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(Photo Courtesy of Hearth – www.restauranthearth.com)
I’ve only been to New York 5 or 6 times and all the trips are usually 2-3 day stints on business. With the travel time, the actual number of meals consumed are pretty limited. Breakfast usually ends up being a latte and a pastry from Starbucks unless the trip happens to be over the weekend. And there’s usually at least one box lunch at a conference or event. Dinner ends up being the main event.
Hearth was the highlight of this trip. I’d originally anticipated eating solo at the chef’s table/bar, but was lucky enough to have 2 colleagues go along for the ride. It ended up being a working dinner where I was running in and out of the restaurant to take calls, but from the first course to dessert, the food was excellent.
The restaurant is intimate but achieves an elegantly casual feel so that you could show up in jeans and not be thrown out or in more formal gear and not feel overdressed. The space holds two rows of 2-tops along the walls with a large round for 6-8 in the center. The chef’s table is recessed from the main room and looked like a spot for up to 4.
The menu featured a good mix of fish, fowl and meats and a tasting menu for $72 (all diners at a table are requested to participate). Menu changes daily and on our evening was still being called an autumn menu. I started with Baby Lettuces with shallots, beets and a red wine vinaigrette followed by Roasted and Braised Lamb (actually 3 ways — on the bone as a rib, as a sausage and as a mini medallion) all capped off by Apple Cider Doughnuts. Appetizers range from $9-19, entrees from $24-32.
Although the wine list is extensive, the by the glass list is actually more limited than I would have expected. I ended up with a glass of Paul Achs Chardonnay. A passable, but nothing exciting wine. A party of three with dessert, but only a glass of wine came to just under $200.
I won’t get all philosophical about what I think the chef’s approach is — the food speaks for itself — fresh, simple and well prepared. And maybe the coasters we had at dinner say it all — “Food — buy it with thought, cook it with care, serve just enough, save what will keep, eat what would spoil, homegrown is best, don’t waste it.”
Hearth
403 East 12th Street
New York, NY 10009
