"Then there’s True Laurel, the cocktail and dinner destination from Lazy Bear chef David Barzelay and bar manager and partner Nicolas Torres. The duo is able to successfully take the idea of a cocktail-heavy restaurant with fine-dining-worthy small plates to a new level, 'propelling these notions to higher national standards.' The interior, too, is worthy of mention: it’s an art installation with tributes to mid-century designers and thoughtful use of space. The combination of Torres’ cocktails that 'quicken the mind,' and Barzelay and chef de cuisine Geoff Davis’s riffs on Americana bar food have created 'a sanctuary for comfort with unusual wit and style, a welcome model.'" - Ellen Fort
