12.19.09
Posted in Asian, East Village, Japanese, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, eclectic, rated 8 to 8.5 at 11:53 by Dominique
171 1st Ave. & 10th/11th Sts., 212-777-7773
Great for: pork buns, ramen, enough fried chicken to feed a small army, trying interesting entrées
In the beginning, there was Noodle Bar. David Chang looked around, and saw that it was good (and that people were willing to line up for hours to get a chance at his food). So he created Ssäm Bar, Ko, Milk Bar and just this month, Má Pêche. I love his food, whichever market level he aims at, but Noodle Bar was one of the first restaurants that introduced me to the foodie world, and it has a special place in my heart. This particular visit was for the fried chicken meal, courtesy of my friend T’s reservation-snagging skills.
One girl was very late and the rest of us used that as an excuse to get the life-changing pork and chicken buns. To stave off starvation, you understand. I had resisted trying those for a long time, since I don’t eat bread or fat. But the buns are worth going off any diet. My only concession to staying slim is letting fat drip out the back. Each order has two buns, which you will probably want to yourself. The chicken version has a piece of fried skin included, which is totally awesome, though not quite as orgasmic as the pork.
At long last, it was time for the giant platter of two fried chickens. 
One is seasoned with Old Bay; the other is Korean-style. I preferred the Old Bay style, though it’s a tad too salty. It is the perfect level of crunchy and crispy, though. The Korean chicken was also good, but I felt the sauce could have been integrated into the meat more. As if all that chicken weren’t enough, the meal is accompanied by a bowl of lovely crisp veggies, four sauces and moo shu wraps. 
I didn’t use the last, but I actually enjoyed the greens, and everyone was delighted with their wraps. I found myself eating raw radishes for the very first time in my life (with liberal dollops of jalapeño chili sauce). Generally a fun time, especially at $100 for two chickens with unlimited fixins’ for six people. It was not quite as perfect as I thought it might be, but I’d give the chicken a solid 7.5 / 10.
The ramens are also very tasty (from several other visits). The Momofuku ramen is salty goodness and the pork ramen is cheaper but likewise demands to be completely finished. Both have nice big noodles and a good mix of vegetables. There are quite a few other choices in ramens.
Noodle Bar is always a good option when I’m in the East Village and not in the mood to try a new restaurant. I tend to keep odd hours and avoid the lines, but if you’ve got enough people with you, it’s still fun since they’ll serve you alcohol while you wait. Plus, I have yet to find anything on the menu that’s not delicious.
Rating: 8.5 / 10 (extra half point for little pockets of heaven on earth)
Cost: it’s not cheap, but it won’t break the bank. Beer, sake and wine are quite reasonably priced as well.
Noise level: it’s always a party there
Chance of walking in: not good. Try to go at off-hours.
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08.23.09
Posted in American, Lower East Side, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, eclectic, rated 9 to 10 at 01:22 by Dominique
120 Essex St. Stall 16 & Delancey (enter from door on corner, next to cheese shop), 212-924-5160
Great for: quirky but delicious food, interesting conversation, après-shopping eats
I was terrified of eating here, as I’ve heard about Kenny’s legendary temper and read firsthand accounts of people being cursed or chucked out. But as a fledgling restaurant critic it’s my duty to go and review food… so I plucked up my courage and ventured in one sunny day. I’m not sure if I was wearing my sling (from the shoulder-shattering incident) – in fact, I don’t think I was – but Kenny and his son were lovely to me. I even committed the idiotic faux pas of asking for suggestions from the bewilderingly enormous menu in 10-point font on double-sided legal paper and they scolded “WHAT?!” but laughed and said cute girls are allowed to ask questions. I don’t know why I forgot you’re not supposed to. I was so nervous I even dropped my phone. Anyway, they quickly put me at ease and we chatted away for the next hour.
I got way too much food. The sliders with cheese and pickles would have been enough by themselves, but then I wouldn’t have experienced the ecstasy that is the fried potato salad. You know when meat is marinated and juicy and tender and you just want to keep on biting into it? That’s how the burgers were, with a great contrast in the pickles. I got mozzarella with the fried potato salad instead of the regular blue cheese and it was just wonderful. The potato chunks were small enough that I didn’t tire of eating them, and crispy and flavorful to boot. I ate sooo much.
