Greg Brier's new restaurant in Manhattan's Flatiron district, Aspen, attempts to span the dual worlds of city chic and country cool. If this were the real Aspen, of course, you'd hobble in the joint in your ski boots for an apres-ski toddy a la the Jerome Hotel Bar in days of old. Instead you're greeted by a Manhattan version of mountain cool: Lucite deer heads and antlers hang above the bar and the DJ booth; photorealist birch-tree murals line the spare dining room (complete with a central fire pit), and bison sliders kick off a menu of gourmet comfort food. Best of all, though, is the private Gonzo Room, a detailed tribute to Aspen's late and infamous resident, Hunter S. Thompson, rendered vaguely in the style of his favorite hangout after the J-Bar, the Woody Creek Tavern. It's got its own bathroom and its own bartender; what it doesn't have (yet) is Thompson's favorite Tavern beverage, the Biff. Tell the bartender and order your own: It's a shot of half Bailey's and half Jameson's. 30 West 22nd Street, New York NY (212-645-5040) www.aspen-nyc.com --COREY SEYMOUR

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