Hearth

[NY News Team]

If you love Craft, you may want to check out Hearth. Marco Canora, the former chef of Craft, and Paul Grieco, the former beverage manager of Gramercy Tavern have taken over the old Tappo space and turn it into Hearth, a warm homey restaurant, serving contemporary Italian and American fares. The seasonal menu features appetizers such as red wine braised octopus, and tuna served four diffferent ways, entrees like monkfish osso buco, and a sumptuous looking roasted sirloins, and dessert menu with offerings such as goat milk panna cotta and persimmon steam pudding. There is a four course tasting menu for $48. At this time the place does not have a liquor license, but diners are encouraged to bring their own. --by Y. Yang

Hearth

403 East 12th Street

New York, NY

Tel. 646-602-1300

[Pan]

I hadn't realized Tappo had closed. Have you tried this new place yet, Ya-Roo?

[Bond Girl]

I dropped in last night for dinner. It was the best dinner I had all weekend.

[Pan]

Thanks. Gotta check it out.

[JosephB]

It was the best dinner I had all weekend.

Quite a sample.

[jogoode]

So Hearth is open for business? I'm excited about the BYO policy.

[Bond Girl]

It was the best dinner I had all weekend.

Quite a sample.

It certainly beats that monster dinner I had at the Borgata.

[SobaAddict70]

Veal breast, a humble cut that attained star status at Craft, returns at Hearth, where it is braised in concentrated juices and served with roasted sweetbreads. Braising also works wonders with lamb shoulder and, unusually, lamb ribs and lamb tongue, a three-part dish given extra heft by the addition of barlotti beans and escarole.

Diner's Journal: Hearth (William Grimes) (from this weekend's DIGEST. You may have to scroll down for the appropriate link.)

Chef Marco Canora puts his lessons from Craft and Craftbar to good use at Hearth, on East 12th Street in the East Village. Think of it as the Italian version of Tom Colicchio's vision.

Sounds like a new "go to" place if you ask me....

Soba

edit: merged this thread with pre-existing thread started by Bond Girl.

Edited December 22, 2003 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[Pan]

I walked past this place - in the old Tappo location - after Bond Girl gave it a positive review, and it looked so fancy I didn't feel like asking to look at the prices on the menu when I noticed no menu was displayed.

[Bond Girl]

More Info see here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...=0entry440717

I have a copy of the menu. Prices are $9-$13 for Appetizers, $18-$24 for entrees, $8 for dessert.

[Pan]

So over $50 for dinner, maybe $60.

[Bond Girl]

The tasting menu is $48, figure in tax and tip should take you to $60. However, since it's a block away from my apartment, I've stopped in on the days when I didn't feel like cooking, order an entree and a dessert for $40.00 drink, tax and tip included.

[Bond Girl]

By the way, even though Tom Colicchio is an investor in the restaurant, this place IS NOT part of the Craft empire, and to assume it would really be doing Hearth and the chef a great injustice.

[Fat Guy]

I agree, Bond Girl. Marco Canora's training and influences are on display at Hearth, as are Paul Grieco's, but Hearth is much more than the sum of Marco and Paul's backgrounds. They've created a very special restaurant, one of the best to open in New York recently. I had a superb meal there last night -- it exceeded all my expectations. I expected Hearth to be Craft-lite, especially given the price point, but it's actually Craft-plus in many ways. Which isn't to say it's better than Craft, but if any chef-student I've seen lately has the potential to equal or surpass his teacher, it's Marco.

In terms of price, the value proposition at Hearth is superb, doubly so when viewed in the context of comparable restaurants. All entrees save for the $26 sirloin-and-short-rib dish are under $24, and three of them are $20 or under. Yet in terms of portion size, quality of ingredients, and level of technique applied, the dishes are fully on par with (and better than most examples of) dishes around town that are priced in the $30+ range.

Obviously, that budgetary allocation has to come from somewhere, and Hearth's physical space is not comparable to that of a restaurant like Craft or Gramercy Tavern. Still, it's quite tasteful (the decor seems somewhat Craft-influenced in terms of the wooden tables and general aesthetic) and comfortable, if a bit noisy. There's also less service than at a more heavily budgeted restaurant, but more service doesn't always mean better service and Paul has the Hearth service team performing at a very high level. Our server -- Alison, I believe her name was -- was superb even without a full-blown captain-waiter labor hierarchy. For my money, I'm happy to have the major chunk of my dining dollar go towards the food.

