Cole's Greenwich Village

Cole's Greenwich Village Restaurant Review:

Set in a space where a few Gallic-influenced restaurants have come and gone, Cole’s brings the environment back home with some decent takes on American fare. A mature atmosphere prevails, making it a good first-date spot or an appropriate place for a civilized dinner. Start, perhaps, with an order of crispy chickpea panisse or the seared squid paired with chorizo for one very satisfying take on surf ‘n’ turf. Winning entrées include flaky cod in celery root purée and a Pat LaFrieda-curated burger that should have the city’s burger cognoscenti lining up. Dine with forethought so you can indulge in the chocolate budino with peanut butter mousse at meal’s end. The wine list has some thoughtful offerings, with most bottles averaging around the $50 mark and a handful of wines by the glass. One word of warning: the two-top tables along the banquette are situated so close together you might feel that you and your dining companion have morphed into a foursome, so save any private conversation for a nightcap elsewhere.