When I want to relax among friends and escape from the turbodouchery that seems to take over the city on Friday and Saturday nights, I head straight to Salvador Darling to enjoy the ornate decor, privacy and the friendly bartenders.
Last night was another such night and after a delightful dinner at Mercatto, our large group traversed the city and stormed Salvador Darling, where we had the place almost entirely to ourselves. We lounged on the velvet sofas, listened to the iPod mix of the night (MGMT and Underworld) and admired our surroundings.
The owner has put a lot of work (see pics) into creating a charming and eclectic lounge space that includes taxidermy galore (a splendid male peacock perched atop small pedestal), a functioning piano, lots of ergonomic and architecturally-minded seating, raw art coffee tables and original artwork. There's a beautiful optical illusion photograph at the cozy bar of a skull that is actually made up of human bodies that you'll find yourself mesmerized by and the sexy mood lighting will make it easy for you to lose track of time. Love coming here and over and over when I want to chat among friends and not have to yell because overbearing music is drowning out my own voice.