Tag Archives: bistro

September 30, 2012 · 2:40 am

Bakehouse Bistro & Bar

bakehouse inside

I thank goodness everyday that Bakehouse, the consummate neighborhood restaurant and bakery, operates directly across the street from me. Since it opened a year or two ago, it’s difficult to find an excuse to eat elsewhere when I revert to Lazy Erin and I can’t find any better nearby spot for breads and croissants. Bakehouse is perfect for any occasion, and I don’t just say that because I live conveniently a few yards away. On weekends it’s a cozy brunch spot with a mushroom, truffle, and asiago omelette and crispy ricotta pancakes; everyday of the week it’s a cozy setting for cappuccino + chocolate brioche laptop sessions, a vibrant spot for bar-seating and cocktails, and a bakery calling my name for that regrettable post-dinner cookie or chocolate-almond croissant. Bakehouse has also created the perfect cabin-like set up for a low key dinner with good music and comforting food. So after a day in the cold rain and the face breakout of the century, I couldn’t imagine a better, darker place to meet my co-workers.

their amazing omelette

I wouldn’t expect such a homey place like Bakehouse to have the inventive cocktail menu that it does, but it’s the number one reason I go here. The restaurant is full of high tops and bar seating, perfect for the many solo neighborhood diners or the ladies desperately looking to strike up a conversation with the cute (and wonderfully kind) Australian bartender. Last night, though, my friends and I sat at a four-top, stuck to wine and focused on the food. We started with a truffled mac and cheese that was to die for. Just as I am with Stouffer’s, after years of eating Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, it’s tough to be impressed by the real deal (same thing with brownies – Duncan Hines is just so much better than homemade), but Bakehouse scored big time with this one. The flat dish maximized the surface area for crispy, cheesy crust and each penne piece was coated with thick, truffley white cheese. We paired that with another healthy appetizer of fried ham and manchego croquettes, a pickled beet salad, and salmon tartare. The croquettes are essentially fried balls of mashed potatoes, so a little more texture would have made these pretty addictive. The salad was just fine, but essential with the surrounding food. the salmon tartare was delicious spread on a thin crostini, but I could have done without random bites of grapefruit. For our next round of food, we had the serrano ham with rustique toasted baguette that came doused in a garlicky saffron aioli. I am a die hard mayonnaise-hater but this was actually delicious, with bread toasted just enough to allow for easy crunching.

balls and mac and cheese

salmon tartare

When the dessert menu came out, my friend exclaimed “how can a place call themselves Bakehouse but have only three options for dessert?!” I agreed, but I know for a fact that the pastry chef, Walter, recently left. The abundance of cookies has also been looking pretty weak these days. We asked the manager who came by to ask us about our meal, and he said they were working on a few new items (possibly an ice cream sandwich!), and that not to fear, more options are in the near future. That satisfied us enough to order two out of the three – a tart tatin, and some ridiculously good vanilla ice cream profiteroles doused in dark chocolate. I sucked those puppies down pretty quickly – it doesn’t get much better than warm chocolate fudge. I was so full by the time I left, I couldn’t even taste the cookies that the owner kindly gave us on our way out.

Bakehouse has a little work to do on some of its food, but with the menu, the atmosphere, and the service considered, I absolutely love this airy, wooden tavern. And now that it has outdoor seating looking onto the Hudson River (and a truck lot), I have no doubt that this will be my go-to for all seasons.

Grade: A-
Location: 113 Horatio Street @ West Street
Website (which sadly needs a style upgrade)

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March 23, 2011 · 2:31 am

Le Gigot

Cornelia Street with Le Gigot on left

I like to consider myself a seasoned expert when it comes to West Village restaurants, but tonight I was totally surprised by the fabulous French meal I had at a quaint bistro off of Bleecker called Le Gigot. I’ve definitely glanced at this place a few times, but having not read about it in my daily food news, I wrote it off as unworthy. My experience tonight just goes to show how many more restaurants there to be discovered via word of mouth in this city.

inside dining area

After veering off a side street to find this place, and opening the door to a tiny, romantically lit space, I couldn’t help but feel like I had been transported to Paris. The menu also covers the full gamut of French-American classics, and the cozy environment was exactly what I had hoped for on such a chilly winter’s night.

