I’m going to say I called this: some years ago, after rewatching Looking For Mr. Goodbar, I wondered why the hell New York’s retro-obsessed restaurateurs hadn’t yet repackaged the fern bar. It seemed like recycling its tiffany lamps and Harvey Wallbangers of the late ’70s and early ’80s would play well with the kitsch cravers who, for instance, flocka to Rocka Rolla to feel like they’re at a working-class midwestern bar. Apparently I wasn’t the only one pondering this: in 2010, the Washington Post wondered if we were due for a fern bar revival, and now Joe Carroll (Spuyten Dyvil, St. Anselm, Fette Sau) and Francesco Panella (Antica Pesa) are bringing it on in a big way.
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