Babs

Babs Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: MIMI's Louis Levy and brothers Daniel and Evan Bennett are behind this Village restaurant that offers a menu inspired by Vienna and the Basque country. The elegant space features plush green velvet banquettes, burled-wood columns, vintage light fixtures from Paris, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Likes: Beautiful décor; sourdough bread; divorced sea bream.
Dislikes: Menu and wine list are expensive.

Food & Drinks: Chef Efrén Hernández has crafted a menu that is creative and deeply satisfying. Sourdough bread, house-made with a starter that’s been brewing for years, is just the right amount of crusty. Scallop tartare, layered with cucumbers and sweet potato, topped with trout roe and served on a seashell is as delicious as it is photo-worthy. “Divorced sea bream,” grilled over charcoal, arrives split in two, one side brushed with a bright pepper romesco sauce and the other with an herby pistou. Enjoy a taloa, a Basque cornmeal cake, alongside. Tagliatelle, the only pasta option, is dressed in a tangy mustard beurre blanc and studded with manila clams and salty ham. A cheese plate is available. Choose from sorbet or gelato for dessert – a dish of half espresso, half cajeta (a smooth Mexican caramel) makes for a sweet ending. Classic cocktails are expertly concocted, and the wine list skews French.