Knife + Fork Restaurant & Wine Bar - East Village

108 East 4th Street, NYC 212-228-4885
Description: Stylish newcomer in the heart of the East Village
Burdie Approved Rating:
Pros: intimate, $45 six course dinner, bold menu
Cons: overly subtle flavors

Menu:

1. Lump Crab in a Spicy Lemongrass Broth (tom yum broth)
   
2. Crispy pork belly with escargot, savoy cabbage and carrot, lemongrass and ginger purée
3. Stuffed squid with duck confit and creamed leeks
4. Pan fried fois grois with bbq eel
5. Sea Bass white tarragon grapefruit puree (I think!)
   
6. Honey Buttermilk Panna cotta

Wanted to try something new in the neighborhood so I did a quick search and found Knife + Fork Restaurant & Wine Bar, a skip and a hop away. Not sure why I never noticed it before, it's right next to Euzkadi. Probably because the store front fades into itself, no bright lights or kitchy handwritten chalk menus blaring with granny's old world delights.

Hillsy and I were psyched to experience Damien Brassel's "simple, approachable and understandable" fare. Unfortunately we had a late start to our day and ended up having brunch around 3pm, so we weren't exactly starving by 8.

The space was small but intimate and the smell of mulled wine welcomes you even before the 2-person waitstaff has a chance to greet you. The kitchen is in view and it's nice to see the chef working away but immediately gives away his freshness to the scene as he checks out every patron that walks in (nice to see). The glasses on the table were a bit overwhelming and I was relieved when we decided not to have wine and the waiter quickly cleared the table and I was able to see my Hillsy from across the table again.

The first course came, a small lump of stuff in the middle of an oblong shaped bowl. Nodding my head with enthusiasm but thinking ... "wonder what this is, it must be one of those places that serve lots of courses of small servings". Luckily the waitress came back holding a black tea kettle and began to pour broth over the lump - "Lump Crab in a Spicy Lemongrass Broth" --- AHH! The flavors were intense. Sour, spicy, sweet, salty, deep flavors. It was an interesting mix of flavors, I was wondering how something could be so spicy at first (versus a spice that sneaks up on you) but quickly melts into a sweet sour ending. It reminded me of spicy Thai soup but updated and gourmetized with fresh lump crab meat and fusionized with the addition of seaweed salad. It was so good, I almost licked the bowl clean. Next up was the Pork belly - yummy yummy yummy. The skin and fat reminded me of Lechon (Filipino roasted pig dish). The escargot were uneventful on their own but came alive when mixed with the pork and the ginger/carrot puree. Winner. At this point, I was thinking this place was a winner and a great find - and only 2 blocks away from home "Uh oh, pork belly every week, I'm going to have to run an extra day ..." Fortunately for me, the next 4 courses paled in comparison to the first two. As you've heard from all the critics, $45 for 6 courses is a steal but I thought it was too much food. I'd rather less than more of nothing. I was hoping for something light by the 5th course but nope ... more hearty meals after the other. The dessert was pleasant and light - panna cotta was a perfect finisher. The buttermilk and honey mixture was almost yogurt like and was a nice contrast to all of the protein and creamy purees.

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Coming from a country that thinks boiling a root vegetable until it implodes like Star Jones' digestive tract constitutes high cuisine, i'm always slightly wary of any food product that originates within a 5,000 mile radius of my birth place.

Knowing that Damian Brassel was Irish - and therefore only a short ferry ride away from Scotland, the deep fat fryer of the United Nations - made me slightly suspicious, but i brushed away my narrow-minded stereotypes and strolled into his new Knife & Fork restaurant.

It was a quiet Sunday evening and the scent of heavily-spiced mulled wine covered the air like an atmospheric cashmere blanket, while the helpful servers darted back and forth to the open plan kitchen. After a pint of very good stout (O'Haras - makes Guinness taste like Draino Max), we settled in our seats and opted for the six course chef's tasting menu.

Six courses is a lot of food in anyone's language, but since I have six chins to feed and probably only six more years before my arteries dissolve, I was ready for the challenge.

First up was the lump crab in a lemon grass broth, which for me was one of the highlights of the night. The broth was zingier than a Pamela Anderson home video and had a multitude of rich, immersive flavors.

Next up was the pork belly with escargot, which built on the great start of the dish before it. The pork was tender and flavorful and the escargot complimented the density of the meat perfectly.

Dish number three came....and went. A rather forgettable squid stuffed with duck confit. The textures were interesting, but the taste was underwhelming - rather like the culinary equivalent of watered-down beer. Pan fried fois gras with BBQ Eeel was next. While the eel was - on its own - slightly bland, when combined with the complexity of the fois gras it made for a nicely rounded dish.

By this point Burdie looked like she was about to pass out as the sheer volume of food hit her over the head like a brick, but after a deep breath we were ready to tackle the home straight.

Next-up was pan fried sea bass with a grapefruit puree. Burdie hated the puree to the point that it made her nauseas, but i rather enjoyed it and found it to be an interesting compliment to the bass. And damn good bass it was, too. Pan fried to perfection - light yet fulfilling - a really great dish that I'd definitely be happy to order again.

Dessert was a miniature glass of honey-buttermilk panna cotta, which was a great, refreshing end to a protein packed, Atkins Diet Wet Dream of a meal.

The food at Knife & Fork is really rather good, if slightly inconsistent over a six course stretch. Some dishes were stand-out, while others were forgettable, but for the price I'd still recommend it as a place to pay a visit.

The ambience is great, the staff are extremely friendly and just the general experience of eating there makes you feel good - and I didn't see a boiled root vegetable in site!