South Gate

[flinflon28]

Did a search under Kerry Heffernan and South Gate and didn't find a thread for the new restaurant. Doesn't mean it's not on here but I may have missed it.

Went to the bar on Wed for a snack and drinks before seeing Macbeth on Broadway.

In all the descriptions I'd heard the room seemed like it would be unappealing but it was actually quite beautiful. Bright with soft colors and hard surfaces and airy. The view of Central Park didn't hurt either.

The bar is kind of set up like a "T" so it made for some cool seating...almost a communal table on the sides.

Cocktail prices were steep and the drinks themselves not particularly remarkable but I don't think they're going for serious cocktail program. Had two glasses of a nice Viognier and split the gougeres, chicken sandwich and tarte flambe with my companion.

I noticed that almost all of the dishes on the bar menu at least had been at Eleven Madison Park from Kerry's tenure as chef. Some were almost exact (mushroom pizza, gougeres, chicken sandwich, linguca sandwich) and a few had minor tweaks.

The tarte flame was new and having had these all through NYC over the past few years the Bar Room at the Modern has nothing to worry about. The tarte here was very heavy with carmelized onions and the bacon while thick was chewy and fatty (but not in a pleasant way). The gougeres were a hit at EMP and they are great here. The chicken sandwich was expensive ($18 I think) but I have to admit that it was spectacular. St.Andre cheese, bacon and very thinly sliced seasoned chicken breast on griddled bread. Flavor explosion. Served with a side of beet chips and an underseasoned side field greens.

Chef Kerry was making the rounds in the dining room and bar area. He's always been one of the most social kitchen personalites.

Edited April 11, 2008 by flinflon28 (log)

[oakapple]

Reviews so far haven't been good.

[flinflon28]

So no one else has had an experience here?

Walked by it earlier this week and it was packed for dinner.

Can it be mostly a tourist/hotel crowd?

[Nathan]

So no one else has had an experience here?

Walked by it earlier this week and it was packed for dinner.

Can it be mostly a tourist/hotel crowd?

←

considering the location, that's to be expected. and every review seems to find that to be the case.

I'm actually curious about the food...

[oakapple]

Walked by it earlier this week and it was packed for dinner.

Can it be mostly a tourist/hotel crowd?

←

considering the location, that's to be expected. and every review seems to find that to be the case.

I'm actually curious about the food...

←

Actually, a number of reviews have found it not packed. There's no good reason there cannot be good food there. San Domenico, on the same block, used to be good, BLT Market is good, and Ducasse (whatever the critics thought about it) was sublime.

[Nathan]

Walked by it earlier this week and it was packed for dinner.

Can it be mostly a tourist/hotel crowd?

←

considering the location, that's to be expected. and every review seems to find that to be the case.

I'm actually curious about the food...

←

Actually, a number of reviews have found it not packed. There's no good reason there cannot be good food there. San Domenico, on the same block, used to be good, BLT Market is good, and Ducasse (whatever the critics thought about it) was sublime.

←

to be clear, I wasn't talking about the "packed" part.