Rescued from the Humidity by ASPEN

I forgot how much I dislike the humidity of the mid-Atlantic summer. That persistent stickiness, particularly when walking through the city, is just irritating. But all the more excuse to try a new bar, which is what I did yesterday.

After spending an hour with NY's finest, trying to get an accident report from a fender bender, I got a call from my friend Melissa to meet in the Flatiron for a drink. We stumbled upon Aspen (http://www.aspen-nyc.com/, 22nd btwn 5th & 6th), and wandered into the bar. Dark panelled, ski-lodge looking in front, as the name implies, and bright and warm in the restaurant-focused back, this place maybe a new favorite.

We sat at the bar and ordered drinks that were appropriately strong for a tired Friday afternoon. It's not a big happy hour place, so at 5:30 or so, there were only a handful of people in the bar, giving you the undivided attention of the great bartender. In need of munchies, we asked for menus, and the bartender (bartendeuse for a woman?) was helpful in pointing out some options that would satisfy the vegetarian diet of my friend. The food is tapas style - small plates - but with a gourmet southwestern flair. We settled upon two small plates for our little happy hour buffet, the Wild Mushroom & Goat Cheese Tamale and the Mashed Potato Sampler.

Seriously. Good. Stuff. I was shocked to find a random bar with such good munchies! The tamales came two to a plate, piled with a bunch of tortilla strips, and were delish. The mushrooms offered a gentle meaty flavor without the heaviness of beef or pork, and the goat cheese imparted that great goat tang. The yellow mole added a smokiness flavor without overpowering the dish.

But the real winner were the Mashed Potatoes. Now, I confess that I love mashed potatoes, but these were particularly good. Piped onto the plate in three elegant mountains paired with three separate dipping sauces in lieu of gravy, these were phenomenal to the taste. First was the wasabi potatoes with a ponzu dipping sauce, which were just spicy enough without the taste being wasabi-centric. Really good. The second, yellow potatoes with beurre blanc were just about average. The butter was rich and tasty, but it was the only one of the three that didn't stand out. Finally, my favorite, the mashed sweet potatoes with a mojito sauce. I love sweet potatoes anyway, but these weren't crazy sweet like yams...just right. The mojito sauce - a delectable combination of garlic, onion, lime, oregano and fresh parsley - was an unexpected delight to dip tiny bites of potato in. The sweet/sour blend...just tasted great. I wish I could come up with more creative words but really, it was just that good.

This place has great drinks, great food...and a spare room for parties with a big table in the middle. Great option for dinner, drinks or anything in between.