Elite Event: Death Ave

If I could have attended one event, this was the perfect seller for me. Working on and off in the service industry for over a decade my opinion of Unilocal and allowing random people to review publicly is dangerous and hated upon by my fellow peers.
The ‘Elite Event’ at Death Ave. not only changed my opinion but after four years of silence motivated me to start posting reviews. My positive experience with the resteraunt and Unilocal staff showed me that if taken seriously you can use your ‘powers’ for good, something people should take more into consideration before ‘hating’ on the most trival of things, something that I know first hand can cost someone their job; context is everything.
Before I digress, lets run down the highlights:
1. Amazing name… Death Ave. an homage to the historic neighborhoods roots.
2. Incredibly creative, well made made cocktails, cask beer and Brewery.
3. Huge (2000 sq. ft) back patio featuring a ‘Last Supper’ private table.
4. Excellent staff, who are attentive and well mannered and easy to chill with.
5. Inspired Greek influenced American cuisine.
From entrance I was treated with humor and care. I was a plus one so, I didn’t know anyone other then who I came with but Rugy (I believe that’s his name) greeted me with the hospitality and respect of a VIP. The space leans towards a bar feel, with the front room focused on the bar, one that is perfect for not only drinks but comfortable for having dinner as well. The beer casks add an aesthetic that hints at the darker past of the neighborhood from which spawned the bars name.
The nights highlight was featuring not only a few of its signature cocktails, like ‘Black Ink Martini’ ($ 17) but was sponsored by Sigani 63. Sigani 63 is the national drink of Bolivia. A strong but tasteful spirit that not only highlighted the cocktails but stood on its own ‘on the rocks.’ The cocktails and Hellenic cuisine pair perfectly, offering a well rounded take on Greek /​American fare.
The high point of the evening on the back patio. seated at the patio bar, quietly by himself with a glass of his ‘Bolivian Spirit’ was Steven Soderbergh. For me, a Gen-​X film student raised on movies, this was an amazing opportunity to thank someone I respect and creatively look up too. Soderbergh was extremely welcoming, gracious and fun to talk to. It was great to not only experience a new location with food & drinks but have the creator and voice behind the featured spirit in attendance.
Death Ave. deserves props for creating a wonderful dining environment that will soon feature a full brewery downstairs. In terms of a Unilocal Event, something I used to despise the thought of, surprisingly awakened me to how great it can be.
One hater’ converted ;)

What a fantastic place! At first, the name was a bit off putting and I was excepting a grungy biker bar – so I was surprised when I walked in and saw a classy and intimate restaurant. First off, I loved the different environments this place offers. The front high tables are great for a night out with a group, then by the bathrooms are intimate tables and semi-​private booths, and finally the lovely (yet very humid) back patio. I kept thinking, What a great date spot!
I walked in and was immediately greeted with a lovely cocktail called, Invisible. It very tasty and drinkable, although a bit sweet. I sampled an array of food, from fish sliders, to pulled pork sliders, lamb chop, and a lovely cheese plate. My favorites were the pork sliders (so much flavor!) and the lamb chop (perfectly cooked and well seasoned).
This place did an elite event right! Perfect amount of people, no fighting over food, and plenty of drinks to go around. Highly recommend this place!

