I was back in NYC for a few days this June and the sweltering heat just called for a couple of refreshing drinks. I stopped in a couple of new places and visited a couple of others I hadn’t had a chance to check out.

Let’s start with the wonderful cocktails devised by Tony Abou-Ganim at Bar Milano. Tony is the mastermind behind the bar program at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas and he is now off on his own consulting as the Modern Mixologist. He is basically the guy who turned me onto cocktails a decade ago and introduced me to the Negroni (and it has all been downhill from there).

Bar Milano opened in April and is a joint venture with the Denton Boys (Joe and Justin) and is a rowdy Northern Italian spot on 24th and 3rd. The list features all kinds of esoteric Northern Italian wine offerings as well as fabulous bitter (think Campari) and herb-infused cocktails. I loved Tony’s 323 cocktail with the rosemary-infused Henrick’s gin!

I also had a chance to visit the swank Death & Co on East 6th Street. I hate the name, but love the bar. It’s named in homage to the Volstead Act of 1919 which outlawed alcohol consumption as “to drink alcohol was to live a life shadowed by death.” They are making some wonderful, fresh summer drinks with Sandeman 20-Year-Old Tawny Port. I loved the tall, refreshing Dahlgren, made with Port, Tequila, lime and ginger beer.

Last but not least I had some fabulous Sonnema VodkaHERB cocktails at the little gem of a restaurant Bobo in the West Village. I am not a vodka drinker but love this bitter, balanced herbal vodka out of Holland. It is not yet available all over the U.S. but hopefully it will be. It was just divine in a spicy Bloody Mary.