The Perfect Manhattan - in Brooklyn

It was a year in the making. And it's not even open in the larger sense. But indeed, Jack the Horse Tavern has opened its bar with vinegary potato chips and nut mix to stave off hunger until the kitchen opens in another week.

Was it worth the wait?

If the bartender's expert rendition of the classic Manhattan cocktail was any indication - fortified with not one, but two different bitters and a sliver of lemon peel instead of the traditional maraschino cherry - Jack the Horse is just the thing the neighborhood needs.

Or frankly, screw the neighborhood.

Jack the Horse Tavern and its meticulously well-balanced Manhattans are just what I need.

It really is all about me and my needs. Isn't it?