At Lolita, Serving Mexican in Midtown, Agave and Sugar Cane Drinks Rule

Headliner

Lolita

The identify couldn’t be extra harmless or much less Nabokovian. Lola, the 2½ -year-old daughter of Jillian Lockhart, an proprietor, was the inspiration. This uncommon two-story lounge and restaurant has a particular viewpoint relating to drinks. The bar, cabinets and lockers all through the place have restricted the spirits choices largely to those who are produced from agave, like tequila and mezcal from Mexico, and sugar cane, primarily rums produced globally. Cachaça, one other sugar cane spirit, is included. Marshall Minaya, a companion and the beverage director, and the top bartender, Carlos Kennedy-Lopez, labored to develop drinks to showcase the assorted spirits. The meals is Mexican, by the chef Carmelo Calixto, and presents lots of the typical suspects: guacamole, empanadas, tacos, enchiladas and carne asada. The bar space on the entrance is framed by glowing arches, a design assertion that we additionally noticed just lately at Coqodaq. The ground-floor degree is extra of a lounge than the upstairs, the place there are tables and one other bar. Throughout, the house is enriched by a deeply vibrant palette. This place occupies the constructing that additionally homes the group’s Madame George, a subterranean lounge, and Valerie, a bar and restaurant. Each has a separate entrance on the identical handle.

45 West forty fifth Street, 212-389-0050, lolitanewyorkcity.com.

Opening

Frog Club

This massively delayed successor to the venerable Chumley’s has opened. It was initially to be known as Froggy’s, however Liz Johnson, an proprietor, who can also be an proprietor of the extremely rated Horses in Los Angeles, modified the identify. Will Aghajanian, her husband, is her restaurant companion. Mr. Aghajanian mentioned he was deeply concerned in designing and executing the restaurant’s décor and that till the authorized proceedings for the couple’s divorce have been determined, says he stays a companion within the restaurant. Ms. Johnson, who’s the chef, couldn’t be reached for remark, however she made a YouTube video concerning the opening and confirmed a number of dishes, together with a spinach soufflé.

86 Bedford Street (Barrow Street), frogclub.nyc.

Crave Sushi

As at their Crave Fishbar eating places, Brian Owens and the manager chef Todd Mitgang are sustaining their mission to focus on home and sustainable seafood at their first sushi bar. Appetizers, nigiri, sashimi, maki and scorching fundamental dishes function regionally raised barramundi and steelhead as an alternative of fish flown in from Tokyo’s market. Weathered metallic and wooden are enlivened with some ornamental Japanese touches within the 66-seat room that features a six-seat sushi counter.

947 Second Avenue (fiftieth Street), 646-927-2927, cravesushibar.com

Another Country

Cocktails in a moody, cozy house with a mortadella sandwich or fried hen alongside outline this new spot nudging Union Square. There’s a fantastic assortment of vinyl for the playlist.

10 East sixteenth Street, no telephone, anothercountry.nyc.