After reading several rave reviews about their crab cakes, I ordered the special asparagus soup to start, and the crab cakes for my main course. The asparagus soup, delicately thickened with potatoes as opposed to cream, was light, nutritious, and soul warming. Perfectly seasoned and pureed, it might have replaced that of Le Pain Quotidien as my favorite broccoli soup.

 

asparagus soup

The crab cake that followed was just as I had expected after reading the reviews: solely made of jumbo lump meat, sans bread crumbs or filler to muddle the taste of fresh crab. Though it wasn’t the most beautifully plated, it was seared to perfection and the most delicate, meaty crab cake I’ve tasted.

 

beautiful crab cake

I was also fortunate enough to taste the crab risotto, which was equally generous in the proportion of meat. Prepared with leaks and cream and heavily seasoned, this bold, flavorful risotto was not made for those looking for something mild.

crab risotto

We ended the meal with a few tastes of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce – a fairly simple order, but astounding in quality. With the chocolate tasting just like the rich dark chocolate on the profiteroles at Balthazar, it took a lot of strength to resist ordering another scoop.

I’m thrilled that my friend gave me a reason to try a new restaurant in the West Village. With the success coming out of Le Gigot, I’m eager to try the other spots lining Cornelia like Po, Home, and Pearl Oyster Bar. If only there were 10 meals in a day!

Grade: A

Location: 18 Cornelia Street between West Fourth and Bleecker

Website: www.legigotrestaurant.com/

*First two photos from NYMag.com

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March 9, 2011 · 1:48 am

Brunch at Schiller’s Liquor Bar

Rivington and Norfolk

Sunday morning rolled around, and with the sound of rain crashing down on the pavement outside, Sonia and I needed serious motivation to leave her apartment. What better incentive than food? I was excited, because having woken up in the Lower East Side, I had a whole new array of restaurants to choose from for Sunday brunch. After assessing various menus, reviews, and walking distances, we decided on Schiller’s Liquor Bar, especially because they take brunch reservations. As I like to say, when in doubt, go for a Keith McNally…

Schiller’s definitely shares the casual, French brasserie qualities that Balthazar and Pastis possess, but with less intensity. The waiters are definitely bustling to get around, but are more at ease with more space to squeeze between tables and converse on the side.

view from our table

When we were seated, we immediately ordered our brunch drinks – Sonia a Bloody Mary, and me, a Blood Orange Mimosa – and a bread basket with hopes of receiving that beautifully rich sour dough bread from Balthazar. Unfortunately, we were given lifeless white bread in its place served with foil wrapped butter. We should have known, as the restaurant website sets expectations quite well: “Schiller’s has a casual atmosphere…The wine list consists of 3 wines: CHEAP, DECENT and GOOD. CHEAP is the best.”

Blood Orange Mimosa

Selecting from the chicken-scratch written laminated menu became overwhelming in my restless state, but in an effort to be bold I chose the Eggs Hussard with mushrooms, ham, tomato poached eggs, bordelaise, and hollandaise sauce. I asked for the sauces on the side because it sounded far too heavy in full composition, and in retrospect I did the right thing – the thought of a thick steak sauce and an even thicker cream sauce in combination with eggs sounds impossible to stomach. Though each component tasted fine separately, the dish overall felt disconnected, especially with the impenetrable fried sour dough toast.

Eggs Hussard (pictured with sauce ensemble)

Sonia, however, ordered just right and got a hearty croque madame, a French ham sandwich topped with melted gruyere and a fried egg. This was one of my favorites while living in Paris, and one bite flew me back to my year abroad (I’m starting to sound old). The cheese was broiled to perfection with browned edges, and paired well with the thick slices of country ham resting on the bread.

