<< previous review   next review >>

reviews

“The Dutch”

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

ts in the city. One is really enough, but you'll want more. No worries; you'll come back.

And what of this eggplant dip with savory crackers ($9)? You've had your share of babaganoush, even from Sahadi. What could be so special about it? Quite a bit as it turns out. Indeed, Carmellini must have a little Lebanese in him somewhere. This stuff is killer; there's smoke, there's heat, there's the balm of a bit of chopped mint. And there are enough crackers to scrape every last bit from its pretty ceramic bowl.

Be sure, my friends, to also have your share of dressed crab ($17): luscious, sweet meat pulled from the claws and mounted up into a hill accessorized with Bloody Mary sauce, like a cool, zippy gazpacho, and topped with a puddle of green goddess dressing. On a hot day, with a cold draft, it's priceless.

As may be apparent by the few dishes I have just described, the menu chef Andrew Carmellini (Locanda Verde) has created has no real overall concept - this is not an Italian restaurant, it's not Asian, it's not Mexican (though you will find dishes from each of these cultures represented). It's Carmellini cuisine, a best hits collection, a smattering of come-hither plates that will please you deeply, in the same way that returning your Netflix the very next day after viewing does. I somehow routinely wait up to 30 days, stashing that red envelope in my bag and forgetting it, as I pass mailbox after mailbox, for weeks on end. In any case, it's very satisfying.

Take his smoked ricotta ravioli ($18), for instance. This dish is lovely. Ethereal pockets of pasta the size of peaches are filled up with gently smoked ricotta cheese and plopped into a fresh tomato sauce peppered with soft herbs ($18). While you may not crave rabbit pot pie in the summertime, if you are feeling in need of comfort and stability, come on over. The Dutch is serving it up in a pastry-topped clay vessel, with summer peas and corn mingling with confited meat underneath. It's fireside cooking at its best.

But my favorite dish on the menu is still to be revealed. It's not Italian, not American, not Asian. It's Mexican in origin: the lamb neck mole ($25). What a thrill. Now, lamb neck is not a cut I am used to eating, but after this, I'm going to my butcher for a special request. An enormous portion of braised necks, heavy with meat and good enough for three to share, are rustled into a rich and delici ... [more, click below]

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  

 Make a reservation

<< previous review   next review >>

Posted: July 18, 2011

Other restaurants in Soho :
+ Balthazar   + Savoy   + Blue Ribbon   + Lupa   + Public   + Kittichai   + Lure Fishbar   + Barmarche   + Porcupine-- CLOSED   + Ama   + La Esquina   + Jerry's- Closed Now   + The Tasting Room   + Papatzul   + Shorty's.32   + The Monday Room   + Ed's Lobster Bar   + Aurora   + Provence   + Tailor   + Hundred Acres   + Delicatessen, By Guest Reviewer Julie Besonen   + The Mott   + The Dutch   + Cherrywood, by Guest Reviewer Dara Pollak   

Share ! Post a comment