I met my niece Larissa in the bar, and at first she said so what? That’s because she lives in Tribeca and feels she’s going tourist if she makes it to midtown. But she soon softened because this is a Danny Meyers’ resto, cannily designed as a crowd pleaser. The scene is really great, and so is the service. As we were going to the theatre I’d reserved on Open Table and a couple of days before the date, the bar called me in Toronto to confirm. Glad I did because the place fills up fast. Bar food is light and stylish, good foie gras torchon $20 with duck prosciutto, yes to flounder tartare with asparagus $17, yes to the seared scallops with spiced lobster consomme but no to the strangely heavy warm lamb and goat cheese terrine $15. We faced the bar. If we faced the other way we would have looked into a frosted screen which separates the bar from the Modern restaurant which overlooks the garden. Found that a bit offputting.