In addition to his time at Craft, Marco was of course for many years the executive sous-chef at Gramercy Tavern. (Before that, and also for some stretches of time during his tenure at Gramercy, he cooked at La Cucina, his restaurant on Martha's Vineyard.) So he has had a lot of time to work with Tom Colicchio, and it's therefore no surprise that he can reproduce Colicchio to a tee -- heck, he did it every night for seven or so years, so he can do it at Hearth. The sirloin and short rib dish is a good example of a dish that's almost straight from the Colicchio play-book, and it's not a dish that should be tampered with much. But what's more surprising and interesting is how much of a chef there was within Marco, waiting to strike out on his own. A good example is the cod dish, a roasted piece of cod served with baccala mantecato (creamed salt cod with potato), red peppers, and salsa verde. Back at Gramercy Tavern, there is occasionally a recipe in play that pairs cod with a brandade-like puree that is based on fresh cod, rather than salt cod. It's also a delicious dish, but lacks the bold flavors of Canora's take on the concept. The red peppers and salsa verde also act to give oomph to the dish in a way one doesn't often see in Colicchio's more restrained cooking. The dish paired very nicely with a wheat beer, by the way (though the Hearth wine list is quite advanced, especially for a new restaurant, there are also some gems in the beer, cider, and other oft-neglected areas of the list -- Paul tends to be passionate about these categories, and has in the past done entire beer-paired tasting menus at Gramercy).

One of the nicest touches at Hearth is the kitchen counter, where there are a few seats that directly overlook the open kitchen -- I presume this is a bit like Robuchon's Atelier in Paris. If you sit at the counter, you have quite a lot of opportunities to chat with Marco. Our group didn't sit there, but doing so is high on my list of culinary experiences to have in NYC soon.

In terms of the business connection between Craft and Hearth, it does seem there's more there than just an affinity or "silent partner" type of investment. Hearth is using Craft's in-house publicist for media contacts, and Paul is consulting on the wine list at Craftsteak in Las Vegas. Hearth is certainly not a subsidiary of Craft, but it's probably fair to say it's part of the family. And that's good for everyone.

Hearth Web site, with menu

[Bond Girl]

Hearth rocks big time. I just had a wonderful dinner there at the kitchen counter. It was fascinating to watching the kitchen going in full force, but even better was the braised octopus on my plate, that was redolent of the deep velvety taste of red wine. The sea bass with fennel and preserved lemon takes you through the different texture of fennel from puree to braised to raw. The gnocchi was nice and hearty without being gummy. This was undoubtedly the best gnocchi I tasted in recent times. The goat milk panna cotta provides the perfect finish. Unlike the proprietor of Chikalicious, Marco is friendly and chatty to all that sits at his kitchen counter. Anyone who hasn't been should get themselves there immediately.

[Fat Guy]

Agreed on the octopus. Preternaturally tender without being mushy. The gnocchi (did you have the special with black truffles?) are also beautifully made, as good as any I've had, though the papardelle with duck is a less successful pasta -- didn't do much for me.

Have you had the apple cider donuts? This is one dish where I seem to be in disagreement with the rest of the world. I think they're greasy and unappealing. The other dessert items were first-rate, though.

[Jason Perlow]

So steven, would you characterize Hearth as more of an Italian restaurant or a Continental one? or a Craftified Italian restaurant?

[JosephB]

So steven, would you characterize Hearth as more of an Italian restaurant or a Continental one? or a Craftified Italian restaurant?

Continental? That's a blast from the past. Don't think so.

[Jason Perlow]

So steven, would you characterize Hearth as more of an Italian restaurant or a Continental  one? or a Craftified Italian restaurant?

Continental? That's a blast from the past. Don't think so.

Well, from the menus on the website I wouldn't completely characterize it as Italian either.

[JosephB]

So steven, would you characterize Hearth as more of an Italian restaurant or a Continental  one? or a Craftified Italian restaurant?

Continental? That's a blast from the past. Don't think so.

Well, from the menus on the website I wouldn't completely characterize it as Italian either.

OK, I would say some French technique and terminology with Italian sensibilities. I don't think "Continental" really means anything anymore, though I know what you're getting at.

[Ellen Shapiro]

The Hearth Website characterizes the cuisine... "Our food is rooted in the classical cooking of Tuscany, presented in a fresh, modern way."

Also... "Another common thread will be the use of true Italian cooking techniques (predominantly soffrito, a classic Italian flavoring-base of slow-cooked vegetables and olive oil), which are often sacrificed in modern restaurants in favor of easy fixes and culinary shortcuts. There will also be homemade pastas and risottos available, as well as some classic Italian combinations: lamb shoulder with borlotti beans and escarole and roasted cod with baccala mantecato."

Had I not read any of that I'd have called it New American, though. I think I still would!

[Bond Girl]

Why categorize it as anything? It's good food which ever label you stick on it.

[cshea]

I swung by Hearth last week and agree with the other reviews - it's a great place. Despite all the hype, it felt casual and neighborhoody - very friendly staff. The food was excellent and, to my mind, a great bargain for the price. Liked the wine list, too. I had a basic green salad and the pappardelle with duck. I know, a salad is a salad, but it's so easy to screw it up. This was exactly what it should be - quality ingredients presented simply. The duck was nice but I agree with Fat Guy - didn't rock my world. My friend had the tuna app - raw tuna prepared in 4 different ways. Very interesting contrasts; nice presentation; fresh ingredients. And then he had the sirloin and short rib dish, which was out of this world! I was surprised - I wouldn't have ordered it - but there you have it . . . Hens of the wood mushrooms as the side - hearty, yummy. We split the pecan tart. (What did others think of the coffee by the way - I thought it was quite good . . . )

I have to admit I've been a bit discouraged with restaurants in NYC lately - I seem to keep running into places with too much hype and not enough soul - food with pizzazz (raw tuna with a vanilla-ginger infused coulis anyone?) instead of quality ingredients and focused preparation - restaurants that emphasize the scene over the experience. I found Hearth to be quite the opposite - it was nice to have my faith restored.

