March 27 (Bloomberg) -- The new bartender at Bemelmans isn't old. It's just that ancient alcohol courses through his veins. He once got hold of some Cognac from 1848 -- and made a Sidecar.

That's orange liqueur, lemon juice and Cognac shaken over ice and strained. (Younger spirits from 1875 were mixed in, too.) He said the concoction sported a toasted creme brulee finish that ``went on for at least an hour.''

Intrigued? Then drop by the Carlyle hotel and say hi to Brian Van Flandern, the former Per Se mixologist who debuted a brand-new cocktail list last week at Bemelmans, that famous bar on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Ever see Woody Allen's ``Hollywood Ending?'' He filmed a scene at Bemelmans. Ever spot Woody Allen in person? On Mondays he plays clarinet across the hall at the Cafe Carlyle. But the bar has its own entertainment: a piano player and a mural by Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the Madeline series of children's books, for whom the venue is named.

Van Flandern now joins the ranks of notable mixologists -- recently Dale DeGroff and Audrey Saunders -- who have created drinks for Bemelmans. The 38-year-old cites Thomas Keller as his biggest influence, the Michelin-starred chef who's known for balanced, super-concentrated flavors.

That's evident in Van Flandern's ``Q-Cumber.'' The watery vegetable is pulverized into a juice with its skin on, magnifying the cucumber taste. It gets a dose of lime juice for structure, Pisco brandy for body.

Forceful Tequila

The ``Agave Gingerita'' gives off an intense tequila rush. The secret? Cane sugar. It lets Van Flandern use less orange liqueur to sweeten the drink, so clean agave can express itself.

Other cocktails remind me of chef Gray Kunz, who layers complex flavors upon one another. In one drink, shaved nutmeg, reminiscent of eggnog, hits the nose first. This must be sweet.

Take a sip. Rye whiskey, dry as a bone, subverts that guess -- but not entirely. Lime juice keeps things in check, and cherry soda, faintly sugary, reveals itself last.

None of this comes cheap. Drinks are $19 each, more or less in line with fancy midtown joints like Gilt, Le Cirque and Per Se.

And did I mention the cover charge later at night? That's $10 at the bar, $20 for a table after 9:30 p.m.

From my pricey perch, I spotted a bottle of Louis XIII Cognac. Retail price: $1,500. Some of the precious liquid was gone.

Van Flandern must be making Sidecars again.

Two drinks each for two, plus $9 fries and $20 macaroni and cheese, cost $113.

Bemelmans Bar is inside the Carlyle, a Rosewood hotel, at 35 E. 76th St., at Madison Avenue. Information: +1-212-744-1600 or http://www.thecarlyle.com.

Smoked Falafel

What type of ``tobacco'' should we inhale with our octopus? Cherry or mint?

That's what gourmands can ask themselves at Azza, a midtown Moroccan venue where you can lie on your back, snack on small plates and suck in the sweet perfume of a Middle Eastern water pipe -- better known as a hookah.

My friends who smoke cigarettes make me cough. But Azza's sexy scents push me to start puffing.

Step past a velvet rope and open the palace doors, and you're walloped with incense. What is it?

Rose petals.

Olfactory overload is the drug of choice here. So is organic everything.

``Would you like tap water or organic bottled water,'' a bartender asked.

Gold pillars, soft leather chairs and red walls frame the nonsmoking dining room.

Octopus, Couscous

The two Palestinian-American friends I brought along were impressed with the falafel, crunchy on the outside, soft within. They also liked the tender charred octopus, as well as fluffy couscous accompanied by juicy merguez sausage and salty, crispy chicken.

Thank chef Steven Ferdinand, formerly of Le Cirque and Aquavit.

For balance, we met up with an Israeli acquaintance downstairs to test the hookah ($25). Everyone, save this nonsmoking journalist, emerged a bit light-headed and happy. Reserve a couch and snack on hummus or play pool while watching television in the game room.

``Casablanca'' was on the flat screen.

Our dinner for three, which included a $36 bottle of fruity Algerian wine, four appetizers, two entrees and three desserts, cost $171. Azza is at 137 E. 55th St., near Lexington Avenue. Information: +1-212-755-7055 or http://www.azzanyc.com.

(Ryan Sutton is a writer for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

Last Updated: March 27, 2007 00:19 EDT