<< previous review   next review >>

reviews

“Goat Town”

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

I walked into Goat Town and thought I must certainly be in the wrong place. Could this be the same restaurant that housed Seymour Burton? Was this the restaurant that was Butcher Bay? I’d make a plastic surgery/extreme makeover analogy here, but most plastic surgery doesn’t look this good. I was blown half way to Kansas by the transformation.

In its old life, the room was sort of a happy mess, a lovable Alphabet City kind of bistro, its kooky charm being its haphazard non-décor. It had a long, thin, communal table down the center of the room, a few rows of bistro-styled deuces on each side, a basic bar, and an open kitchen that was way too open. (Sometimes there are things you don’t want to see.) It wasn’t that it looked bad, it just didn’t make an impression.

With the help of a Brooklyn design team called hOmE, the place has been made over into a stunning restaurant that reminded me of an Orient Express railcar made for locavore dining. How refreshing to find a farm-to-table restaurant that doesn’t resemble a farmhouse remodeled from recycled everything from composted menu covers to reclaimed church pew seating. I’m not knocking it, I happen to love that look, but it’s nice to see something new. This design team is clearly one to watch.

A bowed ceiling crafted from white subway tile is stretched over arched cooper shoulders to open up the room. It makes it feel twice its size and yet somehow twice as cozy. The glossy tiles are also used to cloak the restaurants roomy booths, found in the middle of the room, just past the wide hammered cooper bar (where only wine and beer are served) and across from the partially open kitchen, framed with beveled glass windows and butter yellow shelves stocked with a collection of well worn, dog-eared cookbooks.

A glistening icy oyster bar, racked up with plump East and West coast pups, as well as some spindly sea urchin on the night I was in, sits on a corner of the bar, just outside the kitchen. I have to say, it’s hard to resist plucking one off on the way to the restroom, located right next to the garden, which will open after winter’s thaw, planted with herbs and vegetables (which they plan on jarring, preserving, and pickling in house, naturally).

Please also take note of the design details. Toward the back, check out the “Garden” sign, a glowing oversized circle, trimmed in copper abov ... [more, click below]

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  

 Make a reservation

<< previous review   next review >>

Posted: January 23, 2011

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