03.04.09
Review of Employees Only, Friday February 2009
510 Hudson & Christopher/W.10th Sts., 212-242-3021
Great for: steak tartare, salmon, lots of cocktails, singles pickup scene
My new friend AW suggested dinner here and even made reservations – she rocks. (Also, I’d lost my voice from illness and too much singing practice, so she’s kind as well as thoughtful.) It turned out to be a great choice.
Even the bread was fun. There was some delicious chive cream spread that I actually ate some bread to try. I was even happier when my hand-cut steak tartare came. The waiter mixed it right in front of me with an elaborate set of condiments. I loved it by itself, on the thin crispy garlic bread, mixed in the salad… I could definitely make a meal out of it. AW enjoyed her mixed greens with balsamic too.
My orecchiette with house-made pork sausage, arugula and Parmesan was lovely though quite standard. I liked the nice big chunks of sausage with lots of spices. AW had the fantastic pan-seared salmon with artichoke, fingerling potatoes and mache salad. It came in a large filet with a generous amount of sauce and it quickly became obvious why most of the people around us had ordered it.
We had one cocktail each, because they’re so big. I liked my Fraise Sauvage concotion of gin, strawberries, vanilla and prosecco, while her Mata Hari combined VSOP cognac with chai vermouth and pomegranate juice. (I wouldn’t have thought of that either.) Our waiters were a bit harried but generally did the best they could. It’s a typical cramped West Village space, but the skylight and liquor bottles lining the dining room ceiling are a nice touch. Next time I’m just going straight for the steak tartare and salmon.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $120 (2 cocktails)
Noise level: it’s quite a party
Chance of walking in: definitely make a reservation.