Croque Madame with earthy gruyere

Schiller’s has a pretty basic, well rounded menu for a diverse brunch crew, but I wouldn’t say that there are various items on the menu that win the gold award for originality. I find value in Schiller’s ability to accept reservations last minute, provide quick service, and offer a thorough variety of crowd pleasing food. That said, I’m looking forward to trying some of the other stand outs for brunch next time I’m in the area…I’ve got Clinton Street, Poco, Peels, and 88 Orchard on the list.

Grade: B

Address: 131 Rivington Street @ Norfolk

Website: http://www.schillersny.com

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February 13, 2011 · 4:02 am

SF – Cafe Des Amis

I flew into San Francisco last night to spend a few days relaxing before a work week in the San Bruno office, and thanks to my lovely friend Sarah, I had an early morning brunch at Cafe Des Amis to look forward to. With the sun shining, the dark interior of the restaurant wouldn’t have been my preferred choice of ambience, but our full-view, private cove booth was a valid consolation.

After ordering our mimosas (and for some of us, specialty cocktails), a busboy came by with a basket of warm, sugary muffins, and even after we finished a round of those, he happily returned with basket of brown french bread. Definitely was off to a good start.

mini muffin basket

The large menu included a lot of simple, classically French brunch options, but I decided to go out on a whim and order the dungeonness crab benedict. The eggs were perfectly poached and came on buttered, toasted brioche topped with warmed chunks of fresh crab. The elements were all in order to be a delicious combination, but the distinctly seafood-y flavor of the uni (sea urchin) hiding between the bread and the eggs overwhelmed the subtlety of the crab. Fortunately, the crispy fingerling potatoes in the buttery hollandaise did a great time occupying my time.

Crab Benedict

The side salad also underwhelmed me due to excess – though attempting to be true to its French roots in simplicity, it was overdressed, resulting in a pile of wilted greens. Fortunately, we had enough specialty cocktails served in 1930s champagne glasses to pass around to help us mask the disappointments.

Since I was born, the corner of Union and Buchanan has turned over at least 5 restaurants, and I’m not convinced that Cafe Des Amis will stand the test of time. The restaurant does the job of providing classic French bistro food with a modern flair, especially for large parties in need of a sophisticated setting. There are big tables, plenty of booth space, and a private room on the second level (in which we witnessed a 6 year old’s birthday party taking place). But the food isn’t incredible, and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone looking for a unique San Francisco dining experience – for us New Yorkers, we might as save the trip across the country and eat at Pastis.

brunch crew

Grade: B

Location: 2000 Union St. @ Buchanan St

Website: http://www.cafedesamissf.com

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January 19, 2011 · 3:27 am

La Petite Auberge

After a bum rush of insanely delicious meals this weekend, my body went into a bit of a shock when I had a mediocre meal at La Petite Auberge this evening. I guess I shouldn’t have expected classic French food considering it’s the only non-Indian restaurant in the five block span of “Curry Hill.” Aside from the wonderful company (grandma + husband, husband’s grand daugther, aunt, sister + boyfriend) and conversation (online sales were sky high this Christmas!), everything about the place was peculiar – from the decor, to the man who passed out individual pats of butter with a fork, to the fact that we were practically the only group in the restaurant from 7-9pm. It pains me to write a bad review, but here it goes…

The menu looked like it was from 1900 – stained brown, sticky, and in a plastic leaflet, it was another indication that the place is a long standing institution for a crowd of older locals. In addition to the menu is a hearty list of nightly specials. Each entree comes with a salad, but my sister and I decided to start with the chilled asparagus. The asparagus was definitely cold, but overwhelmingly wet and watery as if they had sat in a refrigerator overnight. After one bite, I stopped abruptly and sucked down my water to dispel the disturbing taste of vegetable liquid.

