THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Chez Sardine

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Chez Sardine Restaurant Review:

Diminutive and always packed, this West Village eatery is a product of restaurateur Gabe Stulman’s growing empire (Perla, Fedora, Joseph Leonard, Jeffrey’s Grocery). Stulman, along with his French-Canadian chef Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly, looks to Asia, specifically Japan, for inspiration. The only problem with the pork and unagi hand roll is its size, that of a pinky finger, and there are far more winners than duds on the creative menu: sushi rice balls (think Japanese arancini), tender beef cheek curry and cod fritters all hit the mark. The French-heavy wine list offers better value by the bottle, so come thirsty.