Hotel
bars have a mysterious allure. The unpredictability of the guests.
The possibility of a salacious affair. And, of course, the proximity
to a room where both can play themselves out.
So, it’s not often that you choose one based on the bar, unless
you’re checking out the new Corner Office bar and restaurant in
The Curtis hotel. Located on the corner of 14th and Curtis, this
new, uber-trendy downtown haunt comes with everything you’d expect
from a boutique hotel bar and restaurant --mod furnishings, fun
lightening and crafty artwork. But where the Corner Office goes way
beyond the call is in its size and its service.
Size-wise, the surprisingly large L-shaped space is separated into
various “comfort zones” that, as they put it, “have been
strategically designed to meet the restaurants diverse mix of
customers” (read, keep the drunks away from the diners). It goes
like this, in the mood for an energetic Friday night dinner? Grab a
table in the main dining room; right off the bar, it’s the perfect
balance of sophisticated dining and unabashed boozy fun. Something
more intimate in mind? Opt for the more private dining area, it’s
removed, dim, quiet and with close proximity to the entrance, it’s
the perfect first date spot to meet “MUSCLHNK4U” in person. Of
course, if you’re feeling VIP, the joint is even outfitted with a
totally private 30-top table in back that, get this, is divided from
the restaurant with a floor-to-ceiling curtain of steel beads—hel-lo
Daddy.
So what makes the service so special? Well for one, it’s actually
good. Cordial and attentive, The Corner Office team is not only
friendly and outgoing but they all look like they were plucked
straight from the CW line-up. According to Sage Restaurant Group’s
Peter Karpinski, “the staff is as important to the character of
the restaurant as the food and décor. They have been selected to
work with us because their personality fit is integral to the
atmosphere at The Corner Office.” Translation: eye candy.
As
for the eats, the menu includes everything from a dressed-up turkey
club all the way to a trendy Crab Pad
Thai.
It’s sort of comfort food with a trailer-park twist. Don’t get
us wrong, it’s delicious but you have to wonder where they thought
up slathering Cheez Whiz on a perfectly good prime rib sandwich or
stuffing a bowl of mac-n-cheese with lobster. Still, shamefully
decadent dishes aside, there’s a staple of more expected New
American favorites that will please even the fussiest eater.
And, what new bar wouldn’t be complete without its signature list
of creative cocktails. Staying true to the office shtick, nearly all
their signature cocktails play with office humor. We liked the
Working Stiff, a concoction of Sauza Hornitas, orange and lime juice
and lemonade, and the Dirty Shirley, a simple but stout mix of
cherry vodka and lime juice.
All in all, the Corner Office gives new meaning to the term,
“workplace satisfaction.”
