First the good parts: service was excellent, the setting comfortable, the whole atmosphere very welcoming.
Now for the food, well, it was ok, but nothing spectacular, textures are interesting where there is a contrast between crunchy, soft and foamy elements on a plate but the flavors are very monolithic and bland. The soup dumplings are good but so are most soup dumplings in Chinatown, the hearts of palm salad lacks flavor, the dressing could use some punch, the lobster was a masterpiece of different textures but the flavor profile was just not there and the rabbit was overcooked, its main enhancing flavor was a little tartness from the yogurt/labne paste and 3 (I counted) pomegranate seeds.
The wines by the glass were similar to the dishes, monolithic and lacking in complexity. Pinot Meunier? Now that should be a blending grape in a Champagne, on its own it just tastes like slightly alcoholic thinned grape juice, the white Rhone lacked acidity and was flabby. The sommelier would have been better served by recommending pedestrian Pinot Noir and Chablis instead of these wines.
The cheese course was good but at $21 for seven small slices, not a grand bargain. The yogurt panna cotta again had an appealing tartness but its flavors were unbalanced.
There are far better restaurant choices in NYC in my opinion.
Now for the food, well, it was ok, but nothing spectacular, textures are interesting where there is a contrast between crunchy, soft and foamy elements on a plate but the flavors are very monolithic and bland. The soup dumplings are good but so are most soup dumplings in Chinatown, the hearts of palm salad lacks flavor, the dressing could use some punch, the lobster was a masterpiece of different textures but the flavor profile was just not there and the rabbit was overcooked, its main enhancing flavor was a little tartness from the yogurt/labne paste and 3 (I counted) pomegranate seeds.
The wines by the glass were similar to the dishes, monolithic and lacking in complexity. Pinot Meunier? Now that should be a blending grape in a Champagne, on its own it just tastes like slightly alcoholic thinned grape juice, the white Rhone lacked acidity and was flabby. The sommelier would have been better served by recommending pedestrian Pinot Noir and Chablis instead of these wines.
The cheese course was good but at $21 for seven small slices, not a grand bargain. The yogurt panna cotta again had an appealing tartness but its flavors were unbalanced.
There are far better restaurant choices in NYC in my opinion.
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