I only wish I could eat there more often! It’s a bit expensive, but definitely worth the money. All the dishes are quite large, as well. Most sandwiches are about $15 and the skillets are over $20. It’s not a very big place (though I like how it feels like a homey kitchen), they stop accepting new orders around 2, and are only open weekdays and Saturdays, so it takes some determination to get there unless you’re technically jobless like me. Plus, if you act fake or snobby or are ridiculously picky about food (vegans seem to be especially reviled) or annoy Kenny in some way, he’ll probably refuse to serve you. So be real. And nice-looking apparently helps.
Rating: 9 / 10
Cost: $20 (this is not a cheapie lunch place)
Noise level: however loud Kenny has to yell to the kitchen
Chance of walking in: might be ok after the lunch rush – they don’t do dinner any more.
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02.22.09
Posted in American, Lower East Side, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, eclectic at 00:04 by Dominique
99 Stanton St. & Rivington St., 212-995-0099
Great for: cocktails for large groups, romantic desserts, sophisticated brunch after a night of debauchery, sharing food
I finally got home from exile with my family and needed copious drinks. Commodities Broker, now just a friend, said he’d be in the neighborhood and we agreed to grab brunch/lunch. This was the only place I could think of. It’s not the best place for food but it is nicer than most of the other little local spots. Plus, lots of fun cocktails!
It’s the same menu all the time, so they don’t get any lunchtime reviewing mercy, not to mention they’re quite as busy at lunch as dinner. We started with the excellent breakfast bruschetta, lots of soft eggs on chewy bread. The chicken and waffles was an insane mix of sweet and savory - maple syrup and balsamic swirled together, especially. It was sort of strangely good and I enjoyed the plethora of scallions, but overall it was just a little too weird for me.
The French onion soup dumplings were more my speed. They were extremely juicy and maybe a bit too salty. I liked the Social mac and cheese, although I would have preferred no tomatoes. To be fair, I hate tomatoes that are not in the form of marinara. The meatballs in tomato sauce, good though a bit vinegary, were accompanied by an interesting and tasty lasagna sheet filled with ricotta and pesto.
I had no objections to my strong champagne julep or gin-lemon mojito. CB found his mimosa a little flat and the pineapple 75 martini a bit weak. We agreed favorably on the margarita and the friendly though somewhat absent-minded service. In general, the food is pretty good but not really the focus of the place, I think. It is just a very pretty bi-level hideaway on a trendy-ish stretch of the Lower East Side, expensive enough to keep out the undesirable and tastefully decorated to soothe hangovers. Or nourish the beginning of one – I’ve been here once for dessert (I love the doughnut sauces) and once for many, many cocktails with a bunch of friends upstairs. I’d stick to the booze if you have the choice.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Our cost: $160 (5 small plates, 5 drinks)
Noise level: try to banish your hangover before you come in, although their bloody mary looks quite popular
Chance of walking in: not good, ever. Definitely call ahead. They take brunch reservations too.
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06.05.08
Posted in American, Lower East Side, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, eclectic, rated 8 to 8.5 at 19:12 by Dominique
50 Clinton St. & Rivington/Stanton Sts., 212-477-2900
Great for: adventurous palates, crazy good cocktails, a foodie date
I used to be afraid of WD-50. I enjoy science but the idea of molecular gastronomy always turned me off. Plus I’m fairly picky about food – aside from the slew of vegetables I don’t like, mixing sweet and savory is usually a good way to annoy me. Wylie Dufresne’s reputation as a mad scientist in the kitchen did not bode well for me… or so I thought. Mr. Ko persuaded me to give the place a try. I’m really glad I did.
The initial flatbread was a good sign. It’s paper thin, strangely addictive sesame salty bread. I tried to stop eating it but my hand kept breaking off pieces and putting them in my mouth. I was halted by the appearance of my popcorn soup with shrimp and lemon confit discs, tamarind-soaked jicama, shiso oil and ground popcorn on top. The soup was buttery like popcorn and the texture was thick as pea soup or something. The shrimp was almost sweet, cut into chunks and pressed together, while the lemon highlighted its deliciousness. The only jarring note was the jicama – it was so sour I gave the rest to Mr. Ko. He got the foie gras with fresh shavings of fennel, malt and sherry vinegar jam. He was “retraining his palate” after the orgasmic foie at Momofuku Ko. Fortunately, this one tasted so different it was not a letdown. We found it melded tons of flavors interestingly and deliciously. The malt balls were like crunchy ice cream, which was a good offset to the creaminess of the rest of the dish.
