Black Crescent’s Boozy Five Dollar Shake
A rich, new cocktail creation from NYC’s Lower East Side
A new drink is gracing the menu of NYC’s cocktail and oyster bar Black Crescent, and there isn’t really anything else out there like it. This new creation from celebrated bartender Michael Reynolds (who’s also one of Black Crescent’s co-owners), dubbed the “Five Dollar Shake,” looks a lot like a chocolate milkshake—only there’s no milk or ice cream. Rather, the folks at Black Crescent infuse the green herbal liqueur Chartreuse with chocolate (a two day process), which lends a complex but sweet flavor. They then whip in a whole egg for texture and consistency. The drink lands an extra kick with the addition of bourbon and it’s served up on crushed ice, altogether yielding a spicy “shake” that’s rich in taste and structure—and story, as Quentin Tarantinto fans will no doubt remember the milkshake scene in “Pulp Fiction.”
“We wanted a dessert drink,” Reynolds shares with CH on his motivation. He had been drawn to chartreuse chocolate bars and it dawned on him that this could work the other way around—in drink form. According to Black Crescent’s other co-owner Carlos Baz, “There was minimal testing of the drink. Reynolds knew what he wanted to make and got there very quickly.” And, while Reynolds admits their bourbon preference is Old Forester, he won’t go into any further details about the cocktail, aside from sharing the ratios. While it’s a delight to sip the cocktail at Black Crescent, it’s an innovative creation worth trying to make at home for experienced infusers.
“Five Dollar Shake”
1 oz. chocolate-infused green Chartreuse
1 oz. bourbon
Sea salt
1 whole egg
Serve over crushed ice in a milkshake glass
Images by Cool Hunting
