THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Veritas

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Veritas Restaurant Review:

This celebrated wine-centric restaurant in the Flatiron District shut down in 2010 and reopened toward the end of that year, sporting all the trappings of recession-era New York City. White tablecloths were whisked away for plain wooden tables. The once-elegant walls were stripped to show exposed brick. The 3,000-bottle wine list is still there, but now there are several under $100 options. Service, though, oddly enough, is still professional to the point of being aloof (which isn’t a bad thing, but it’s out of sync with the new, casual surroundings). And the chef, former Tao toque Sam Hazen, has created an à la carte menu focused on American fare. The amuse-bouche sums up Hazen’s approach: foie gras fritters, both casual and precious at the same time. Starters include “Beef in Transition,” a plate of silky beef tartare, tender pepper-sprinkled sirloin, and short rib wrapped up in phyllo. Also good is the spinach salad with scene-stealing blue cheese-laced deviled eggs. Mains include a rich but satisfying seared scallops paired with foie gras and a large-portioned potato-encrusted salmon.