Jean-Georges's ABC Kitchen has been an NYC favorite for several years now. Even to this day a reservation is extremely hard to come by especially on the weekends. Having been in the industry for a while now, I've certainly seen my share of "sustainable" restaurants. Descriptions such as "Green Market" and "Farm to Table" are thrown around like rag dolls all over Manhattan and other up and coming foodie cities. One does wonder how these statements really hold up. Part of ABC Kitchen's success is they practice what they preach. Their food is not only creative, delicious and presented beautifully but also incredibly fresh. It's literally something you can taste. The first "green flag" is the menu actually does change seasonally. If you're at a "Farm to Table" restaurant and the menu stays the same year around or you're there in the summer and the majority of the menu is made with winter produce, you know you've been duped. This being said, we all live in different climates and areas so it's pretty difficult for all menu items and their components to be locally sourced and organic. The point (like ABC Kitchen states) is to offer the freshest ingredients possible and for them to be pesticide and GMO free, always honoring global sustainability. I love it!
ABC Kitchen's executive chef, Dan Kluger, has been in the New York food scene for over 15 years. The man knows his stuff. I am so in love with his menus. I love how approachable they are. I can totally appreciate when chefs spruce up dishes with liquid nitrogen and/or uses exotic ingredients and techniques, however there's so much to be said for simple, pure food. A huge plus is the prices are also fairly approachable (for NYC standards of course:-) and the portions are plentiful. I loved the pastas and whole wheat pizzas! I also can not say enough about the ambiance. Being that the restaurant is part of ABC Home, a high-end furniture store and design firm, you would certainly expect some impressive decor. Yet again, ABC Kitchen exceeds expectations. Everything you see from the moment you walk through the doors is impeccably designed and placed. I loved the little florals and table settings, too cute. The service was also wonderful. Everyone was friendly, down to earth yet knowledgeable and I adore that they wear flannel. Very cool.
Menu standouts from our first time include the Kabocha Squash Toast, The Mushroom Pizza with Egg, Every Pasta, The Organic Fried Chicken and Seasonal Doughnuts. For your drinking delight: The Sour Cherry Old-Fashioned. I can not wait to go back. To my absolute glee, I see a lot of ramps on the menu for spring...
ABC Cocina, the newest concept under the ABC umbrella, is on my must go-to list.
Blog post to come!
Kabocha Squash Toast with Ricotta Cheese: One of the best bites I've had in a long time. Heavenly.
Our assortment of cured meats & local cheeses with accompaniments...need we say more?
Can you say "food porn"? That egg...YUM!
Fried Organic Chicken. This batter was insane. Thick and crunchy served with a deletable hot butter sauce. I'm pretty sure this was a chicken breast but it was so juicy and tender, it could easily be mistaken for dark meat.
Fresh, house made donuts to finish off the meal.
Eat Up!
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