Like the asparagus, the salad, wilted and plated on a basic white dish, was doused in a white, mayonaise-y dressing. I like to think I’m open to eating almost everything, but mayonaise is just one of those things I will never, ever, in a million years, grow fond of. Disgusting. And I definitely would never think to dress a salad with a mayonaise based dressing, especially in a French restaurant. Again, after one bite I had to stop, though those around me seemed to enjoy it thoroughly.

I crossed my fingers for my salmon roti as the waiter arrived with it in hand. It looked sad but harmless – roasted, glistening with oil, with a side of pathetic looking string beans and two boiled potatoes. I knew it wouldn’t be life changing, but was content to have something basic fill my hunger. After one taste, though, judgement rushed over me. Not only was the salmon swimming in butter and overcooked, it was resting on (this is even difficult for me to type out)….a hair. Yes, a hair. I fortunately discovered it before eating it. I swallowed my water, pushed the salmon aside, and prayed for dessert. In a normal situation, I would have confronted our server, but there’s always a time and a place for being high maintenance. And as I looked over and saw my grandma and her husband quietly enjoying their calves’ livers, I decided my point-proving just wasn’t worth the disturbance.

hair not pictured

Dessert was, although generous in size, just fine. I ordered the chocolate mousse, which was as dense as ice cream but lacked the intense chocolatey goodness that I seek out on a meal-y basis. The most edible dish happened to be my grandma’s peach melba – it’s pretty tough to destroy vanilla ice cream with raspberry sauce and peaches.

The food and atmosphere at La Petite Auberge were both stale and unexciting, but considering my grandma has afforded me some of my most memorable meals (La Panatiere, La Souffle in Paris), I think I can handle one dinner together focused on company as opposed to spectacular food. I’ll just do all in my power not to make it routine.

Grade: C-

Address: 116 Lexington Ave # A btwn 27th and 28th streets

Website: http://www.lapetiteaubergeny.com

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October 10, 2010 · 8:49 pm

Balthazar Brunch

It was jam packed around 1pm for brunch at Balthazar this Sunday, but thankfully Sonia made a reservation in advance because today (10-10-10) is her birthday! It was quite an intense scene, but we were given a table on the edge of the restaurant that somewhat separated us from the commotion.

I’ve had brunch at Balthazar before, and each time I have a love affair with the house pastry basket, filled with a variety of cakes, buns, and other butter-loaded goodies to tide you over before a main course. Devastatingly, today, they were “out” of this specialty item. How can Balthazar possibly claim to be a bakery, yet run dry of pastries? The news was severely disappointing, but fortunately dessert later on mitigated the painful lack of fresh baked croissants and sweet sticky buns.

After chowing down on some Balthazar-baked sourdough bread, a pretty basic Eggs Florentine – poached eggs with spinach, artichoke, and bechemel – and sipping on a mimosa, we decided to get some sweet treats to celebrate Sonia’s special day. She chose the warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, like any smart girl would, and we threw in an order of hearty profiteroles for more to go around. Now, I’ve blogged about Balthazar’s incredible chocolate desserts before, but it’s worth stating again that the thick, warm chocolate fudge sauce on the profiteroles and the gooey soft center of the circular chocolate cake is enough of a reason to quit your day job and devote your time and attention to chocolate.

Honestly, incredible. To add to this sentiment, even Sonia Evers, self-proclaimed dessert-ambivalent, devoured the cake. Now that’s proof!

Enough said. Go to Balthazar for the bread, the overwhelming menu, the vibrant scene, and the chocolate.

