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“Barfry”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Asian	West Village	Moderate	Good

e art of the drop (it’s all in the wrist) and the pick-up (at the golden moment, it’s gotta come out fast). The man is ready to teach Tempura 101, which is probably why the pumpkin met all my TFs—its batter was golden, and quite delicate, almost like a custom-fitted crispy crepe. The grease content was low, though not invisible, but there was no oily sogginess to it. And finally, the pumpkin was cooked perfectly—firm but tender. That’s an A minus. The string beans were an A plus: long and lean and cloaked in a shell of crunchy batter. They were so good that we (honestly) sliced the last one in three small pieces. And as for the shrimp, ditto in terms of the TFs. My only comment would be that I want more, please.

After a round of tempura, we delved into the non-fried off the menu blackboard specials. Josh is someone who was rather secreted away at Sumile and didn’t get enough attention at Jovia either. His talents have not been adequately recognized. It’s a shame that many people didn’t get to know his gifts with sushi and seafood, or his skill with simpler tasks like making killer salad dressings. (Barfry, I imagine will eventually jar and package all their sauces and dressings so you can use them at home, or better yet, Josh should do a cookbook. Call me, Josh. We’ll talk.)

For instance, a pickled watermelon and avocado salad ($9) is tossed with baby arugula in a vivid vinaigrette called HD’s Green Hot—a zippy, eye-watering dressing made from fresh jalapeños that wakes up the avocado, and turns on the watermelon, and leaves you a little heated up, too. Nice.

His sashimi of fluke ($12) is also a 3D flavor experience—there’s the pearly fish sliced in slender rectangles, the spicy white soy sauce, the shower of diced chives and the hit of yuzu that finishes it off with a lemony pinch in the back of your cheek. Tuna tartar ($12) is served in a deep bowl, cleverly folded in with pickled ramps, and dressed with a bit of soy and citrus as well to cut the richness of the fish. The sautéed pea leaves ($7) are terrific as well—verdant leafy shoots that resemble baby spinach, sautéed and dressed with XO sauce and lemon zest for that splash of spark that Josh never leaves off the plate.

While we weren’t really hungry any more at this point, we were having a great time and really enjoying the food, and so we did ... [more, click below]

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Posted: October 22, 2007

Other restaurants in West Village :
+ Jefferson-- Closed   + La Palapa Rockola   + Sumile   + Babbo   + Tasca   + AOC Bedford   + Home   + The Spotted Pig   + Barbuto   + Numero 26   + Mas   + August   + Alta   + Cru   + Blue Mill Tavern-- Closed   + Employees Only   + Lassi   + Metropol--Closed   + Turks and Frogs   + Bellavitae   + Yumcha-- CLOSED   + Gusto: SEE EARLIER REVIEW; THIS CHEF HAS LEFT GUSTO   + Perry Street   + Home   + Ditch Plains   + The Little Owl   + Cafe Condesa   + Cafe Cluny   + Gusto   + The Waverly Inn   + Morandi   + P*ONG   + Perilla   + Soto   + Market Table   + Centro Vinoteca   + Barfry   + Dell'Anima   + Bar Blanc   + Smith's   + Commerce   + Elettaria   + Bar Q   + Cabrito   + 10 Downing   + Minetta Tavern   + Braeburn   + Scuderia, by guest reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Bar Blanc Bistro by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Joseph Leonard   + Bar Henry, by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Kin Shop   + Monument Lane   + Wong   + Bin on Bleecker, by Dara Pollak   + Ristorante Rafele   + Cole's Greenwich Village by Guest Reviewer Claire Jaffe   

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