Salty Lemons

exterior of One If By Land, Two If By Sea
West Village Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive

February 1, 2011

Restaurant Week 2011

For Restaurant Week 2011, I went to a cosy/romantic/live piano music restaurant in the West Village with The Swede and another couple (who treated us, thank you!). For Restaurant Week 2010, I went nowhere.

If you live somewhere where Restaurant Week does not exist, then it is a week where participating fine dining establishments offer a prix fixe, three-course menu at $35 a person. It is well worth it.

We were served a Portobello mushroom soup (compliments of the Chef) in a glass (sans spoon). After a quick debate, my party decided we were supposed to drink it. I quickly scanned the room but unfortunately no one else was at the same stage in their meal. I felt a bit uneasy every time the wait staff came around (I think I prefer to experience my soup with a spoon) because who knows if we were SUPPOSED to have spoons.

I started with the calamari, followed by the red snapper with preserved lemon, and finished with the mousse (there were three variations of banana in my dessert). All were wonderful but the fish deserves special praise. It was cooked perfectly to my liking and the skin was crisp and flavorful. Overall, the meal was very well made, presented equally well, and the wait staff was attentive but not invasive. A beautiful bottle of champagne along with coffee to finish complimented the meal (not included in the $35). The Swede chose butternut squash soup (with the nutmeg making its presence known), steak with bulgur wheat, and cheesecake with spiced wine "foam." I am (mostly) used to restaurants where they use inventive terms to describe their dishes, but I could not/have not really accepted the term "foam."

I read numerous reviews about this establishment's offerings at Restaurant Week which were mostly negative. I have to say that I disagree with all of them. Perhaps I went at the right time, perhaps I had low expectations (due to the reviews), or perhaps those people have differing taste from mine.

Apparently, the Beef Wellington is the thing to order here. I had Wellington once and it was a Vegetarian Wellington (at my sister's wedding when I WAS a vegetarian). It was delicious so I imagine Beef Wellington must be incredible.

I must note that One If By Land, Two If By Sea has an incredible interior (and exterior, fell in love with the copper hardware on the carriage door). Ambient lighting is abundant, a fire rages at the entrance, long-stemmed red roses seduce, and wood paneled walls and banisters keep this place cozy on a cold winter's night.

Looking forward to Restaurant Week 2012!

archives: Food