You'd never know it was there from the street. In fact, the chameleon logo on the outside seems to suggest something east villagy and funky, but actually the Temple Bar is one of the most elegant classic bars in New York. It's dark. There's lots of wood. Lots of well dressed people drinking martinis. It feels so New York you almost can't stand it.

I ordered the Red Hot Martini, which is actually only mildly spicy--made with Absolut Peppar and poured over a red pepper that comes stuck to the side of your glass in a rather phallic way. They also have a Mango Martini, but I'm telling you, this is not a Mango bar. The Vodka selection is outstanding--every wicked thing that has ever been done to a potato in cold countries is represented here. The Belgian beer is also very good. I'm a big fan of the spicy popcorn they let you nibble on--it has slivers of fried squash in it, of all things. The bartender told me that the skewered steak appetizer is amazing, but it's also twenty bucks, so I declined. Love this bar.