foodie spot

We silently wept when Jack’s Luxury Oyster Bar closed, but luckily chef Brandon McHale has reemerged with his new place called The Eddy. Anyone searching for the answer to that age ol’ question: where is that perfect little New York date-spot that won’t break the bank? The Eddy is it. Not only does it check all the requisite boxes—great cocktails, great ambiance, great food—it’s also budget friendly and is in Manhattan! If you are tired of the ‘farm-to-table’ uber simplified menus around town, definitely check out The Eddy.

DineGirl being proper dining-girls, we started of with a cocktail and decided to splurge (an affordable splurge!) and get the tasting menu. We also added on a few specials which sounded irresistible, namely the foie gras toasts. The food at the Eddy is inventive but not too daring, and straddles the right balance of familiar to unfamiliar. Beef tendon puffs? When in doubt just consume…

With restaurant groups dominating our plates and wallets these days, it’s a refreshing to dine in a spot where you feel that the passion to create great food and we the diner’s experience comes first. We highly recommend this spot!

The Eddy
342 East 6th Street
New York NY 10003
Tel. +1 646 895 9884
theeddynyc.com

We love André Balaz’s hotels. The Standards, Sunset Beach, and our fav — Chateau Marmont. All are uniquely chic, cozy, and anything but boring. There’s also that sense that something dangerous and illicit is percolating under the surface, which adds to the allure. Case in point when The Standard Meatpacking caused a huge ruckus with all the bonking brouhaha. You would think this wouldn’t have been such a big deal given the area’s scuzzy past, but I guess our beloved city has indeed evolved. Sigh… But an amazingly fabulous and tasty dining out scene is the silver lining to New York’s Puritanification.

On the Bowery looking north toward East Fifth Street—now the Standard East Village. Photograph by Brian Rose

Newcomer The Standard East hotel has settled in nicely on the Bowery, which has also (mostly) bid adieu to its gritty past. The hotel’s fabulous restaurant Narcissa is beautiful both on the inside and out. The garden is especially fabulous for summer into the best time of year which is now. There’s nothing better than a New York City fall. The front bar is perfect for a post-work cocktail or a casual (hopefully boozy) brunch with a friends, or even a lazy latte if you’re actually staying in the hotel. We managed to pull some strings and get an outside table for 8 in the garden, which was secluded and special. Highly recommend trying to snag this coveted table.

Onto the actual food…

Special tomato salad was incredible, as was the chicken for two (highlight). Also amazing was the steamed bass in aromatic French curry broth. Everything tasted fresh and unfussy, showcasing the quality of the farm fresh produce.

Our crew ended up camping out for a 4.5 hour dinner (partially due to the comfort of the lovely table) which was an amazing experience, washed down with several bottles of vino. Narcissa is a great all around spot and will be a new fixture for the neighborhood.

Narcissa
21 Cooper Square (5th Street and Bowery)
New York NY
t. 212 228 3344

foodie spot

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