[JosephB]

I swung by Hearth last week and agree with the other reviews - it's a great place. Despite all the hype, it felt casual and neighborhoody - very friendly staff. The food was excellent and, to my mind, a great bargain for the price. Liked the wine list, too. I had a basic green salad and the pappardelle with duck. I know, a salad is a salad, but it's so easy to screw it up. This was exactly what it should be - quality ingredients presented simply. The duck was nice but I agree with Fat Guy - didn't rock my world. My friend had the tuna app - raw tuna prepared in 4 different ways. Very interesting contrasts; nice presentation; fresh ingredients. And then he had the sirloin and short rib dish, which was out of this world! I was surprised - I wouldn't have ordered it - but there you have it . . . Hens of the wood mushrooms as the side - hearty, yummy. We split the pecan tart. (What did others think of the coffee by the way - I thought it was quite good . . . )

I have to admit I've been a bit discouraged with restaurants in NYC lately - I seem to keep running into places with too much hype and not enough soul - food with pizzazz (raw tuna with a vanilla-ginger infused coulis anyone?) instead of quality ingredients and focused preparation - restaurants that emphasize the scene over the experience. I found Hearth to be quite the opposite - it was nice to have my faith restored.

cshea,

I think your general conclusions about Hearth speaks to Italian sensibilities about food, namely, pristine ingredients with little fuss. However, I will disagree that a "salad is salad." An expertly prepared green salad requires the same attention to detail that any other dish.

By the way, good to see you here on eGullet. Thanks for the thoughtful post.

[Rachel Perlow]

Jason and I visited Hearth last week with a couple of his friends in for Linux World. We sampled so much of the menu and we all passed the plates around as well, so I've probably tasted at least 50% of the menu. My favorite appetizers included the Rabbit Ballotine and the Red Snapper Crudo. Actually, the snapper is an excellent appetizer to share because it is several identical bites of sashimi with an excellent red pepper garnish. We also tried the Tuna appetizer. This was much harder to share, as it was tiny portions of four different raw and cooked tuna preparations. If, however, you are with someone who doesn't like to share, but you like to sample different tastes, I'd highly recommend it!

I didn't care for the red wine braised octopus as much as some others upthread did. I could tell it was excellently prepared, I've definitely never had octopus so tender -- I guess it was just me. The sardines, on the other hand, was something I didn't expect to like as much as I did. The strongly flavored fish was held at bay by the tangy soffrito garnish.

In addition to ordering four entrees and all the sides, Marco sent out a fish course tasting, so we were able to sample three out of the four fish dishes on the menu. I particularly enjoyed the Roasted Cod & brandade and the Black Bass with fennel. Heck, even Jason liked the Black Bass -- and he doesn't like fish.* We also tried the Monkfish Osso Buco, but preferred its accompaniment of risotto speckled with tender calamari to the monkfish itself. It just seemed plain in comparison.

I had ordered the Chicken dish: salt baked breast as juicy as described and almost as tender as the braised thigh meat. Mmm. I also loved the garnish for that dish, a Swiss Chard Malfatti, which was like the filling of a really rich ravioli. Jason ordered the Roast Sirloin with braised Shortrib. I only got a tiny taste of the perfectly cooked as ordered sirloin, it was beautiful, but Jason had started getting possessive.

The sides were polenta, hen of the woods mushrooms, potato puree, and gnocci. The waiter advised us to eat the gnocci while they were hot. Perfect little clouds of dumplingy goodness. A few remained on the plate and I tasted the cooled ones, he was right, they don't hold up as well, still good, but somehow they became more ordinary with time. So eat them while they're hot, dammit! Also, while the polenta and mushrooms were good, the potato puree was etherial. I don't want to know how much butter/cream/creme fraiche/or sour cream there was in there, but all four of us were ready to lick out the serving vessel. Mmm.

I can't believe after all that we ordered dessert. But we did. I ordered the Milk Chocolate Tart, but preferred the peanut brittle ice cream accompanying it to the tart itself. After all that food, I just should have gotten the sorbet, if anything. Next time we'll be more sensible, but then we probably won't have people with us from out of state who felt this was their one and only chance to sample Hearth.

Jason will talk about the wines, as my gentlemen companions had glasses paired with each course, and I only had a little bit of one of the whites.

~~~

*Cooked fin fish that is, he eats sushi and shellfish. He's working on it. After enjoying the miso cod at Nobu and this bass, he recently tried flounder at the NJ eGullet Chinese New Years Dinner at China 46 and enjoyed that as well. We're making progress. Maybe someday he'll let me cook fish at home again.