<< previous review   next review >>

reviews

“Apiary by guest reviewer Kiri Tannenbaum”

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

who closely resembled the designers featured in the IKEA catalogue, a few double dates (I guess people still do that), a generally more mature crowd than The Smith just across the way. The downside, with a full dining room sound bounces all around the hard surfaces creating much cacophony. Subsequently, when a neighboring party left and a couple took their place they quickly sought refuge away from us by the kitchen door. Guess they were not interested in the details of my bra fitting experience. Note: If you’re coming for quiet conversation, you may want to pick a table by the front window off the bar.

Our waiter soon piled our table with plates of roasted organic chicken ($22) with crispy peppery skin, moist and tender over mascarpone polenta and earthy wild mushrooms. Grilled Berkshire pork loin ($23) seemed like a holdover from the winter menu; dressed with sweet delicate turnips and a Brussels sprout slaw. Though a bit wintery for spring, it was tender, juicy, and gone in about two seconds! The Atlantic skate ($23) was the real winner: sautéed until firm, surrounded by smoky bacon and razor clams drowning in a creamy puddle flecked with al dente cubed potatoes and aromatic with chives and tarragon. Reminiscent, yet way better, of a can of Campbell’s New England clam chowder.

A very busy bee, chef Scott Bryan, popped in and out of the kitchen door to observe the tables gobbling up his creations both savory and sweet. Yes here at Apiary, there is no pastry chef and Bryan moonlights as both. Unfortunately, that was where Apiary fumbles. The waiter said it perfectly when reciting his top picks for dessert, apple tart tatin and panna cotta, being the best of the 80s. Totally. The warm Valrhona chocolate cake ($8) didn’t hold a candle to the imaginative 21st century cuisine on Bryan’s well-thought out menu. Luckily, those gorgeous honeys made an encore appearance during the tea service. Next time, I’ll save the cheese course for last and have an appropriately sweet ending unique to Apiary and Third Avenue.

Apiary is located at 60 3rd Avenue between East 10th and East 11th Street.

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  

 Make a reservation

<< previous review   next review >>

Posted: June 6, 2009

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