I was not as brave with my entrée. I got the lamb loin med over potato noodles, dijon mustard crumble, micro mustard greens and pretzel consommé. The meat was a bit chewy but delicious, with a thin layer of fat on top of each slice. I could only taste the pretzel when I had the broth by itself. The crumble was basically hard bread made of mustard. It was a good contrast to the other things, though I got tired of it. I liked the veggies too. Potato noodles are a great idea. They’re probably fewer calories than regular noodles. Mr. Ko’s Wagyu flat iron came with coffee gnocchi, cipollini onions, sylvetta (a shoulder cut of beef) and a sweet coconut emulsion. The gnocchi barely tasted like coffee and were an interesting combination. We found the meat really flavorful and pretty tender. The onions were great too. I could have done without the fluffy coconut slathered over half the plate though. It added nothing to the dish – it was just something to eat around.
Our unsolicited but welcomed pre-dessert was Greek yogurt inside an olive oil tuile (a straw we could eat) with rhubarb leather, sweetened rhubarb, toasted pinenut finish and olive oil marjoram jam was really cool. I liked the texture and flavor juxtaposition. The tuile was crunchy and sweet, contrasting with the creamy, slightly sour yogurt. The “leather” was kind of stringy in a good way and the rhubarb and jam were yummy.
Our actual desserts were wonderful too. They also reminded me of Murakami artwork. Mr. Ko’s warm gianduja chocolate with ice milk, hazelnut and fennel resembled a Smurf village. I loved the odd sacs of chocolate, while the ice milk plus random crumbly bits kind of tasted like a waffle. My passionfruit tart with black sesame, argan oil and meringue was a delicious Mandelbrot set. I enjoyed it, even its tartness. It was almost a shame to destroy the beauty of the dish.
Now I get to tell you about the drinks. I started with the pH: Absolut, raspberries, lychee and rose. It tasted very strongly of raspberries, and was tart, different and good. I was also pleased at the size of the glass – I have water glasses at home that are smaller. Mr. Ko went for the Son of a Preacher Man with Jim Beam, Canton ginger and lime. You must like rye and ginger to fully enjoy this drink but I still thought it was quite tasty. The Pumpernickel with Jim Beam and Brooklyn brown beer tasted amazingly like its namesake bread. My Old School was basically liquid, alcoholic peanut butter and jelly. The bartender gave us some extra Cabo St. Lucas which is a startlingly deep magenta color, but fortunately doesn’t taste as strong as it looks. There is an impressively extensive wine list too.
I found the decor interesting. The dining room walls are all different primary colors, which don’t really go together but somehow collectively shout “Lower East Side.” I liked the mosaic in the bathroom. It’s confusing in there; just push on the wider wooden panels, those are the stalls. It’s a good metaphor for the restaurant – forbidding and confusing, but when you give the place a chance and just go in, everything actually turns out well. I look forward to expanding my palate’s horizons again sometime soon.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $260 (2 cocktails each)
Noise level: fairly quiet
Chance of walking in: better earlier in the night. Apparently it’s less packed on weekdays.
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05.26.08
Posted in American, Asian, East Village, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, eclectic, rated 9 to 10 at 05:01 by Dominique
163 1st Ave. & 10th St., http://www.momofuku.com/ko/
Great for: impressing the hell out of a foodie, foie gras ecstasy, orgasmic food, oenophiles
As you may know, I managed to charm Mr. Ko into choosing me as his Saturday night date. It was a pretty tense few days for me – I met him Tuesday for a drink and waited until Thursday night to find out he’d picked me. I was so excited I was jumping up and down telling everyone within earshot. In April I tried every day for three weeks to get a reservation. I stopped a month ago because the Boyfriend and I broke up and I had no one to go with. Mr. Ko came along just in time.
Ko has this crazy Moorish prison look. It’s in the old Noodle Bar spot, covered entirely in grating. If the Alhambra only took up a storefront about five feet across and had some very dangerous prisoners, it might appear something like this. Yes, those are bars across every bit of glass except over the peach. It’s a very East Village-appropriate departure from the “welcome customers” school of restaurant design.
We were a little nervous going in, afraid we’d be told our reservation was canceled like the infamous Tom’s. Everything was fine, though, and a pretty hostess seated us; Mr. Ko, his friends J and S, and me. She put Moleskine notebooks in front of each of us, which turned out to contain a wine list glued to the first 15 pages or so. Bewildered – well, I was; the others are more advanced in matters oenological – I opted for the $50 wine pairing. Mr. Ko and J got the $85, and S splurged on the $150. Every course came with four plates. When there were two different dishes, we were given two of each to portion out amongst ourselves.
