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“Merkato 55”

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

berbere (a feisty spice blend of chiles, tumeric, pepper, cloves, cumin, and ginger), and served with two “loaves” of Injera ($26)—thin soft bread that resembles a crepe that’s served rolled up like paper towels. Tear off a supple sheet with your hands, and use it to mop up pieces of chicken and sauce. Forget Bounty; this is the quicker picker upper.

As I said, there were eight of us that night, and even though another group of the same number might have stopped here, we forged onward and ordered more. Our next round of family style plates included the chickpea dumplings ($18), a dish adapted from an Ethiopian recipe. These are really more like gnocchi (airy and ethereal gnocchi, that is) and are served in a slightly Southern style with collard greens and spiced tomato broth. Tuna comes seared rare with a slight sweetness that’s balanced by a clutch of clams and spicy little sausages the size of cornichons ($28). The pork belly ($25) is bound to become an in-demand dish. To quote Project Runway’s leading diva Christian—it’s fierce. It’s served over a bed of refreshing green mango and radish salad, which adds a clean line of flavors that cuts the fat nicely. In an ode to the Caribbean, the pork belly is “jerked,” so it’s imbued with those lush smoky layers of the sweet and hot spice cure of its distant cousin—the leathery Slim Jim cash-register impulse purchase.

Holding her weight against the inspired savory menu is pastry chef Sunshine Flagg who turns out a playful roster of delicious desserts, with the tart and creamy Pistachio and Pink Peppercorn Lassi ($4) leading my list of favorites. There’s also a Malva Pudding ($10)—think a cross between cornbread and pound cake, and warm sugar-glazed peanut cream filled donut holes called Koeksisters ($7).

The service at Merkato has clearly gone through an advanced degree in African cuisine and history because the knowledge here is quite impressive. It’s nice to have service that’s this thoughtful, because it really adds to the delight of the dining experience. In the hands of another restaurateur, this behemoth in the Meatpacking could just be an overhyped mess. (Read: Sasha, the former tenant of this space.) The food, in my estimation, is really inspired and quite a bit of fun to eat and to share. (In some ways, it’s like Spice Market, but the African version.) My quibbles are really only ... [more, click below]

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Posted: March 2, 2008

Other restaurants in MeatPacking :
+ Paradou   + Florent   + One   + Bivio   + Spice Market   + Ono   + 5 Ninth   + Fatty Crab   + Del Posto   + Morimoto   + Los Dados   + 5 Ninth   + Merkato 55   + Scarpetta   + The John Dory   + The Standard Grill   + Bill's Bar & Burger   

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