Rather than the usual Friday beers, tonight I opted for a new experience: Drinking vodka at an ice bar.

I’ve heard of this sort of thing before and thought it sounded cool (yes, pun intended). So when I learned there was an ice cage at Mehanata, a Bulgarian bar in the Lower East Side, I decided to give it a go.

It’s a simple premise: You go into the small ice-lined room with a shot glass made of ice and help yourself to the different vodkas on the shelves. And drink.

Of course, the place is freezing – so Ryan and I needed to be decked in Soviet military coats and hats to protect ourselves from the sub-zero temperatures.

Once inside the ice box, we had just two minutes to drink six shots of whatever we fancied. Of course this was not a wise idea and I only managed four shots of sticky fruit-flavored spirits, while Ryan maybe downed one more.

 

But this was less about the drinking and more about the experience. It was so silly. And definitely a different thing to do on a Friday night if you’re in the neighborhood.

The whole place (which also has swings instead of bar stools) is a great place to, er, chill. And the staff were fun too – no frosty reception here! (Okay, I’ll stop.)