They started us off with two amuse-bouches. The house-made chicharrón, a crispy pork skin, with togerashi and salt was feather-light, odd and good. If Chef Chang ever wants to start a junk food line he could just package those and sell them as potato chip alternatives. The English muffin with whipped pork fat, bay leaf and chives was ridiculously tasty. It was a little bigger than a poker chip. I wish I could have one every morning. In fact, I wish I could eat them all day. Wine: rosé champagne.
Next up, a sliced diver scallop with pickled crosnes (a tuber, pronounced krones), chive oil, freeze-dried soy sauce and chive blossoms. It was the first time I’ve liked raw scallop. The whole combination was delicious. The Long Island fluke over buttermilk, white soy, chive and poppy seeds was even better. The slight tang of the buttermilk showcased the fish nicely. And chives just make everything better. Wine: sauvignon blanc.
The Georgia sweet pea soup with Louisiana crawfish and stewed morels wrapped in yuba (tofu skin) tasted strongly of peas, but the salty crawfish balanced that out. I liked it a lot, although it wasn’t a huge hit with the others. Mr. Ko made fun of me so I was brave and tried the morels, which were much less bad than I expected. I hate mushrooms and people are always making me try them again and I never like them any better. These were on the top 5 most tolerable list, though. We were united in our high opinion of the kimchi consommé, with two raw oysters, two slices of Berkshire pork belly and cabbage leaf. The broth is from pork stock and tastes smoky and amazing. The pork was life-changing. I avoid fat, for professional reasons, but I actually put the whole slice in my mouth. And I loved it. I can see I’ll have to step up my efforts at the gym. Wine: sake.
One of the best dishes was the lightly smoked hen egg over onion soubise, potato chips and hackleback caviar. I almost wanted to fake an orgasm like in When Harry Met Sally. Somehow the egg was “like its own hollandaise sauce,” as Mr. Ko said. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. I loved the flavor combinations in the chawanmushi, a kind of egg custard, with asparagus, ramp juice, braised cashews, more hackelback caviar and argan oil. It was subtle and light. I wish I knew how to make it myself. Wine: sauvignon blanc.
Next there was a very filling spring lasagna stuffed with mushroom, burgundy, escargot, ramps and garlic, sprinkled with broccoli rabe flowers and ricotta salata, along with some other stuff that I couldn’t type in fast enough. There were so many delicious flavors and textures, it was like a mouth orgy. It’s quite salty, I think from the ricotta. The escargot is a surprising addition that somehow works with everything else and wasn’t too chewy. Mr. Ko thought it too salty at first but grew to like it as he ate more of it. Wine: pinot noir.
The trout in caper brine and bacon purée with toasted almonds and yuzu-marinated breakfast radishes was love at first bite. The crunchy nuts contrasted very well with the flaky fish. I thought the sauce was interestingly tasty, especially the bacon notes. The sourpuss radishes are better eaten with everything else. We were not that impressed with the halibut in pepperoncini purée topped with diced radishes, bok choy and burnt onion. The fish was a bit tough and/or overcooked and the radishes didn’t taste so great. Neither was the startling bitterness of the pepperoncini masked by the other things. Usually when we tried a bit of every component of a dish all together we understood why Chef Chang did it that way, but this one was just weird. J and S said theirs was really good – unfortunately, they’d devoured it all before Mr. Ko and I had a chance to compare. Wine: spiced white ale. I never drink beer, so it was a high compliment that I tried this one and didn’t hate it. Although that may have had something to do with the five little glasses of wine I’d already had.
The next course was the high point of the entire meal. It may have been the high point of my life as a foodie. It was, of course, the torchon of foie gras on riesling gelée, pine nuts, peanut (?) brittle and lychee. They freeze the liver using liquid nitrogen into a small log, which they then abuse with a grater until the dish is covered in a foiedrift. It comes in an aptly gorgeous wave bowl. The teeth-sticking brittle, whatever it’s made of, is a touch of genius. I’d have to give it at least 12 out of 10, for sure – all of us wanted to start licking the bowls when we couldn’t get another drop with our spoons. It was so orgasmic, J and S went outside for cigarettes afterward. Wine: dessert sake Kamoizume Komekome.