Grade: B+ (no A for running out of baked goods!!)
Location: 80 Spring Street between Broadway and Crosby

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October 3, 2010 · 12:56 pm

Pulinos

This week has been a Keith McNally celebration. Brunch at Pastis last Sunday, dinner there last Thursday, Minetta Tavern last Monday, and now Pulinos last night. Pulinos totally fits the build of all of his brasserie-esque restaurants: a big, in your face sign, checkered floor, massive bar with a show case of liquor, wooden tables and chairs, and an invigorating, inviting, hustle and bustle of waiters and crowds of customers waiting to be seated. I had low expectations for Pulinos – I’ve read disappointing reviews about the dinner, but mixed reviews about the brunch. Still, after watching a show on the Food Channel about the chefs step by step process of making a Pulinos pizza, I had nothing stopping me from giving it a try.
My friend Sonia and I went sans reservation at 7:30pm on a Saturday, and we had no problem getting seated. We sat at a small table outside on Bowery street, which had a great people-watching view for me, as I was seated with my back to the restaurant.
We were not given any bread to start, which of course put me off, but the delicious cocktail options calmed my stomach while waiting for our food. I was in an adventurous mood and tried the “Italian Summer” – a mix of gin, grapefruit juice, ginger, lime, and basil. It tasted more like a screw driver, and the basil was too subtle, but it was just sweet enough to chug. Mid dinner I opted for one of the many campari specialities – the “Macedonia,” which consisted of sour cherry, prosecco, campari, honey, and lemon. Definitely too sweet, contrary to the waitress’s opinion, but smooth, unique, and delicious nonetheless.
Our starter was a huge hit – we ordered the roasted broccoli with hen of wood mushrooms, parmesan, fennel, lemon, and garlic breadcrumbs. The flavor and textures were incredible – zesty, citrusy, crunchy, soft, crispy – and the mushrooms and broccoli were perfectly roasted, and fortunately not overly oily. I could have made a meal out of this appetizer.
Sonia and I then split our own twist on the Pizza Margharita, as we added funghi, prosciutto, and arugula. It came out piping hot with charred, thin and almost cracker like crust, and a generous portion of toppings. The pizza was cut in rectangular pizzas, which I actually think is optimal for sharing, and we didn’t have to struggle to pull them apart. I poured a little more olive oil on top to give it an extra richness, as it had very little tomato sauce, but we thoroughly enjoyed and finished every last bite. I’d say while the pizzas are slightly bigger than those at Otto, they aren’t exceptionally different in terms of quality…I hope I am not offending any pizza experts by writing that…(picture below was taken off of Yelp, as I forgot to photograph in the excitement of eating).
We took a look at the dessert menu, which had a ton of unique Italian options, but decided to continue on the savory train and order some fresh burrata, which came with apples and prosciutto. We asked for extra bread and devoured this as well. The cheese was soft, creamy, and covered in a fruity extra virgin olive oil. Tough to resist despite the fact we had just shared a cheesy pizza.
Overall, Pulinos was a solid choice. I love the vibe, as I do for all McNally restaurants, the service was friendly, efficient, and accommodating, and the food was delicious. I wouldn’t say that it lives up to all of its press and hype, but it’s definitely a good choice for a night you want to make an event out of dinner, with fun atmosphere, light, tasty, and sharable food, and a long list of cocktails fit for a king.
Grade: A-
Address: 282 Bowery Street at East Houston

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September 29, 2010 · 1:06 am

Minetta Tavern

Considering the excessive hype around Keith McNally’s Minetta Tavern since opening, I’ve been shamelessly trying to make a trip to make a judgetment myself. I had heard particularly rave reviews about the burger and the steak, and though I’m not a huge meat eater myself, the detailed descriptions by die-hard Minetta-meat fans were close to convincing me to convert. The only thing stopping me? Intimidation due to the fact that scoring a table here is apparently close to impossible, no matter what time or day of the week.

Then God decided to reward me for my patience. Hankering for a quintessentially New York dinner spot last night, I proposed a dinner at Minetta Tavern to my friend Adam who was in town from London. He came up with the genius idea of asking his hotel concierge to book us a table, and within minutes came back with confirmation of 7:30pm. When I received this news via email, I almost jumped out of my desk chair in ecstatic surprise. Was there a cancellation? Was it a joke? Whatever the reason, I couldn’t wait to have a chance to experience the wonder described in every review!
Minetta Tavern sits between a line of shady bars and ethnic restaurants on MacDougal street, and with its unremarkable exterior and neon lit sign, it blends in quite well. The corridor past the entrance, however, leads you decades in the past to a time of heavy cocktail drinking, dark red leather booths, wooden trims, and mysterious engagements. The only thing missing is a cloud of smoke and a smug Don Draper.

