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“Feast”

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

Feast is fabulous. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here's why I think so.

First, this new seasonal American restaurant, is the best thing to happen to the fairly horrific stretch of what might as well be called NYU Avenue (Third Avenue between 12th and 13th Street) since Nicoletta opened its doors. The restaurant is remarkably peaceful given the beer-swigging madness that goes on just outside its doors. Step inside and have a seat at the long bar, or settle into one of the restaurants oversized and sturdy reclaimed farmhouse tables, lit forgivingly with wrought iron sconces and bare-bulb lighting, and you’re transported somewhere far more atmospheric and genteel: think Cobble Hill, the West Village.

The restaurant’s cuisine is also quite a departure from the bistros, burgers, and burritos that litter this sad stretch of Third. It’s completely misplaced by virtue of the fact that it’s thoughtful and refined, but really, once you’re inside, who cares. The chaos of the world outside disappears.

For Feast, chef Christopher Meenan (formerly Chef de Cuisine of Veritas) has teamed up with owner Brian Ghaw (owner of Savoy Bakery in East Harlem) to feature two three-course prix fixe menus (as well as an a la carte for those who prefer not to feast) each night. Both feasts track the seasons, but one goes the straight vegetable route ($38 per person), while the other is a carnivore’s a nose-to-tail banquet ($48 per person) supper. This month’s nose-to-tail feast features lamb in every iteration possible from carpaccio with honey crisp apples, almonds, cognac and mustard to a lasagna layered with lamb shank, goat cheese, broccoli rabe and topped with preserved lemon, and a shepherd’s pie with lamb belly, sweet potato and pesto.

This restaurant is true to its name. It’s like Thanksgiving in there every night of the week. (But you don't have to cook, or clean, and lovely, very attentive servers do all the serving.) Each feast includes four starters, four entrees and two desserts. You will not go hungry. In fact, you may not be able to eat again for a few days. It’s a lot, and because it’s quite good, it’s hard to stop. There were four of us for dinner on Saturday night, three of us omnivores, and yet went the veg route. With this sort of dynamic treatment of vegetables, there’s no need to eat meat. Seriously. And I’ll say this ... [more, click below]

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Posted: March 24, 2013

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   

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