Foreign & Domestic

Foreign & Domestic Restaurant Review:

Unpretentious but well designed, and complete with servers in heavy-metal T-shirts (or whatever the slacker du jour attire may be), Foreign & Domestic presents itself as a neighborhood café --- one that just happened to be opened by ex-NYC chefs, vets of Per Se, Gramercy Tavern and Bouley. An interesting starter is the fried pig ears and Brussels sprouts with pickles and hot sauce. Pig ears provide a complex texture: crunchy, fatty, crispy all at the same time. For an entrée, the braised boar shoulder with persimmon chutney, leeks and green tomato jam is among the boldest in terms of flavor. But too many items on too many visits could be categorized as bland, a seemingly impossible feat for a spot so focused on freshness and innovation. The brightest spot may be desserts, including a chocolate layer cake with candied hazelnuts and coffee ice cream. Service is hit or miss.