NY Mirror

As it gets colder outside, take refuge in the banana republic of Plantain, a festive bar/ restaurant/lounge perched in the middle of nowhere special. Because of its blah location in midtown, this lively space is a destination in itself—especially during happy hour, from 4 to 7, when a “nuevo tapas” menu is served along with house specialty cocktails like mojitos (rum, lime juice, and fresh mint, $8) that arrive dressed up with chunks of sugarcane, and way too sweet mango margaritas (tequila, mango liqueur, mango nectar, $7). Paired with the tasty cuban sandwich ($9)—a mini-treat of roast pork, cheese, and sliced pickles—whatever you drink will have you Havana bound in no time. The decor is equally intoxicating: vivid lanterns, paintings of women, candlelit tables, and high ceilings. A mixed crowd and Latin music courtesy of Marc Anthony and friends add even more sabor to an otherwise no-frills address. Who says there isn’t any place to go above 14th Street?

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