THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Hotel Griffou

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Hotel Griffou Restaurant Review:

Not a hotel, nor just a restaurant or solely a cocktail bar, this West Village spot has a speakeasy feel. Good cocktails can cause diners to forgive a lot of sins, and it would appear that is the abiding philosophy at the Hotel Griffou. The name comes from a woman who ran the boarding house here in earlier times, who also ostensibly contributed the recipe for chicken cutlets in mushroom sauce. The décor is eclectic, in the sense that the dining area is divided into different theme rooms, from the English gentleman style of the “Library” to the more feminine “Palm Terrace.” And those cocktails, well, they fit with the drawing room setup quite nicely, especially the crisp mint julep and the Tarbell, with cucumber vodka and elderflower liqueur. The food is perfectly serviceable, but a letdown in the face of the décor and drinks. Chicken in pistou is dry and unmemorable, while dishes like a reconstructed lobster Thermidor with cheese and heavy cream is quite rich. The burger is surprisingly winning thanks to a secret sauce (spicy ketchup), and the butterscotch pudding is worth a repeat visit alone. Just make sure you’ve had enough classic Prohibition-era cocktails first.