The restaurant, while packed, was surprisingly quite tame. Our party of four was seated upon arrival with immediate drink and bread service, and the noise level was definitely manageable. The menu is simple and to the point, with straight forward French-American fare so charactistic of all McNally restaurants. Fortunately, there were quite a few specials that struck our fancy, two of which we ordered as appetizers for the table: the jumbo lump crab cake and the fresh mozzerella that the chef had apparently been creating all day.
The crab cake was perfect – delicate on the inside with large lumps of crab meat, and just lightly sauteed to give it a crisp service. The warm corn and cherry tomato salad really brought out the subtle sweetness of the crab, and as a whole, the dish was perfectly well rounded. The mozzerella was equally delicious – firm, wholesome, and savory coupled with sweet red peppers and dandelion greens.
Entree decisions were not easy. Of course, I had been dying to try the burger and the steak, but I knew I’d be disappointed with a full plate of meat. So yes, I ordered fish at a restaurant known for its burger and strip, but I only made the decision knowing that I would at least be able to try the dishes, since they were ordered by my friends. That said, the grilled dorade with braised artichokes was incredible. The skin was perfectly crispy, and the fish delicate and flakey. The artichokes were meaty and stood up well to the light filet. If I return, I may have to succomb to ordering this again.

The other dishes were of course incredible too – the tavern steak came out in a shape I had never seen, but was tender, SO flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The sweet cream butter added an extra richness to the meat, and the fries, which are Keith McNally’s specialty, were unsurprisingly hot, crisp, and delicious.
I had one bite of the Black Label burger, and that was enough. I could see how it would be a dream for burger fans – the meat is incredbily soft, tastes aged, and almost buttery. But it’s incredibly rich – I wouldn’t be surprised if butter was a key ingredient in the ground meat – and is definitely not for the half ass meat fans like myself.
For dessert, we were close to ordering the souflle, but requiring 20 minutes to prepare, we decided to past and opt for the “Chocolate Dacquoise,” which was shaped like a cake but reminiscent of a hazelnut meringue tiramisu. It was definitely sweet, decadent, and delicious, and paired well with our extra side of dulce de leche ice cream (not featured on the menu).
All in all, the meal was memorable, and I suspect the reasons why there’s a month long wait to get a table. The restaurant is sexy. It’s efficient. It’s old school. It evokes nostalgia. The menu is a crowd pleaser. The cocktails are stellar. But above all, Minetta Tavern isn’t just any restaurant in an even playing field – it’s a Keith McNally – a work of art and almost guaranteed success in the competitive world of New York city restaurants.

Regardless of the causes of reservation competition, I’ll be back the next chance I get.

Grade: A
Website: http://www.minettatavernny.com
Address: 113 Macdougal street between West 3rd and Bleecker

