In the brown and pink women's loo at Purr Cocktail Lounge [0] -- decorated a la Cupcake Royale - one hears all the expected sounds: the rustling of paper towels, tinkling in the next stall. But the bathroom also reveals a key metaphor of the pecking order at Purr: A quick under-the-stall shoe peek reveals that the blue Converse sneakers in the next stall are facing towards the toilet.
Aha. Despite Purr's feminine-sounding name, boys have helped themselves to Purr, and girls are mainly garnish - even in the ladies room. On weekend nights, Purr rivals the old standard Manray for dude-on-dude cruising. The place is a sea of hair gel and V-shaped bodies garbed in fitted T-shirts, jeans that lift and separate, and not-necessarily-athletic sneakers.
The drinks are strong, tasty and served in satisfyingly heavy glasses. Of particular note is Purr-tini, a house special that turns vodka into the snappiest of dressers by adding Blue Curacao, muddled limes, raspberry liqueur and a splash of cranberry. Bartenders and wait staff of both sexes are chipper and efficient, not to mention attractive -- it's worth ordering a gimlet or a lemon drop, just to see them shake it.
The "Mexican inspired" menu includes fresh guacamole ($2.95) and taquitos ($7.95), but is unfortunately thin on appetizers. Entrees average $10, but they're far above standard bar fare; the chef's special recipe - chicken enchiladas - is recommended. Happy hour means $3 well drinks from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. On Sundays, you can get beer for a buck.
After finishing one generously-poured drink, women will forget they are far outnumbered and men will forget they are being appraised at every turn. This leaves everyone free to consider more pressing matters, like the utterly schizophrenic -- but somehow pleasing - musical selections: In less than two hours, the DJ traveled from Fischerspooner to The Cure to New Kids on the Block to a David Bowie song from the "Labyrinth" soundtrack. The place closed down with the theme song from "Saved by the Bell." [1]
Despite the occasional meat market feel, the mood at Purr is genial. Weeknights and Sundays bring a chill, mixed crowd, with friends lingering for the evening on red leather couches or hovering over copper tabletops in comfortable booths.
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