Restaurants in East Village
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Narcissa – Reviewed
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been waiting for John Fraser to open another restaurant for six years now. Fraser first solo debut, Dovetail, opened at the tail end of 2007 to pretty sparkling reviews (aside from some pokes at the dull decor, myself included). In fact, many called Fraser a pioneer, one of the first pedigreed, young toques to trailblaze his way to the once sleepy Upper West Side, where so many have followed suit over the years. But he’s finally and smartly taken his talents downtown to the funky East Village to take a stab at a somewhat haunted space in André Balazs’ Standard Hotel…
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Sochi’s Killer Cheese Bread
Are you as obsessed with the Olympics as I am? Beautiful mountain scenery, cute athletes, stray puppy adoptions—what’s not to love? A month ago most of us would have been hard-pressed to pinpoint Sochi’s whereabouts on a map of Russia. Now you can get its killer cheese bread at the East Village’s tasty newcomer, Oda House…
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Q & A with Joe & Misses Doe’s Joe Dobias
While there’s something innately comforting about the well established or tried-and-true, lets face it, everyone is always looking for the next big thing. That’s what makes the two-month-old Joe & Misses Doe so uniquely appealing… while it’s been assembled entirely from scratch (including the name and menu), it’s also wholly familiar, a 2.0 version of the popular five-year-old restaurant, JoeDoe.
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Q & A with New York Sushi Ko’s John Daley
New York Sushi Ko’s John Daley doesn’t exactly fit the expected mold of Sushi Chef. His bare arms are covered by a riot of tattoos, with the words “FISH” and “RICE” emblazoned across his knuckles. He plays reggae music over the restaurant’s sound system, and is known for muttering expletives (sometimes playfully, sometimes not) at his sous chefs. Oh, and he’s caucasian.
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Dish Spotting: Alder’s Rye & Pastrami Pasta
If you know anything about Wylie Dufresne and his original Lower East Side restaurant, wd-50, it’s hard not to enter his newest spot, Alder, with certain pre-conceived notions. But in reality, the two-month-old Alder represents a more sedate side of the chef, without being too buttoned up or self-serious. It starts with the restaurant’s back-to-nature name (Alder is a type of birch tree), which is also reflected in the rustic, rough-hewn décor… think ceilings made of reclaimed wood slates from a farmhouse in upstate New York. And while, like at wd-50, innocuously named dishes can yield unexpected surprises, none of the dishes at Alder are overwrought, overthought, or off-puttingly jokey or tricky.
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Q & A with Alder’s Jon Bignelli
wd-50, Wylie Dufresne’s seminal, molecular gastronomy-loving eatery, is closely associated with all sorts of madcap, culinary experiments. After all, signature dishes include deconstructed Eggs Benedict with english muffin crumb-coated fried hollandaise, and Pizza “pebbles” made from a variety of dehydrated, tomato and parmesan flavored powders. So what can patrons expect from his new East Village restaurant, Alder? According to executive chef and wd-50 alum, Jon Bignelli, he and Dufresne have taken a decidedly more traditional (but no less fun and creative) approach to food.
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The Smith’s Cheddar Tomato Soup
The Smith is known for its bar snacks, especially the Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Fondu, and hearty comfort food, like the Crispy Fried Calamari and Chicken Pot Pie. But when there’s a chill in the air and we’re looking for a dish to warm us up, we usually opt for their Roasted Tomato Soup.
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Ippudo’s Spicy Pork Ramen
In Japan,Ippudo is a dime a dozen. But in New York, this Japanese brasserie is a rare gem. It boasts some of the most innovative ramen dishes in the city, with a dinner menu featuring six different types of ramen bowls with seven varieties of toppings. With lines out the door almost every night, it’s no surprise that their ramen is some of the best in all of Manhattan.
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Empellón Cocina
After exhibiting a few growing pains at his often hit-or-miss gourmet taco shop, Empellón Taqueria, former pastry chef Alex Stupak presented a fully realized vision of high-flying Mexican food at Empellón Cocina this year. An excellent starter of Pistachio Guacamole (why has no one ever thought of this before?) comes sided with a heap of masa crisps, Fried Whitbait makes a tasty appearance in fish tacos, topped with a smear of sprightly key lime mayo, and a Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder is like an elevated mash-up of homey, regional Mexican favorites, accented with masa gnocchi, radishes, and pozole...
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Acme
The name on most restaurant scene-sters lips this year (or the ones that can ably pronounce it, anyway,) was undeniably Mads Refslund. Formerly of the world-famous Noma in Copenhagen, Refslund wove a world of culinary adventure into plates as inauspicious sounding as Radishes (listed on the menu under the heading Raw, and served with an oyster-parsley dip), Farmers Eggs (Cooked), an assemblage of cauliflower foam-filled shells over chicken wire, Salt-baked Carrots (Soil), with sliced lardo and blood orange, and a deceptively straightforward Roasted Bass (Sea/Land), flavored with wild onions, thyme and...
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Best Gastropub – The Redhead
Here at Restaurant Girl, we consider knowing how to select the perfect place for dinner an essential skill. Of course, picking the ultimate spot in a city so full of choices isn’t always easy – so whether you’re looking to get down and dirty with a plate of barbecue, need a romantic (but not too romantic!) place to take a first date, or just want to decompress after work with a good, stiff drink, we’ve got five ideal options for you.
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Date Night – Pylos
It ain’t easy to wine and dine in this fine city without burning a hole in your wallet, but there are a few romantic gems that don’t break the bank. In fact, we prefer the intimate setting and the thousands of white urns dangling from the ceiling at this East Village Greek. The wine selection at Pylos is excellent and affordable, and the food is even better – try homestyle Greek delicacies, like Grilled Baby Lamb Chops with mini-stuffed eggplants, Scallops in an Ouzo Tomato Sauce, and of course, pita and a trio of classic dipping sauces perfect for sharing. Don’t worry… two people with garlic breath cancel each other...
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Drink Spotting: Horseman’s Grogg at The Smith
Between the “Muddlers,” “Long Pours,” and “Fancy Cocktails,” The Smith has quite a selection for their thirsty diners. They’ve got some great classics like their Old Fashioned, a “Midtown” Manhattan, and a Bloody Mary (complete with vodka and a secret recipe), but it doesn’t end there.
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Hearth
Marco Canora’s four-course holiday menu at Hearth reads like a greatest hits list of Feast of the Seven Fishes favorites. Clams Oreganata with Roasted Red Pepper, Lemon Zest, and Parsley? Check. Shrimp and Mussel Cacciucco, the classic fish stew from Tuscany? Check. A simple fried fish (in this case, flounder), with a spritz of lemon and aioli? Check. The all-important air-dried salt cod called baccala, reimagined here as a pungent topper for crusty crostini? You better believe...
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