I avoid Herald Square at all costs, especially when it involves taking the F (or in my own words, F my life) train anywhere, especially during rush hour. There are exceptions to the cause, and one was the fantastic experience me and a friend had last night when we took it to the 2nd Avenue stopped and checked into Rochelle’s. Also known as Leave Rochelle Out Of It, this super chill and fun location located on Chrystie Street provides everything you need for a Lower East Side experience.
Rochelle’s is been in the LES game for only a couple of years now, with a perfect 2 minute walk from the 2nd Avenue stop. With the brisk weather we started receiving recently, I rushed to get inside from the train and dive into what they had to offer. The space is simple, a big bar, a couple of tables, and a short but amazing menu featuring some really elevated bar bites and fantastic cocktails that paired perfectly with each other. Also, as someone who hasn’t really been thrilled with the election results, what they have written on the bathroom door is simply amazing and should really be in every restaurant in all of the world. Seriously.
As far as I’m concerned, it is always a good time for a cocktail, and Rochelle has a great selection of original and satisfying creations for you to savor and devour at your pleasing. Their Donkey Punch was my personal favorite. They describe it as “When He’s Hung like a Horse but You’re Drunk as an Ass.” Somewhat ringing true to a real life experience, this cocktail has Purity Vodka, Cherry Herring, Lemon and Ginger Beer. I am not the biggest drinker, so this cocktail provided a sweetness to it where you can barely taste the alcohol itself. The ginger beer really stands out here, and makes for a tasty cocktail to enjoy throughout the night. Another great option was their New York Sour, with Jim Beam Black, Lemon Juice, Sugar and Red Wine Float. Sort of a perfect example of what a sour is supposed to taste like, and I love how they incorporated the red wine into this delicious cocktail.
The food options there are technically “bar” types of food, however there are special touches that they provide that make you forget you are in a bar setting and actually in a great restaurant. My friend who I came with has never had a hot dog in his life (no joke), so I was delighted to give him his first big one (hehe) with their Hot Diggity Dogs. They came with a Spicy Pineapple/Avocado Relish and is a delight to look as well as eat. Come hungry if you are going to have something like this, because it is foaming with flavor from the first bite to the last.
They also had some bomb ass fries called Frisky Fries & a Threesome, which came with three great dipping sauces. The fries had salt, pepper and parmesan sprinkled all over it to really give the fries a boost of flavor, and paired well with the dipping sauces provided. Their wing options were great, as the breading was fantastic on each that gave them a great bite to sink your teeth into, with a hot & sweet sauce that gave that bite a kick that I did not see coming.
Rochelle’s will be open for Thanksgiving as well! Opens at 4pm, offering a special Thanksgiving Happy Hour Miller High Life and a shot of Wild Turkey Whisky for only $5 bucks combined (special served all night)! Regular drink offerings for Happy Hour will end at 8pm. There will be no food service, but who needs that after a day of eating, come drink with your fam & friends, be merry and watch the NFL Games live!
“This is our way of saying thank you, no matter who you are or where you come from, for 3 years of hard work paying off.” – Brett David, Creative Director of Rochelle’s.
Rochelle’s is a fabulous place that you must try out this holiday season and beyond! For more information, check out their official site.