To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, Lucky Tiger, a cocktail bar in the Financial District, will debut the Liberty Boat: a flight of rare Michter’s pours. Along with treasures from the legendary Kentucky distillery, the Liberty Boat includes fresh oysters, caviar service, spicy tuna rolls, and two glasses of Champagne. The precious cargo rests aboard an ice-packed wooden sloop, an homage to New York’s maritime heritage. As a delightful lagniappe, guests take home a 250th anniversary medal, a julep cup, a commemorative whiskey glass, and a hand-signed parchment scroll featuring the night’s tasting notes. Even the price is patriotic: $250.
Well, I now know what I’m doing on the Fourth of July
When news of this schooner full of fine bourbon and seafood crossed my desk, it solved a nagging problem: I had no idea what to do with my girlfriend on the Fourth of July. We had brunch at Lucky Tiger last April and have been jonesing to return ever since. Our current Fourth of July plan is to indulge in a Liberty Boat before strolling over to the Seaport District to watch the tall ship parade for Sail4th 250. I still have to wheedle an invitation from a rich friend in Dumbo to watch the fireworks from his apartment, but one problem at a time.
Lucky Tiger lives in one of Manhattan’s best drinking districts. The Dead Rabbit and Overstory, perennial fixtures on North America’s 50 Best Bars lists, are a stone’s throw away. Fraunces Tavern, a bar founded in 1762 and frequented by George Washington, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton, is practically next door. And from the entrance, you can almost hear the clamor from Stone Street—New York’s closest equivalent to Bourbon Street.
I was once skeptical of Asian fusion cuisine—it reminded me of strip malls and airport food courts—but Lucky Tiger demolished my prejudice. The menu draws inspiration from across Asia—bao stuffed with Korean short ribs, cocktails enlivened with masalas and Thai citrus, and even a BEC with kimchi—but Japan feels dominant. There are playful nods beyond Asia, too. The bar boasts a glittering collection of weird and wonderful amari from across Italy. You’ll find tacos on the menu alongside a Spice Bag, an Irish pub staple. The latter arrives loaded with karaage chicken, every bit as delicious as any fried bird I’ve eaten in Tokyo. If you need further Fourth of July cheer after the Liberty Boat, order the MSG Martini. It tastes like olive brine and gin spiked with fairy dust.
Lucky Tiger is ostensibly a pan-Asian restaurant, but it’s really a playground for a team of ace chefs and mixologists to let their whimsy run wild. Like New York itself, it’s a delightful blur of more cultures than you can keep track of. I can’t think of a better place to drink American whiskey on the Fourth of July.
