The Topaz is a two room cocktail suite with a private courtyard in Brooklyn

"The Topaz", the name, bestowed on this cocktail and small plates establishment, betrays the spirit of the place: a glimmering but none-too-fancy oasis in an otherwise spartan stretch of the neighborhood.

Topaz manages to balance hard, dead features (animal skulls, reclaimed but blemished wood, marble) with soft, living accents (lilies, off-whites, paintings) for a kind of desert vibe. Even the drink names have a vaguely Western aura (Mexican Standoff, The Safe Word, Bottle Blonde, Night School)