Somehow the “main” course kept the meal at the same high pitch. The deep fried Montana Legend short ribs with pickled daikon, mustard seeds, pickled baby carrots and scallion was nothing short of incredible. I don’t know how they managed to get the outside of the ribs crispy while the insides were like “short rib pudding” (Mr. Ko again). Maybe it was sous vide first before deep frying? The weirdly good vegetables were a perfect tart contrast to the richness of the meat and sauce. The morel-stuffed chicken poulard with ramps, swiss chard, kolhrabi purée and greens was also fantastic. Somehow the chicken was tender and chewy at the same time with an outside skin like Peking duck. J, who’s a chef, said they probably cooked the meat separately and then wrapped it back up in the skin. Both dishes were so good I forgot to drink for quite a while. Wine: Domaine de Poujol rosé, a combination of sancerre and grenache.
Our pre-dessert was two sorbets; lychee on sesame sand, and kiwi on apricot purée with olive oil. The kiwi was pretty tangy and not on the level of the amazing lychee sorbet, which was refreshing and light and somehow perked me up from my impending food coma as though I’d had an espresso. Wine: none in my pairing, though I helped the others finish off their cava.
The long hedonistic journey came to an end with poached rhubarb over pea soil and peas accompanied by yellow cake ice cream over a bit of chocolate cake. The ice cream was incredible, the rhubarb tart but tasty and creative, and we all could have done without the peas. We forgot about them when we combined everything in one spoonful though. The cereal (grapenut soaked) panna cotta with chocolate slab, cornflakes and avocado was a sweet and savory delight. The chef who served us the course came over and replaced my chocolate because I didn’t eat it right away and it was starting to melt. She was almost scolding me so I obediently started hacking away at it. I was again blown away at Chef Chang’s inventiveness – who would think to steep panna cotta in grapenuts? Or put avocado under it? And it worked, which was the truly crazy part. Wine: muscatel.
We found the wine pairings thoughtful and complementary. I liked each one except the ale, and I was on the verge of not disliking that. If you’ve got the extra cash, definitely go for the $150 – the others are good too, but that one had some transcendental wines. (S was kind enough to pass her glasses around.) Initially I was worried about getting the pairing, because the last time I did that – Fleur de Sel – I was almost wasted when we left. I needn’t have worried. They pour about half glasses, and the hostess said no one’s ever stumbled out blind drunk. She was great. Really knowledgeable about wine and like a ray of sunshine compared to the very focused, busy chefs.
They’ve stopped saying that “for the lady/gentleman” thing that people were complaining about. However, they still put all the lighter dishes in front of me instead of Mr. Ko, and it is annoying. I know they are just giving us both options so there’s no reason to consciously make that choice every time. The four chefs were kind of friendly at first. They got surly toward the end, especially when we started asking questions and the restaurant filled up. Some of them explained the dishes super fast while glaring at me. I guess I could have typed under the table but I thought they’d be used to all the food bloggers coming in. They were great about giving us a leisurely meal, though – J asked them to try to slow it down, and the hostess said we had some time before the next 4-top so she’d tell the chefs. We ended up eating for 3.5 hours!
A meal of 10 courses here is comparatively cheap at $85 $100 (as of 6/07/2008). For instance, the 8-course tasting menu at Bar Milano is $85, while the 6 courses at Fleur de Sel and 7 courses at Tabla are both $89. And Ko is a much better restaurant, at least food-wise. So basically you get more courses and better food while sacrificing only service and ease of access and $15. A worthy trade-off, I’d say.
This was one of the most amazing meals of my life. I’m really happy that Mr. Ko picked me, and of course it’s always exciting to meet a good guy. (I mean, I’m hoping he’s a good guy. It’s only been two dates.) It was 10 courses of incredible creativity, and although a couple things didn’t work, the rest of the 18 dishes were a parade of “Mmmmm!”s. I ate so much I had a little Ko baby for about an hour afterward. Good thing I was wearing a deceptive black dress. If I can ever get a reservation in a few months when I’ve lost the weight I’ll be back in a heartbeat.
Rating: 9.5 / 10
Our cost: $940 (4 people with $85 food prix fixe: 2 $85 wine pairings, 1 each of $50 & $150)
Noise level: very quiet. Conducive to private foodie arguments.
Chance of walking in: if you try the reservation site every day at 10am Momofuku time, maybe you’ll get lucky. Or more likely not and you’ll curse the “Sorry someone nabbed this spot” screen and say “well momo, fuk u too.” Er – that might just be me.
