I'm going to start off the new year with a bit of old business: another restaurant my daughter treated me to while in NYC: Blue Hill. Blue Hill restaurant opened in 2000 and is located in Greenwich Village. Hidden three steps below street level, the restaurant was once a "speakeasy" just off of Washington Square Park. Chef/partner Dan Barber is a locavore pioneer.
Barber has written about creating a consciousness re the effects of everyday food choices and food sustainability. His efforts are brought to Blue Hill, where seasonal produce grown and raised on-site is grilled over wood fuel from the nearby forests. Blue Hill also uses ingredients from nearby farms and has a wine list whose producers respect artisanal techniques. If you'd like to see the menu, click HERE.
In 2002, Barber was named one of the Best New Chefs by Food and Wine Magazine. He has received several James Beard Foundation awards, including the 2006 award for Best Chef, New York City and the 2009 award for Outstanding Chef. The James Beard Foundation also named him the top chef in America in 2009. Also in 2009, he was named one of the world’s most influential people in Time Magazine's annual Time 100.
A wonderful article, with fabulous food photos (A much better photo of veggies on a fence than I took with my iPhone.) can be read on this SITE.
As a snack with our wine, we shared Vegetables on a Fence: (Wine and delicious bread sticks in the background)
For starters, Tracy had the brussel sprouts with bresaola and homemade mustard and I had the pig liver and venison terrine with greens and cocoa nibs.
For some reason, I didn't take photos of our main courses, but Tracy had braised hake with brussel sprouts, Jerusalem artichokes, pears and hazelnuts; I loved my Raven and Boar's pig with savoy cabbage, sweet potatoes, bacon and caraway.
Desserts? Of course! Tracy's cheese tray:
And my chocolate bread pudding with bourbon ice cream.
The meal was pricey, but worth every penny. As you can see if you clicked on the menu, the offerings are unusual and the veggies all local and fresh. The meal was well thought out, presented beautifully, the wait staff attentive and helpful. Because of the price, I'd label this a special occasion restaurant. It's small (definitely make reservations if you have the opportunity to go) and intimate.
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