Here's the solution to your summertime cocktail concerns: SixtyFive. The Rainbow Room's weekday bar just opened its stunning outdoor wraparound terrace, 65 stories high in the sky, with views for miles. And this doesn't have to be simply a pop-in-for-an-after-work-cocktail plan—with SixtyFive's new menu of small plates and creative, composed dishes, you and your date (or the whole squad, if you like) can make an evening of it, from sunset to deep in the night.
And what's on that new menu? The housemade nibbles—potato chips with white truffle, olives marinated with cumin and oregano, or caramel popcorn with a touch of ancho chili—pair perfectly with the exquisite cocktails. Rosemary-spiced nuts and a Negroni? Yes please.
One snack and a drink might suffice, but for something more substantial, let's move into the small plates and sushi sections of the menu. Chef Jonathan Wright has drawn influences and ideas from around the world, and the creative, contemporary flavors are well beyond the usual bar fare. Here oysters are dressed with apple, kaffir lime and spicy ponzu; a jar of soft, roasted red peppers is served alongside a wildly addictive pistachio cream and crisp little herbed toasts. Try the langoustine tartare, featuring a "peanut tofu" which isn't really tofu at all, but rather a pressed-peanut preparation livened up with the freshest raw lobster, all of it swimming in a citrus-y broth reminiscent of Thailand.
Luxury is the name of the game at SixtyFive—the food has to stand up to the view!—so settle into the comfortable banquettes and explore the world of Wagyu sliders, foie gras pate or a plate of salmon sashimi paired with black truffle and Asian pear. More substantial dishes include the inventive take on fried chicken and waffles (yes, that does include whipped smoked onion butter chipotle-mustard maple syrup) and the 30 Rock sushi roll, which is an artful presentation of spicy snow crab, salmon and mango.
To satisfy the sweet tooth, or to pair with dessert wine, cognac or any number of the digestifs available at the bar, don't miss the selection of desserts and petit fours. Warm chocolate mousse with hazelnut puree is almost salacious; miso-caramel profiteroles hit that ideal sweet-salty note.
And finally, here's how to get to SixtyFive (since it's on the 65th floor of 30 Rock, how does one get that high?): the most convenient entrance is on 49th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues—look for the awesome Art Deco marquee (the one that says Rainbow Room/Observation Deck/NBC Studios—you can't miss it) and enter into the building right beneath the neon glow. Straight ahead you'll see an escalator and a lovely host or hostess awaiting your arrival—head up the escalator, check in at the host stand, and you will be directed straight into the elevator that will whisk you up to SixtyFive.
