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“Elettaria”

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

New York is one of those cities where name-dropping is practically an Olympic sport. And it’s particularly acute in the food world, where a round of name-dropping might go something like this: “Daniel’s new place is just fabulous, don’t you think? Have you tried Sylvain’s charcuterie? To die for, darling. And Marcus is doing such extraordinary food at Merkato. Do you think April is going to open John Dory soon? I can’t wait. Have you been able to get one of those online reservations to Dave’s new place? It’s impossible but we must go!”

It’s fairly hilarious the way we all behave about chefs. From the fervor around Ko’s online reservation system you’d think David Chang was saving lives in Darfur with every dinner served. (Dining for Darfur is this May, so that may be possible in the future.) But it is what it is. They’re celebrities and we’re their minions. And I’m okay with that. I am part of the machine that makes them who they are, after all. And believe me, people have been celebrated for a lot less (and a lot worse). In any case, with this review, I’m here to tell you there’s gonna be another name being dropped in foodie circles in the coming weeks and months. It’s the name of someone who’s been around for over a decade at Gramercy Tavern, Craftbar, and most recently at EU. But it’s only now, at a beautiful new stage called Elettaria, that he—Akhtar Nawab—has truly arrived. So get ready to hear his name a lot more often. To find out why, a visit to his new restaurant is in order.

You’ll find it located on a newly revived stretch of 8th Street in between a few stalwart shoe stores and some storefronts for rent. Its glass façade is like a fishbowl, allowing passersby to get a glimpse of the glamorous vintage living room-styled lounge up front by the bar furnished with antique arm chairs and side tables.

Beyond the bar, the room is marked by exposed brick walls hung with heavy drapes, a low ceiling constructed from salvaged wood beams, and little antique details like half-doors, sconces, oil paintings, and bone china vases filled with fresh flowers. A faux staircase toward the front leads to nowhere (but gives the room an illusion of height), and a rear dining room is anchored by oversized semi-circular booths and a long communal table that leads down to an open kitchen washed in grassy gre ... [more, click below]

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Posted: March 16, 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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