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05.24.08
Posted in American, Greenwich Village, Indian, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, eclectic, rated 6 to 6.5 at 03:10 by Dominique
33 W.8th St. & Macdougal St. (between 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-677-3833
Great for: fancy cocktails, cilantro and cardamom fanatics, kitchen watching
My best friend E (the one who finished culinary school recently) and I were wandering around the East Village looking for somewhere to eat, when she remembered that Elettaria had just opened. Chef Akhtar Nawab from Craft and some bartenders from Freemans and Death & Co. united to create a ton of foodie buzz. The space is in the middle of that stretch of 8th Street I used to call Stripper Street, which was mainly super-slutty shoe and clothes stores. We’d heard such good things about this place we were really excited. I guess a lot of people had the same idea, since even at 9pm on a Wednesday we had to wait 25 minutes.
E and I both love to eat. We felt hungry enough to get three appetizers to share. The fried quail with pomegranate molasses, bacon and a fried egg over frisée salad was juicy, tender and crispy like wings. It didn’t taste particularly of quail, though. It could have been chicken, ostrich, cuckoo, pheasant – any bird. It was not at all quail-centric. The breaded quail egg on top was good too, but we were expecting more from such a ballyhooed chef. The crab meat resala over gnocchi, turmeric-onion soubise, basil seed and fried herbs was great. As I said to E, it was crispy meets tasty meets lovely crab. The gnocchi of just flour and water were amazingly crisp. Though it could have used some salt, I loved the soubise.
The pork ribs with garam masala and snow peas strips with a dollop of yogurt did not live up to expectations. I have no idea how they managed to make the meat fall off the bones while being a little dry. It was also unevenly salted and had an embarrassment of cardamom. I disliked the yogurt as I expected I would. I’m not much for sourness.
For a main I had the mahi mahi over fried rice with saffron, cipollini onions, poppy seeds, lima beans, and chives. The rice was the best part. The fish by itself was a little bland and dry, much better mixed with a lot of veg. I never thought the day would come when I would want lima beans on my fork. E was persuaded to have the duck slices with keema (a duck leg made into ragout), nettles and yet more cardomom. It tasted like they dumped a whole bottle of the stuff on the duck. A pity, because the non-encrusted pieces were pretty good and tender. The keema was tasty, the nettles buttery, saucy and delicious. Yes, I was surprised too. All I know about nettles is that they sting, and I believe I read a book years ago where someone was beaten with a fistful of nettles. Such a versatile weapon; good for punishment and sustenance. What seemed to be croutons in the sauce may have been crispy duck skin. I liked the texture of the meat but again, it could have been anything. It was just more meat with cardamom.
I know, Elettaria is a genus of cardamom, blah blah – doesn’t mean you have to smother dishes in it. I am aware of the restaurant in which I am eating, I don’t need the food to remind me. Speaking of which, the place could have called itself Cilantro, which came with everything. That excess actually kind of worked though.
I am very happy to report positively about the drinks. I have not had the pleasure of visiting Freemans or Death & Co. (perhaps I should post on Craigslist for a date there before the SLA kills it), so I can’t compare with those establishments, but we had some pretty darn good drinks. The Electric Ladyland of pisco and champagne was somewhat sweet, with a bit of a tang. The Rita Hayworth kind of tasted like a margarita, and we could definitely taste the sage in it. The bartender said it was better before dinner and she was absolutely right. I liked the Ginger Rogers, which was slightly bitter and packed a yummy punch. E’s Navy Grog came in an enormous glass. It was a crazy combination of three rums and some juice and tasted like black cherry if a black cherry went on an epic three-day drinking binge. If I hadn’t had to work the next day I probably would have got the absinthe-including Zombie Punch next.
We had a very friendly and knowledgeable waitress, who felt no need to ask us if we needed anything at any point. It was weird. She was so nice and attentive otherwise. It was as though she was trying to make a point. I liked the cool book-like menu, hardwood ceilings, and spacious bar and dining areas. In the back, the kitchen is totally open – you could practically walk in without realizing you were there.
The whole meal was a lot less creative than we expected it to be. More importantly, some of it just wasn’t very good. E did not even finish her duck, the cardamom was so off-putting. It would be one thing if the restaurant opened a few days ago, or even a few weeks. But I know they opened at the beginning of March. 2.5 months ought to be long enough to get your act straightened out, especially when you’re charging this much. We would only come back for drinks.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Cost $165 (2 cocktails each)
Noise level: fairly noisy
Chance of walking in: very low. Waited 25 minutes at 9pm on a Wednesday. It will probably get better though.
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