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Sasha Petraske's flagship bar, Milk and Honey, may require reservations, but Little Branch, his clubby, low-ceilinged Village rathskeller, retains an open-door policy. As befits Petraske's liquid legacy, the drinks--like a velvety-smooth, mildly spiced hot buttered rum--are nigh perfect. If you choose to deviate from the menu, just give the neatly attired, polite bartenders a base liquor and a hint of your mood, and they can tailor a drink on the fly. A call for rye got us a spot-on Italian twist on a Manhattan, featuring maraschino liqueur, Carpano Antica vermouth and amaro. Custom-made cocktails--no password or secret handshake required.

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