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April 11, 2010 · 2:14 pm

Balthazar

I can confidently say that Balthazar is one of my all time favorite New York City restaurants. With such bustling energy, a beautiful, aristocratic-brasserie setting, bright lights and constant action, it’s so quintessentially Manhattan, and I thrive off of its pulse. The food is equally thrilling – with a something-for-everyone menu and a list of to die for desserts, one really can’t complain about its menu options.
Balthazar impresses tourists and locals alike, so I decided to bring my New York native father and my California dreamin’ mother for their first night on the town. They, like I and the rest of our group, had an amazing experience. Though my parents would have appreciated a lower volume level, they adapted to Balthazar’s vivacity quite quickly, and were soon enough yelling over the noise to boast about their dishes. And, our Argentinian server was an angel – on a packed Friday night, she accommodated every one of our requests, gladly took back a cocktail that was not to my liking, and served desserts on the house without explanation. Considering the extreme difficulty in scoring a Balthazar reservation, the place is surprisingly unpretentious, which is best demonstrated by the incredibly friendly wait-staff.
First thing’s first: Balthazar’s bread is melt in your mouth, as is its cold french butter. The bread is as fresh as bread can be – cool, soft, and dense – a great indication of Balthazar’s food quality as a whole. Deciding what to eat was the toughest part of the night, but I narrowed it down to my sister’s favorite frisee aux lardons salad, a chicory salad with warm bacon shallot vinaigrette and a poached egg, and the grilled brook trout with warm spinach and lentil salad. The bacon salad was just about as decadent as a salad could be, and with a perfectly poached egg and crispy pieces of bacon, could be a perfect meal for brunch.
The grilled brook trout was a good light, basic choice, but nothing spectacular. However, I don’t blame the chef for my lack of interest; I blame my decision making skills. I was hoping for something a bit more flavorful, but the trout came out exactly as described on the menu: grilled, simple, and light.
My mother loved her boulliabase (one of the specials); Sonia seemed thrilled with her roasted leg of lamb; my sister described her pumpkin ravioli as “heavenly”; and my dad was more than overwhelmed by the quality and deliciousness of his duck confit (see smiles below).

Unfortunately, my Eli’s steak was undercooked, but the waitress’s profuse apologies and willingness to bring him a new one made up for the damage.
The desserts were more than just the “icing on the cake.” Oh my. They were nothing short of incredible. The profiteroles with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge poured table-side, the warm chocolate cake with white chocolate ice cream, the perfect pot de creme…these all remain in my memory as some of the best, most well-executed desserts I’ve had in New York. I’d return just for dessert and go home a happy camper.
My family is a tough crowd to please, so leaving a restaurant complaint-free is quite a rare occurrence. Balthazar seemed to master the art of becoming a Bellsey favorite, however, which means that for every future NY family gathering, I’ll be on the phone to book a reservation before it’s too late. Wish me luck!
Grade: A
Location: 80 Spring Street between Broadway and Crosby

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February 16, 2010 · 12:34 am

Almond – sure, it’s good


Almond took Borough’s place in the Flat Iron about a year or so ago, and since it opened it’s received great reviews and is generally always packed. The diverse, Americanized French menu provides a variety of options for the hearty or complicated eater, and the place has managed to accomplish a warm, intimate glow in a large space with candles, low lighting, vintage mirrors, and hardwood floors. Versatile as well, as it can easily fit both a good number of large tables and a bar scene.

I went for dinner, and my only qualm about the space is that if it’s not totally full, it can feel a bit like a vacant warehouse. However, I can say that they do the best possible job in making the empty space feel inviting with the dim lighting, homey decor and subtle background music. The booths are quite comfortable, and the service was great, so the externalities net-net fit the build of a good restaurant.
The bread was served immediately, but stale and crusty, it was a big disappointment for a French restaurant. My aunt ordered the cheeseburger for her main course, and that looked quite juicy and delicious. My scallops, served with red cabbage, polenta ravioli, and duck proschutto was just an overwhelming party of over-powering, clashing ingredients. It felt like 3 separate dishes smashed into one, and what I thought was going to be a bit light and unique turned out to be a total disaster. Each scalloped was accompanied by sand, and I could hardly finish a quarter of the portion.
However, the bad main course experience was definitely mitigated by the ultimate Pot de Creme with fresh whipped cream and almonds – this dessert was superbly rich and decadent, and I would order it again and again.
Though my experience wasn’t the best, I would 100% give almond a second chance. I think I failed to order correctly – I suggest sticking to typical french bistro dishes – the roast chicken, the steak frites, or the croques monsieurs – and staying clear from the seemingly inventive menu items. I hope to try Almond next for brunch, as I’ve noticed most of the rave reviews are a result of the breakfast items such as the delicious french toast. The space is great for groups, so consider Almond for your next laid back, non-food focused gathering.
Address: 12 East 22nd Street(between 5th Ave & Broadway)

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