recette (New York, NY)

One thing I really enjoy doing is checking out new restaurants and cafes / dessert bars in the city.  Thanks to my friends who are truly big time foodies, I've often had the honor of being among the first to check out some of the best little restaurants and cafes.  (one example that comes to mind is kyotofu, which has now made its spot on many people's lists as one of their favorite dessert bars)

recette may just be one of those places again.  

recette is a small -- I mean, very small -- restaurant in the West Village that has a very simple look on the exterior.  But what you find inside is nothing simple, nothing ordinary.  For starters, we have an ex-Gordon Ramsay chef and an ex-Per Se pastry chef at your service.  The menu is comprised of "snacks" and "plates," which can be roughly translated into "appetizers" and "entrees," although the portions are very small.

recette, NYC

You can also choose one of the two tasting menus (5-course, 7-course), but unless you have a really big appetite or want a really full meal, I would instead recommend carefully selecting your favorite dishes and ordering a la carte.  One snack dish and two plates should be enough to satisfy just about anyone's appetite in my opinion (and trust me, I have a BIG appetite).  Also, you might want to leave room in your stomach for the ex-Per Se pastry chef to do some magic.

I'll share some pictures of the dishes I had tonight.  I thought each and every dish was special in its own way, although I must point out that my favorites were the "marinated hamachi, uni, sea beans, harissa" snack dish and the "chilled corn soup, roasted foie gras, parmesan tuile, thyme" plate dish.  The tuna crudo and lobster risotto dishes were just as delicious, but given that my expectations for these two dishes were already very high, I think it was difficult for them to further escalate the level of blissful satisfaction I experienced after the first two dishes.    

These are the dishes I had:

Snacks

Marinated Hamachi, Uni, Sea Beans, Harissa

Plates

Chilled Corn Soup, Roasted Foie Gras, Parmesan Tuile, Thyme

Tuna Crudo, Fennel, Mussel Vinaigrette, Caramelized Orange, Caviar

Lobster Risotto, Porcini Mushroom, Lobster Emulsion, Summer Truffle

Dessert

"Smores,” Graham Cracker Ice Cream, Toasted Marshmallow, "Hot" Chocolate Ganache

This place might just become one of my favorite restaurants in the city.  It's definitely my kind of place.... and only a short walk from the beautiful Highline Park too.  :)

Do Eun @ recette, NYC

Do Eun @ recette, NYC

Location: 328 West 12th Street, NYC
Dress Code: Casual
Occasion: dinner with friends, date night out, first date
Price Range: ~$15 / snack, ~$25 / plate (tax, tip not included); $75 / 5-course tasting menu (tax, tip not included)