INTEL: TROY BOYS UNITE IN BROOKLYN AT SWEET POLLY
Friends since Troy Elementary + both in hospitality, Andrew Patterson + Joaquin Causil talked about working together some day, but it wasn’t until this year + an offer too good to refuse.
While shooting in the city for The Dishing, we caught up with Andrew to say hello and get the scoop on his move to Brooklyn and plans for a new cocktail menu. — SDP
Bar director Andrew Patterson has left Milas for Sweet Polly in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a cozy sun-soaked cocktail bar with small plates, oysters and a Patterson-designed drinks menu coming this fall.
Sweet Polly 71 Sixth Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn | Visit
Andrew, we’ve featured you in our tastemaker series, so people can find out how much inspiration you take from world travels + your culinary background. You’re just back from traveling around SouthEast Asia and you’re just 2 weeks into your new job! So, we’re just checking in!
Tell us how you landed at Sweet Polly in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
My lifelong friend Joaquin was born in Brooklyn but lived in Troy in our youth. We have joked for years about me moving down here one day but I never really thought it was in the cards. He called one day saying he needs a full time right hand man to run the bar. He had a spare bedroom, so getting a place to stay wasn’t an issue. It was already hard to say no but the cherry on top was having full creative freedom. I couldn’t say no at that point. It’s such a bigger stage down here to put myself out there and do the dance.
You haven’t put your mark on the cocktail menu just yet, but have you made any specials in your first two weeks?
AP: There are always shows and games down the street at Barclays Center so we try to do a themed drink during those events. Ariana Grande was here last week so we whipped up a nice summer crusher. It was called the Ariana Guava (super creative!) and yes, it was pink! It somehow reminds me of a guava empanada. [Laughs] It’s coconut-washed gin, strawberry-infused Campari, guava purée, cinnamon tincture, lime and mint, shaken and poured over pebble ice with a fat mint bouquet.
When will your rollout the revamp of Sweet Polly’s cocktail menu? Do you have anything in mind?
AP: I’m super excited to get a menu going for the fall/winter this year. I wanted to just settle in for now and get acquainted with the space and current stock of booze. I’m really aiming to make this menu fun and exciting, full of nostalgia. You will definitely see some inspo from ingredients from my last trip. Vietnam , Taiwan and Hong Kong were all special in their own way and I can’t wait to showcase them in my own way. So, the R&D has already started: We’re working on a smoked peanut butter Manhattan with strawberries and miso, and a crab Rangoon-inspired highball with sesame & wonton shochu with blueberry “duck sauce” clarified with scallion cream cheese and force carbonated like hell!
I’m also working on a curry daiquiri that bridges the gap between Trinidad banana curry and Thai red curry. It’s a twist on our chawanmushi cocktail from our TINY Talk Dishing event! These a just a few of them to give you some insight into what we have planned. I just want guests to be as excited as I am! [Laughs]
Andrew, I’m so glad we got to hang out in your new spot. It’s brilliant that it’s so close to Barclays Center. I know you’ve already had a few visitors like your former Milas boss, Kaytrin Ziemann, and fellow upstate bartender, Tom Blassman. So I’m glad Victoria and I are among your first guests, and I’m sure you’ll have more fans visiting you at Sweet Polly from the 518!