Death Ave certainly ain’t for the dead. This was a great event with plentiful space, ample amount of food and seemingly unlimited drinks!
— — — Venue/​Service/​Experience:
Death Ave has three sections.
When you first walk in, you’ll see a somewhat low-​lit bar/​lounge area. You can grab a stool to the left by the bar or grab one of the three or so tables with friends on your right.
Continue further back and you’ll pass by 2 or 3 private-​seating areas. These are miniature «three-​walled rooms» with built-​in benches (no padding though) on each wall and drapes to potentially form the fourth wall. The middle wall has a fancy mirror so that you always look good. The lighting is low-​enough to promote a mildly-​intimate mood but is bright enough so that your eyes don’t have to adjust to the darkness.
Keep moving towards the back, and you’ll hit the spacious outdoor patio with another bar area and more places to sit and hang out. The outdoor patio is perfect for the fall and spring when it’s not too hot and not too cold. This is also where the Outdoor Classic Movie nights are set every Monday (reservations required).
My plus one and I managed to snatch one of the private-​seating booths, and with even more luck, attracted and met two new awesome Unilocalers! Even more fortunate, we were right by the kitchen which allowed us to have first dibs on the sampling (yippee!).
Our servers, Jack and Kay, and the owner, Michael, were very friendly and personable! They joined in on the fun with us by taking pictures and having engaging conversations. Both Jack and Michael went out of their way to quickly offer my vegetarian friend options as soon as they learned of her dietary restrictions. What wonderful customer service! I can’t wait to go back and visit.
— — — Food:
During this event, we were able to sample the following:
— Cod Sliders: a pleasant bite
— Greek Sausage Skewer with Tzatziki sauce: succulent and so yummy! My favorite of the night! I had at least three of these, and Jack kept coming back with more to offer!
— Lamb Chops: hmm mmm mmm! Luscious with a hint of lemon
— Pork Sliders: This one, unfortunately, fell a tad bit short; it did not have enough juice and had too much onion which I’m not a fan of. At least it was somewhat sweet.
— — — Beverages:
Two drinks were being featured that night:
— The Invisible: singani 63, fresh lime juice, muddled grapes, prosseco
— More refreshing than Black Ink
— Has more tang than the Black Ink
— Grapes were a nice touch
— Black Ink: singani 63, agave, fresh lime juice, sweet vermouth, squid ink, fresh oregano
— Much sweeter than The Invisible
— Tastes better when it is cold; otherwise it is too sweet
I initially thought I liked the Black Ink better, but overtime I switched over and preferred The Invisible.
Sweet service, spacious, bountiful food and drinks, good company all around — what more can you ask for in an event? Thanks for hosting, Ruggy! ^_​^. Enjoy the pics!

New York is the capital when it comes to East Coast Unilocal events. Especially Manhattan.
I saw Ruggy at work 3 years ago at his big Unilocaler party at the Hornblower after New Year so it was pretty much an honour to be able to do an Elite event this time considering the first party got me hooked to Unilocal.And he wasn’t dissappointing thanks to the great staff and owner of Death Ave.
We were welcomed by Ruggy who does the most amazing job considering he knows most of the Elites in this urban jungle.
Upon entry we were offered an cocktail made with Singani Muscat. A new brandy by Steven Soderbergh. And guess what, he was there chilling at the bar. As a movie and drink lover, i needed to compliment him. We had a great conversation over some great cocktail. One even was with squid ink which was a phenomenal addition to an already unique cocktail.
After having a nice long chat with Steven, we ran into the owner, who’s Greek. Once he heard that i was from Belgium, he was estatic to give us a private tour of the brewery that they will open this year if construction on the adjoining building would go better.
He also showed us the café next door, where they serve their own roasted coffee. Although there wasn’t any coffee. It smelled awesome.
The food that was being served. Where all just works of art. Personally, i was a big fan of the pork and fish sliders. Considering they serve 4 on the menu for i thought 14 dollars, is a big win to me.
The lamb shack served, was the most moist and tender i’ve tasted in years. Perfectly seasoned… Sooo good.
For the vegetarians there was a grilled zuchinni with bechamel on a cracker. Once again, this was spot on.
The tzatiki that came with the sirtaki or brochette to me was the way it should be made in Greece
After 3 hours and rounding up with Ruggy and Michael (the owner) we left satisfied and well done.

