<< previous review   next review >>

reviews

“European Union-- NEW CHEF; SEE APRIL 2007 Review”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	New American	East Village	Moderate	Great

et over Europe—bringing in dishes from Spain, Austria, Germany, France, the Netherlands and United Kingdom. The concept could be a recipe for disaster in the hands of a chef or restaurateur without the ability to focus and edit. But perhaps because the owners have had quite a bit of time to articulate their vision, EU is a precise, well-edited (and reasonably-priced) culinary showcase of the countries that comprise the European Union. Rather than overwhelm, the targeted menu gets your mouth watering, pulling your appetite in many exciting directions. Thanks to chef Sarah Ochs, who worked for five years at Esca, rewards are found on every road traveled.

Take the road to Portugal for instance, which she paves with plates of fat, meaty sardines ($9), so fresh they were almost jumping on the plate, set up with Marcona almonds, golden raisins and plump pitted olives. The perfect bite gets a slice of that fat sardine, a raisin, an olive and an almond all on your fork. Once the flavors hit your tongue—briny, sweet, salty, oily—you’ll be addicted. She also takes you to Spain with a dish of tiny squid ($9) cooked on the plancha and paired with a black rice cake that is lightly smoky. The accompanying segments of citrus pull the dish into sharp focus, saving flavors that could have become murky and bringing them into the light.

One of the most impressive appetizers is a riff on a beet and goat cheese salad. But the star of the salad is neither the beets nor the goat cheese. It is the watercress. I know, shocker. But it is spectacular. Piled into a long narrow bowl, the watercress is remarkably fluffy and so vibrant in flavor it tastes almost minty. The leaves are tossed with shaved bottarga (slightly salty sheets of dried fish roe) and sheer beet slices. Goat cheese comes into the picture in the form of a tangy goat cheese vinaigrette. It’s refreshing to find a salad that has become so matter-of-fact come into its own in such a brilliant new composition. Sarah is not just going through the motions; she is quite thoughtful. How nice.

Since this is a gastro-pub after all, the menu includes several sandwiches and three kinds of burgers ($15)—the Italian (with pancetta and dried tomatoes), the German—with Black Forest ham and Allgauer Berkase), and the English (with Farm Cheddar and Brown Sauce). But we opted for an open-faced sandwich of Bauernwurst sausage (a mild snappy German sausage made ... [more, click below]

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  

 Make a reservation

<< previous review   next review >>

Posted: November 20, 2006

Other restaurants in East Village :
+ Yujin-- Closed   + Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar   + Mermaid Inn   + Five Points   + Lavagna   + Five Points   + Bond Street   + Jewel Bako   + Alphabet Kitchen   + In Vino   + Bao 111   + Chikalicious   + Il Buco   + Hearth   + Lima's Taste   + Mercadito   + Hedeh   + Momofuku   + Una Pizza Napoletana   + Winebar   + Uovo-- CLOSED   + Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction   + Gotham Bar & Grill   + Colors   + Chinatown Brasserie   + Knife and Fork   + European Union-- NEW CHEF; SEE APRIL 2007 Review   + Aroma Kitchen and Winebar   + Stand   + European Union   + Mercat   + Gemma   + Back Forty   + The Smith   + Seymour Burton   + Belcourt   + Graffiti   + The Redhead   + Double Crown    + Apiary   + Joe Doe   + Apiary by guest reviewer Kiri Tannenbaum   + DBGB   + Northern Spy   + Goat Town   + Saxon + Parole   + Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria   + Acme   + Calliope   + Nicoletta   + JEPPNEY by Claire Jaffe   + Feast   

Share ! Post a comment