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The Irish coffee is a perennial, and popular, choice at Coogan’s Restaurant, and has been since it opened in 1985.
Story and photos by Sherry Mazzocchi
As nights get longer and colder, it’s a good time for some Irish inspiration.
That’s how Charmaine Sebastian and her three friends described the Irish coffees delivered to their table Sunday evening.
The four women, patrons of Coogan’s Restaurant since it opened in 1985, were celebrating with a special drink after dinner.
Sebastian said, “It’s like cheating--I can have coffee and a cocktail in one. It’s better than having that third glass of wine.”
Legend has it that the drink was created when an Irish publican poured whiskey into the coffee of cold, wet American tourists.
When asked the name of the drink, the bartender answered, “It’s Irish coffee.”
If he hadn’t invented it, someone else would have, some argue.
“It’s just a natural progression to put alcohol into coffee,” said Coogan’s bartender Rob McDonough.
For hot coffee drinks, the preferred Irish whiskey is Jameson or Bushmills. “Nothing aged over 12 years should be diluted with coffee,” McDonough said.
Originally the drink was served with heavy cream and brown sugar, but Coogan’s serves it up with a frothy mound of whipped cream and a splash of Creme de Menthe on top. The drinks look like they’ve been kissed by a four-leaf clover.
No coffee drink laden with sweet liqueur is as popular as Irish coffee during the winter months, said David P. Hunt.
Hunt, one of Coogan’s owners, said that when the restaurant first opened, they used to serve Irish coffee flavored with maple syrup. A customer, a local doctor, brought in syrup tapped from trees on his upstate property. The thin homemade syrup dissolved into the coffee, giving it a sweet taste that blended nicely with whiskey.
But the doctor retired and doesn’t come in anymore.
Hunt tried experimenting with store brands, but it wasn’t the same. “I couldn’t get the same texture,” he said.
McDonough said the drink is equally popular with men and women. On cold and rainy days, customers often order one right away just to warm up. Some have it as a nightcap.
Sebastian and her friends each had one at the end of their meal. The four women, instrumental in the Harlem Dance Leadership Program, were celebrating after their 23rd Annual Christmas Show held at Harlem Hospital.
“Tonight they did Dream Girls,” said Francoise Brooks, founder and director of the program.
It wasn’t exactly clear whether the glow the women had was due to their successful program or their libations, but they certainly had holiday spirit.
One of women, Lulu King, admired the drink’s smooth taste, saying, “It makes you feel very happy.” Patrice McCarthy agreed, adding that tipsy might be a more accurate description.
Sebastian was the biggest fan. “You can’t get this at Starbucks,” she said. “If you could, I would move in.”
Coogan’s Restaurant is located at 4015 Broadway, New York, New York 10032.
The phone number is 21.928.1234.
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