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Minetta Tavern is another McNally gem. This one is located on MacDougal St., amidst jazz clubs and falafel places, right in the heart of NYU's Greenwich Village. It is so inconspicuous, you could walk past it a thousand times and not really know it's there (like I did). I kept reading about how wonderful it is in New York Magazine, and couldn't wait to get the hard-to-get dinner reservation.
The thing about all of the McNally restaurants that I've been to and love, is that their food is always simple. It is simple, high quality food, served simply, in simple, non-portentous settings. So everyone can go and feel comfortable and enjoy their meal, without being snubbed or feeling a need to whisper and behave. And that's what makes them so appealing to the masses. Schillers, Balthazar, Pastis, Morandi, Pulinos... all the same. They are always packed with crowds and their food is always fresh and delicious, so customers always go back.
I went there with a client about a year ago after he let me choose the restaurant. He'd already been there, but I was so dazzled by the hype that I honestly researched the menu and had already decided what to order about a week prior to going. (Don't worry, I know just how dorky that does sound.) So I passed-up the highly praised black label burger for the bone-in steak, and was not disappointed. However, the tightly packed restaurant was not a very conducive setting for a client dinner, as it was extremely difficult to hear one another. We were even there on a Tuesday night and it was still very crowded! So go here with friends you don't really need to talk to, or don't mind shouting at.
Everything you will try will be delicious, but I will go back for their burger.
- Bone-in Steak
- Black Label Burger
- Lamb Saddle "Tranche"
- Roasted Bone Marrow
- Oxtail and Fois Gras Terrine
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