I knew I’d be in for a unique event when Ruggy stated to me and Hilary P upon entrance, almost a little too causally, «Yeah, and Steve Soderbergh is in the back. You should go say hi.»
…huh, what?
We entered Death Ave., which totes itself as a «playful Hellenic inspired» restaurant. It is just that. Large wooden doors hid the splendor hidden within; upon entrance, we were greeting by tables loaded with olive oil-​soaked breads, cheese, and meats. We were immediately offered one of their signature drinks of the evening, The Invisible, loaded with Singani 63 brandy, fresh lime juice, muddled grapes, and Prosecco. Light and refreshing on a hot and humid summer evening, we (now including Angeline P. and Josh K.), made our way to the back garden… and damn. We could have been in Greece! Beautiful couches and a drapey ceiling adorned with lanterns hung overhead, the light soft and dim as the sun set. We got to partake in more food and drink: The Black Ink drink was pretty amazing, also made with Singani 63 and agave, fresh lime juice, sweet vermouth, SQUID INK, and topped with fresh oregano leaves. We also got to chow down on succulent lamb chops with parsley, pork sliders, and grilled zucchini and mashed potatoes on crunchy pita bread.
So why was Steve Soderbergh there? And why did the drinks feature Singani 63? Well, as it turns out, Steve can be a prolific film maker and a liquor producer! This is his creation. Why? Because he made «sex, lies, and videotape», won an Oscar for directing «Traffic», and can do whatever he wants to do. That’s why! (At least, that’s my opinion. Haha.) Last night, shy and introverted Allison was firmly in place, and I also sprained my shoulder at work (…looong story…), so as much as I wanted to introduce myself…*sigh*…I hung back in the comfort of my cushy couch, drinking his brandy to soothe my sore shoulder. (Because who needs Tylenol?) REGRETS! Maybe I’ll luck out another time. I’ll find another Singani 63 event and tell him how much I love «The Informant!» and «Out of Sight». Haha.
The staff at Death Ave. was so on point! Upon entrance, we signed our names to an e-​mail list and received $ 25 gift cards! Wonderful! (With my birthday coming up in a few weeks, I may come back to use that!) The waitstaff was very chatty and friendly; as my group sat in the rear, a blonde woman kept our glasses filled with water as we bantered about how summer’s grip is seemingly not letting go. However, with lovely drinks, food, and company, none of us were really complaining.
Thanks to Ruggy, Unilocal,and the staff of Death Ave. for a perfect evening in Chelsea! Also, thanks to Steve Soderbergh for deciding to branch out from film making and reward us with beautiful bottles of brandy.

When I saw the event would include Steve Soderbergh sponsored Brandy, I never actually thought he would be there to talk about it, but then again nothing these days with Unilocal surprises me anymore :).
Death Avenue is actually a fairly large bar and restaurant. The front is dimly lit and has a more romantic vibe with lots of tables and the back area is more open and ligther colored giving it a relaxed sunday brunch vibe.
The two drinks on display were equally impressive, the black Ink was the sweeter brandy mixed with vermouth and squid ink (yep squid.), it was relatively strong yet still had a sweetness about it. My favorite was the Singani 63 inspired «invisible». Many different food items were given out as well, including some great pork and fish sliders, cheese, and amazing lamb chops. Ive learned now from past Unilocal events that Greek Restaurants love to show off their signature items at these events, and tend to impress :).
It was great spending some time with Steven Soderbergh and just talking about his Brandy and how he discovered it while shooting a TV show down in Bolivia. He seemed very passionate about his product, and it was great to hear about it while enjoying it in his company.
Special shout out to Michael the owner who gave me, my brother, and friend Tim a tour of the restaurant, basement future brewery, and café next door. The place felt like a labyrinth with all the different doors and entrances!
As usual a great experience, thanks to Ruggy for putting it together and the Unilocal staff for giving me yet another fun restaurant to keep on my return to list.

Easily one of the best EE ever! You know it is going to be a great night when you are served assorted cheese before you even get a chance to make a nametag for yourself.
The staff were seriously amazing last night. No joke, best service ever at least for all of the EEs that I have attended thus far in 2015. The owner, Michael, was also the event photographer and super friendly!
The food was also great. I got to enjoy the cod sliders, lamb chop, pork sliders, and grilled zucchini. My favorite was the cod sliders. The wait staff kept coming around every few minutes to clean up the tables and also bringing out more food. I got pizza right before the event so I was not super hungry. But my fellow Unilocal friends and I definitely appreciated the sheer numbers of rounds of food being brought out. Again, not your regular occurrence at EE.
They had two cocktails at the event. I had the black ink, which was good. But I liked The Invisible much more. And omg this place is huge. So many break out rooms and big tables for small and large parties. It was a maze!
Overall, I had a great time! Thanks to all of the amazing staff as well as Ruggy for putting on another fabulous EE! And I hope to be back at this venue very soon!

