(Photo courtesy of Adriaen Block)
Aug. 10, 2018 By Tara Law
A stylish new restaurant and bar that specializes in healthy cocktails and Cannabidiol (CBD)-infused drinks opened in Astoria Wednesday.
Adriaen Block, located at 19-33 Ditmars Blvd., serves high-end cocktails, including drinks mixed with Seedlip— a non-alcoholic distilled spirit— and a THC-free cannabidiol tincture. It also offers a full brunch and dinner menu featuring a range of grilled meat and fish options.
The restaurant, which is named for the Dutch explorer who discover Hellgate, was opened by Zsolt “George” Csonka, the owner of Ziki Bar at 19-23 Ditmars Blvd. Csonka, who was born in Budapest, has operated clubs and bars across the country, including in Hawaii and Miami.
Csonka said that he is passionate about mixology, and that Adriaen Block will incorporate house-made bitters and liquors that he handpicked.
The bar has a very health-conscious ethos, Csonka said. Several of the drinks incorporate fruit and vegetables, such as the “Garden and Tonic,” a cocktail made with Seedlip, Indian tonic and fresh peas.
Other cocktails include “Mellow Berry,” which is made with dry oloroso sherry, cocchi americano (a quinine-laced aperitif wine), blackberry shrub, Peychauds and orange bitters.
The cocktails can be infused with CBD tincture. CBD is one of the compounds in a cannabis plant. It does not produce a high, but instead gives the user a calming sensation, according to Csonka.
(Photo courtesy of Adriaen Block)
“There’s no hangover, there’s no high,” said Csonka. “You feel perfectly chill, balanced.”
CBD infused sauce and whip cream is also available on the food menu.
Csonka said that non-alcoholic drinks are a great way to socialize without worrying about getting drunk.
“I used to get crazy hangovers— those hangovers that last two days,” Csonka said. “It’s a healthier option to have a social life.”
Adriaen Block is open from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. on weeknights, from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays, and 12 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
