff.

Vincent Sardi wrote the Sardi’s Bar Guide back in ’88- it’s chock full of “drinks of the rich and famous” and reads a little bit like you’re sipping champagne and sharing caviar dreams with Robin Leach. Old. School. This is the stuff of dreams baby- I can’t get enough. The whole place is oozing with Broadway lore. You can hear the industry chatter pouring out of the walls from decades past and admire the smiles and smirks of the stars that have adorned the walls at this institution since 1927 . If you’re a fan of the old guard and the theater, Sardi’s is a spot to put on your list to be sure. Pop in for a cocktail and a whole lot of ambience- it’s kind of perfect.

As a toast to my sis-in-law, here’s a very classic Sidecar cocktail recipe- you can never go wrong with this drink.

Cheers Char!

*My hard and fast rule is that you MUST use brandy and never vodka in your Sidecar. This classic drink’s rep was tarnished for years with the onslaught of the 90′s vodka cocktail craze. It’s brandy all the way or it just doesn’t work at all.

Photos: Ariana Debose, AMC TV

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