Poor tapas. In recent years, the commie-mollifying dining style has endured more re-imaginations than Madonna (too dated?) and David Bowie (too obvious?) combined. Tapas and faux-tapas restaurants have popped up throughout New York, applying the light-bite plate paradigm to various cuisines and regions, styles and tenors. A mixed-bag, lounge-ish tapas venture was due. Welcome Haven.

Serving up share-plates in a plush, found-art atmosphere with a marked posh leaning -- though reportedly without the haughtiness -- Kay Choe's eclectic menu features selections like Portugese Octopus ($15), Long Island Duckling Meatballs ($14), and Mediterranean-spiced Lamb Tenderloin ($22). The fare is supplemented with a lounge-ready wine and cocktail list.

Haven just might have the most aptly-named cocktail list around. Included on their house specialty list, the Lolita has vodka, elderflower (that lovely liquor that makes you think of fields in summertime), raspberry (for childhood?) and fresh lemon (clean, tart). The Jezebel comes with rose-infused gin (because roses smell sweet but have hidden, sharp thorns) muddled strawberries (to get that sweet taste right away) and basil (ok, not sure how that fits into the Jezebel theme), and lemon (again, tart.)