Andrew Barrett has been in the restaurant business for over 30 years and bartending for the last 15. He has tended bar in Manhattan for 7 years, Los Angeles for 4 years, and has been with the Hudson House for the last 4 years.
Andrew began his restaurant career at the tender age of 15 where he was a dishwasher at The Lion's Share Restaurant. Five years and three restaurants later, Andrew moved to New York to go to school.
While attending The Neighborhood Playhouse, Andrew worked as a barback at the West Fourth Street Saloon in Greenwich Village.
Andrew would spend the next 15 years performing in theatre, award-winning independent films and award-winning television commercials all while working in various restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Ottomanelli's Steakhouse on the Upper East Side, Fiorello's at Lincoln Center, Sammy's Romanian Steakhouse on the Lower East Side, Serendipity on East 60th, Visage night club in the West 50s, and Benjamin of Tudela, a 5 Star Glatt-Kosher restaurant on the Upper West Side to name a few. It was at Benjamin of Tudela that Andrew learned to cook. Although he started there as a waiter, he ended up spending over a year in the kitchen learning to blend flavors of savory foods.
At this point the only thing Andrew hadn't done in the restaurant business was manage and bartend. With no interest in management, he started bartending Sunday brunches at a restaurant on the Upper East Side.
Since then, Andrew has worked in nightclubs, shot-n-beer bars, microbreweries, and high-end catering both in New York and Los Angeles.
Andrew enjoys combining fresh, seasonal ingredients with a vast array of liquors to construct a cocktail that is both pleasing to the eye as well as the palate. Check out the Basil-Grapefruit martini (featured in the Journal News) or the Mango-Sage or the Lemon-Ginger, but don't forget about the Blackberry, Blueberry, Watermelon, or Pear martinis (featured in Metro Mix) all made with fresh fruit.
When Andrew isn't behind the bar can be found helping out at the Elmwood Playhouse in Nyack where he serves as either Set Designer or Technical Director depending on the production.
Andrew also hosted a 13-week Internet talk show with co-host Claudia Stefany on Rockland World Radio. The show was called 'Curtain Call' and Claudia and Andrew interviewed all the local community theatres in the Rockland and New Jersey area. The shows can be found in the archive section at www.rocklandworldradio.com
For the summer of '09 look for the Orange-Basil Mojito made with Tommy Bahama Rum or the Il Jardin made with tequila, cilantro and pineapple juice. Maybe the Acapulco Cliffhanger made with watermelon chunks, triple sec, lime juice and tequila is more up your alley.
Whatever your flavor...
The drink specials change every week or so, but if we've got the ingredients in house Andrew will be happy to make it for you.
Andrew is behind the bar every night, Tuesday thru Saturday.
Stop by and see him sometime.
And if you're going out of town, pick him up a refrigerator magnet.
Seriously, he collects.
