Grape & Vine

I have to apologize for letting the blogging drop off in the last month.  Things were crazy at work and I moved to a new apartment,  and I feel like both of those things were consuming all of my energy and thoughts, even during my down time.  But I hope to get back into it now, and to start things off, I want to share a trip to Grape & Vine that I took with the other Rebecca a few weeks back.  Located in the lower level of the Jade Hotel in Greenwich Village, this restaurant serves American fare and gives off a swanky, speakeasy vibe.
























As you descend the stairs down from street level, enter the restaurant, and settle into a cozy booth, you feel like you've stumbled upon a really well-kept secret.

Speaking of cozy, I feel like sitting under this skylight, in front of this fireplace would be a great place in which to spend a winter's day, gazing up into the falling snow.

But enough about the ambiance.  I'm sure that you want to hear about the food.

Rebecca and I went for lunch during Restaurant Week, so we were able to indulge in multiple courses.  We started off by sharing Lobster Conch Fritters with mango habanero puree...

and the Tomato Heirloom Salad with Pecorino, watermelon, and basil.

The fritters were good but the salad was by far my favorite of the two.  It tasted like all the best and freshest parts of summer while simultaneously calling to mind amazing meals that I had a few years ago in Italy.

For our mains, R ordered the Pan Seared Fluke with plantain gnocchi, roasted carrots, and black olive crumble....

while I only had eyes for the Braised Pork Belly with curried corn and red pepper relish and celery root puree.

Artfully presented, portioned just right, and the relish was a unique choice and complemented the pork wonderfully.

When it was time for dessert, we chatted over cappuccinos and Crème Brulee Peaches with caramel sauce and fresh thyme.

Don't you just want to dive headfirst into that foam?  

And the peaches were almost too pretty to eat.   Almost.

I'm a big fan of crème brulee to begin with and these were an interesting, summery take on the classic dish that capped off an already rather delicious meal. 

If you're looking for an elegant dining atmosphere that's tucked away from the hustle and bustle of some of Manhatttan's busier streets, give Grape & Vine a go.  They're open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and I've also heard that their Happy Hour doesn't disappoint.  You can make a reservation here.

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