New York's coolest street home to the city's saltiest cocktail

"If the name sounds familiar, it should-Bar Contra is an evolution of Contra, the once-accessible, no-frills tasting restaurant from chefs Fabián von Hauske-Valtierra and Jeremiah Stone. While it consistently wowed the Lower East Side for nearly a decade, the duo closed shop in October 2023. Thankfully, they kept the keys and promised to adapt the space into something entirely new. That "something new" became Bar Contra, a casual but experimental cocktail bar paired with the high-end snacks Hauske-Valtierra and Stone are known for."

"Arnold's influence is quite clear: Bar Contra leans into gastronomy as bartenders chill glasses with a swirl of liquid nitrogen and clarify drinks via centrifuge. It's this creative approach to cocktails and an eccentric assortment of small plates that earned the bar a spot on this year's Best Bars in North America . The Saltair, billed as a refreshing albeit " supremely salty " tipple, also generated its share of buzz."

"But for those in the know, the Saltair is just as much of a reinvention as the bar itself. The drink is a riff on a favorite from Arnold's repertoire, the Corsair. Also landing on the saltier side of the spectrum, the original-previously served at Booker & Dax-used the juice of Moroccan lemons preserved in salt, shaken with a bit of lime juice, simple syrup, tequila and a few drops"

Bar Contra evolved from Contra into a casual, experimental cocktail bar offering high-end snacks alongside inventive drinks. Chefs Fabián von Hauske-Valtierra and Jeremiah Stone partnered with Dave Arnold to execute cocktails that incorporate gastronomy techniques like liquid nitrogen chilling and centrifuge clarification. The venue earned recognition among Best Bars in North America for its creative approach and eccentric small plates. The Saltair is presented as a refreshing yet supremely salty cocktail and gained notable buzz. The Saltair riffs on Arnold's Corsair, which used Moroccan lemons preserved in salt, lime juice, simple syrup, tequila and a few flavoring drops.

Read at Time Out New York