For my second Elite Event this one knocked it out of the park. I really enjoyed Death Avenue and my plus one (a non Unilocaler) had a ball. I was happy to pay it forward and inspire her to Unilocal in the future.
It started with a gracious greeting from Ruggy at the door. Upon entering I saw the Unilocal wrist bands around the room and knew this was going to be a good time. Of course I had to snag one to wear for future events. Next was signing in for name tags, the Death Avenue staff gave us $ 25 vouchers for our next visit as long as you left your email. Of course you can have my email because I already plan on coming back.
The place itself is quaint and the dim lighting is the perfect mood setter. With the bar on the left and high tops on the right you really feel like you’re walking down an alley. and its only going to get get better. And it did, scattered along the high tops were salami and cheese platters. I’m not eating meat anymore but I was happy with the assortment of cheeses to sample. Just as we were making our way towards to back patio, a waitress served me one of the night’s two signature drinks; the Invisible. Such a cool name, I asked her what were the intentions behind the name of the drink and she laughed.
My friend and I walked to the back, where we were warned that it was warm in the back. And warm it was. While nothing that DA had control over, I was just glad that there was an awning and a fan. The lounge seating was super comfy and the ambiance really was great. It felt like a secret garden with subtle lighting and plenty of space. The space in the back would be great for a birthday or engagement celebration. There is a grand long table under its own raised private gazebo that would be awesome for that. The back also had its own bar which for the event was topped with white wine.
The staff for the event was amazing and very attentive. We let the servers know that we did not eat meat so they made sure to visit us right away with the grilled zucchini, potato wontons and cod sliders. We really appreciated that. I will say that the lamb chops smelled so good that I contemplated eating meat for a second. Every part of their service was thoughtful and well executed. We were asked countless times about refills and if we needed anything. And honestly I cannot say that we needed any more then we were enjoying.
It was a lovely evening, got to mingle with other Unilocalers and meet some people. I felt happy that my friend had such a great time and now understands my ferocious writing on my phone when we’re out at places.
Great event! Can’t wait for the next one.

Elite Event at Death Ave seemed to have attracted a lot of newer Unilocal elites because there were many new faces I did not recognize. While I enjoyed venturing out to a venue I would not have discovered on my own, mingling with Unilocal elites and my +1, and sipping on unique cocktails, but the execution of some small bites that they served and more vegetarian-​friendly options would have made it this a five-​star event.
Before we get into more details, you may think, «Death Ave… what an ominous name for a restaurant!» Here is a little history lesson from the website. In 1846, there was an irregular route directly above Death Ave’s current location. Trains that were several blocks long would run down this route, interfering interfering with crossing traffic and sometimes killing pedestrian along the way. In fact, over the course of 56 years, about 436 people had been killed on the line. The train service ended in 1941, and now it has transformed into the famous High Line.
Ruggy welcomed us at the big wooden door entrance. After checking in, we sampled the Cheese Tasting boards on the table. The board included traditional Greek cheeses like barrel aged feta, Kefalo-​graviera, Manouri, Graviera, Smoked Metsovone, and topped with some pieces of salami. My favorite, by far, was the manouri, which is a semi-​soft, white whey cheese made from goat milk. It tasted creamier than feta due to the addition of cream to the whey. It was served with some sort of berry compote underneath for an addition of sweet flavor.
The cocktails options were one of the most unique I have seen at a Unilocal event. Singani, a Bolivian brandy, offered two different types: The Invisible and the Black Ink. The Invisible was made with Singani 63, fresh lime juice, muddled grapes, and prosseco. It was the perfect drink for a warm day/​night — tasted like refreshing limeade with a hint of alcohol. The Black Ink, made with Singani 63, agave, fresh lime juice, sweet vermouth, squid ink (!), had very intense, strong and bold flavors. I never thought of using squid ink in a cocktail!
In terms of food, we got to sample the Grilled Cod Sliders (wild cod grilled and topped with spicy scallion aioli sauce), Earth-​Oven Pork Sliders (tender pulled pork, sour pickled onions, petimezi BBQ sauce), Lamb Chops (cast-​iron seared and served with Greek chimichurri sauce), Byzantian Sausage (home-​made grilled sausage skewer with tomato and onions in a cucumber raita), and Grilled Zucchini over a pita chip.
I liked the Cod Sliders (the cod was very tender and soft), but both the Lamp Chops and the Byzantian Sausage were burnt. In particular, one side of the Byzantian Sausage was so burnt that it was inedible… I liked the Greek yogurt raita though! I felt bad for the vegetarians who attended the event because they only served meat/​fish bites until the very end of the event. I am guessing they realized the lack of vegetarian options and quickly scrambled to offer something for them?
I loved the venue — the bar area is a little tight, but I would highly recommend sitting outside, where they also have a great spread that is perfect for group dining. I’d consider doing a company dinner here! Each guest got a $ 25 gift card to return, so I will definitely have to check it out again.