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The owners of North Bedford’s popular Soft Spot have created a sleek Bushwick standout showcasing their well-played design themes and dexterous mixology. Hidden behind an unassuming Flushing Avenue storefront, the Deco’d interior recalls the corporate high rises of midtown pre-Mad Men: bathroom doors pose as elevators; a menu hangs framed like a lobby directory; mood lighting streams from mid-century pendant lamps. Outside, the wood-plank benches on the spacious backyard deck offer a blue-sky view. Catering to locals bored by the dime-a-dozen dive scene with creative tweaks on standard cocktails (like the rye-based Caulfield’s Dream), and a hand-picked draught line that skips the most ubiquitous craft brews, the stylish space is a beacon in an otherwise nondescript stretch. — Patrick Coffee