I almost missed Seamstress multiple times while walking along 75th Street, but I was thrilled when I eventually spotted some people walking inside and stopped to see what was there. The restaurant and bar are not actually hidden, but the doorway is somewhat tucked away, fitting in perfectly with the rest of Seamstress’ Speakeasy ambience. As the chef, Aaron, said, “You’re not going to see a billboard on us. You have to hear about us.”
And hear about them I did. I had read countless articles about the bar and restaurant, which opened in 2015, thanks to the impressive team at the helm. With Josh Mazza and Steve Laycock of The Gilroy managing, Pamela Wiznitzer of the Dead Rabbit in charge of drinks, and Will Horowitz, whom I knew well from Ducks Eatery offering his input on the menu, Seamstress was bound to be a success. As Aaron put it, the space is run by a “roundtable of people who are creative.” For example, in addition to being former liquor reps and therefore very good at their job, some of the bartenders are former cooks. Aaron added, “Everyone who works here is inventive and thinks outside the box.”
Aaron then went on to tell us a bit about his own inventions. He greeted us smelling warmly of smoked meat. When I commented, he simply stated, “I love smoking stuff.” Aaron’s interest in food started as a young boy when he and his siblings would scavenge in the kitchen to make meals for themselves while their single mother was working. He always hated doing the dishes, so he would volunteer to cook for his family while the others cleaned. Though he started working in restaurants when he was only fifteen, his career took an interesting turn when he went to study law. He then moved to San Diego, got involved in local food and the farm-to-table movement in the late 1990s, and has been a passionate member of the food world ever since.
I also had the pleasure of speaking with owner, Steve Laycock in the back bar, half obscured by a curtain. He was clearly very pleased with the way Seamstress is being embraced by the neighborhood. He explained that he had met Will Horowitz while working at Spin and that when he and Josh Mazza decided to open a place on the Upper East Side, they brought Will in to design the menu and train the kitchen staff. As for the décor, Steve said that it represents American heritage, specifically New York City in the 20s and 30s. In the small front room, an eclectic mix of jewelry from New Mexico (designed by Peter Gilroy), blankets, Shinola watches and men's leather goods from Lotuff Leather are among the items sold. All the merchandise is American-made. The food and design is meant to evoke a loose interpretation of the Golden Age of the Northeast, with roasts, mutton, and the feeling of being in a hunting lodge cocktail den. Steve then began pointing out some of the specific decorations: The impressive trunk that is now a table in front of the fireplace is from a tree that came down during Sandy. The numbered lockers on the wall will eventually be used by customers to store whiskey bottles for subsequent visits. As for the overall ambience, Steve wanted something that was somewhere between the “white table cloths and the college dive bars” that dominate the neighborhood. He wanted to create something for the thirties crowd, where customers did not have to overpay or give into the party atmosphere. He loves when people come in and say with surprise, “You have a great, yet cheap, wine list.”
While we sat in one of the booths, Aaron brought the members of Manhattan Sideways some of Seamstress’ signature dishes to try. The mutton burger with its intriguing toppings seems to have already gained a reputation with the people in the neighborhood. Aaron was very proud of the exquisite salt-baked fish, entombed in a crust of egg-white and salt. “I showed my mom how to do salt-baked fish and now she makes it every weekend,” he said. I was enthralled by the fried cauliflower with sheep’s cheese, pumpkin seeds, and sage, as well as the mushroom salad with baked egg and baby kale, while others raved about the avocado and crab salad that was simply prepared with chili, sea salt, olive oil.
Meanwhile, the bartender brought out a few of their specialty cocktails. The "Dream Hunter," meant for two, was presented in an ornate copper pineapple chalice and was made with Absolut, Green Chartreuse, coconut, kalamansi and egg white. Manhattan Sideways' own Olivia was a big fan of the "Good Night, Stella," made with Old Tom, vermouth, Gran Clasico, and burnt rosemary. Another hit was a gin drink titled “The Most Dangerous Game.”
Dinner has been the “main deal” for Seamstress, Steve shared, as not many people have realized the restaurant’s great potential for other kinds of socializing. The different sections of the space can be used for a variety of purposes, including community events. Customers can come in for a date, with friends, or just for a chat and a drink. The bar is open late into the night and often offers live music at 11pm. “We are the only people I know doing this kind of late night fun in the area,” Steve said. “I’ll sometimes stay here 'til five in the morning, because I love this bar.”
