Dinnertable

Dinnertable Restaurant Review:

Head into Garret East, the buzzy cocktail bar on Avenue A. Walk through the hanging curtain and flip the switch on the wall and wait, maybe just long enough to feel a little nervous. A host(ess) will come by and swing open the sliding door to reveal a 20-seat restaurant with a communal table and its own little bar. Dinnertable is the best kind of secret. The simple white walls, perked up with plenty of fresh flowers and a shelf full of potted plants, belies the creativity and sophistication of the food. Start with a cucumber salad. The veggie is slivered into translucent ribbons and plated with tangy yogurt, plus trout and its briny roe. It’s a lovely dish, as is the beef tartare, bright with onion purée, scallions and myoga (a sort of Japanese ginger). Skip the uni paella ball, which errs on the side of gummy, and move straight to the no-knife-needed short rib, spicy-sweet from wasabi and orange. The standout dish was the Samurai Pie, a Japanese take on a shepherd’s pie, stuffed with Wagyu beef, edamame, carrots and curry and topped with clouds of whipped potato. Cocktails delight and the short wine list is thoughtful and eclectic. For dessert, it’s a tough decision between a matcha ice cream sundae with homemade Kit Kats and the silky kabocha squash cheesecake.