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“Bar Blanc”

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

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a slave to fashion. While I wouldn’t mind shopping at Scoop, Intermix and Kirna Zabete, and stocking my shoe rack with Loubutains, Choos and Blahniks, my passion is food, not clothes. To be perfectly honest, I’d much rather spend my money on meals than designer jeans, or on a stinky wedge of cheese, not a great pair of wedges. That being said, I am a girl, and I do appreciate fashion. I read the glossies (perfect for pedicures), I live for Tim Gunn and Project Runway, and even if I can’t afford them, I love to look at really fine clothes, to feel fabulous fabrics, and most of all, to see a great look come together. Fashion, to me, really comes from that skill—the ability to “style”—to take a pair of jeans from here, a top from there, a belt from there, a scarf, a coat, a pair of boots, a necklace—and pull a great look together. If you’ve got that gift you can create something from nothing.

I was reminded of this skill set recently while dining at Bar Blanc, the new restaurant from Bouley ex-pats Kiwon Standen, Cesar Ramirez and Didier Palange. In some ways this restaurant is the epitome of a great look with its stunning room, and inspired food. But in other ways, a few discordant notes threaten to bring down the whole outfit.

So, let’s begin with what works. First, the room. This place is hot. White hot, to be exact. It’s washed in white and filled with a long slab of white marble bar lit with cool light and tables tucked into tufted white leather banquettes follow the curve of a wrist, wrapping around to give you a nook to rest inside of. Lighting the fresh shiny white tables are large circular silver lounge lamps that give the places an ultra modern sheen. Past a few sets of sheer curtains is a rear room, set with more glossy white lacquer tables, and surrounded by more white-washed walls. Taken as a whole, the restaurant, designed by Meyer Davis, is quite striking, and the designers have done a great job of banishing the rustic cave-like memories of Merge. This is a sexy restaurant.

Photo by Kyle Erin Schmitz

Second, the food—it is also quite impressive. The man in charge has done some time learning about culinary artistry from none other than David Bouley and he’s learned well. His food ... [more, click below]

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Posted: January 21, 2008

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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