Good morning, Friday. It's another rainy one here in the city and I'm over it.
Yesterday I was a bit under the weather but rallied to go out to dinner with some dear friends of mine to my new favorite spot, The Beatrice Inn. Now some of you remember this spot from back in the day- unfortunately when it was super on and poppin' I was living in Miami, so I missed out on all the Paul Sevigny goodness and canoodling- apparently one of the most epic night crawling spots of its day and I have major FOMO that I missed out. But eating there last night was such an amazing New York experience in itself that it more than made up for all of my years away. Loved it. It's nights like last night that make me love this city to the nth extreme. And a girl needs to rally sometimes. To enjoy the bounty of such a fantastic place like New York and the quality of experiences here.
Here's a little round up of dins last night:
The vibe: A bit bougie, but in a good way. SO CHIC. A mix of the downtown crowd- think Wall Streeters eating steak mixed in with models and media and fashion types. You know, the usual you'd expect from at cool spot in the West Village on a Thursday night. As the night went on, I was getting Indochine in its heyday vibes, and that's a very good vibe indeed. Sexy, stylish, and fabulously indulgent.
The room: A beautiful restaurant- we sat in the back room (what former owner Graydon Carter often called Siberia for those not cool or gorgeous or rich enough to be seen) which is now an excellent place to sit. We had a corner booth and it was fantastic.
The soundtrack: My life basically. And yours if you are of the Gen X persuasion. Think everything from the Stone Roses to the Replacements to Bowie. Most excellent.
The service: On point. Not over the top but very much what you'd expect from a resto of this level. We ordered a round of smoked Manhattans, which were not terribly smoky. They apologized and comped our drinks. Menschy.
The food: The food is incredible. Standouts were the whole roasted squash with creme fraiche, the plum tart with its outrageously perfect crust and side of greens, and the excellent roasted halibut. But the big story was the dessert for me- get ready. Creme brulee bone marrow. Not a drill. The most obscenely decadent thing I've ever eaten in my life. Sensational food by young chef Angie Mar. This is a steakhouse of sorts (they call it a chophouse) in its gluttony but a female friendly version if that makes sense. Something about the food does not feel as masculine as other restos of this ilk. Love it.
Needless to say, a meal like this does not come cheap. But if you're looking for a spot to catch up with great friends, woo a new client or wow an existing one, or seal the deal in any regard, this must be your place. It's more glam than Minetta, food is better than the Waverly Inn, and more of the moment than a classic like Indochine. I hope they can keep the party going, because I'm absolutely going to eat there again.
Highly recommend this spot to see, be seen, and eat, drink, and be merry. If you have hedonistic tendencies, you'll love it.
Cause that's what's up this well fed Friday in the 212. Yours, in slightly hungover but very, very happy. XO
Make a res here- resto is at 285 West 12th Street in the West Village.