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West Village/I Sodi

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:45:19 +0000

Flying mostly under the radar—except among West Villagers and in-the-know Italian-restaurant obsessives—I Sodi is endlessly pleasing: from the compact, tunnel-like room, to the warm and on-the-ball staff, to the reliably fantastic Tuscan cooking. The menu changes constantly, but you might happen on a night when there’s homemade pappardelle with duck ragu, or fried rabbit, or a rich and unusual leek risotto. Very hard to eat here without planning a return visit immediately. So reserve, because even though most people won’t have heard of I Sodi, the ones who know it keep the tables full nightly.

I Sodi: 105 Christopher St. at Bleecker St.; (212) 414-5774.

Prices/Features: Moderately Priced/Elegant

West Village: Joseph Leonard and Jeffrey’s Grocery

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:40:15 +0000

Photo via Eater.com

Platonic ideal of the West Village restaurant, right around now: Small and cluttered with vintage-looking furniture; well-executed but willfully un-fancy food; maybe some charcuterie and oysters; strong drinks; non-bludgeoning prices. This is more or less what you’ll find at Joseph Leonard, via owner Gabriel Stulman (of Market Table and The Little Owl). All-around pleasant place to hang out in, eat in, linger in. If you tend to make restaurant decisions last-minute like I do, show up before 7pm for your best shot at bar stools or a table. On the menu (sometimes): braised pork hock, shrimp and grits with andouille. If the restaurant has a line by the time you get there and you’re disinclined to stand around waiting, head to sister restaurant Jeffrey’s Grocery, down the block at 172 Waverly: Gorgeous oysters, raw-bar platters, and bistro-ish dishes like lobster spaghetti and brisket sandwich

Joseph Leonard. 107 Waverly Pl. at Grove St.; 626-429-8383

Jeffrey’s Grocery. 172 Waverly Pl. at Christopher St.; 626-398-7630

Prices/Features. Moderately Priced/Vegetarian-Friendly/Drink Destination

West Village/Arturo’s

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:36:56 +0000

Perpetually unglamorous, charmingly cluttered, and hiding in plain sight on Houston Street, Arturo’s pizzeria is one of the neighborhood’s most ancient and dependable spots for a soaked-in-old-New-York vibe. Dive into a huge, bang-for-the-buck coal-oven pizza topped with any of three dozen toppings. (Keep it simple for best results: say, mozzarella, basil, and sausage; or mushrooms, ricotta, and garlic). The red-sauce pastas, served in giant portions, are definitely not circa-2012, but they’re filling and warming, if sometimes underseasoned. Try to sit in the back room, where you’ll be at least a few feet away from the slightly obtrusive (though endearing) live jazz bands that pop in most nights.

Arturo’s. 106 West Houston St. at Thompson St.; 212-677-3820

Prices/Features. Moderately Priced/Vegetarian-Friendly/Good for Groups

West Village: Market Table

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:24:49 +0000

Pic courtesy of Market Table

It always seems ridiculous to name any burger NYC’s best; there are way too many variables, plus those silly awards have a way of ruining the things they celebrate (too much demand is the road to sloppiness). But it’s safe to say Market Table has one of the city’s best, an ingeniously executed burger made with a grilled then broiled sirloin-and-brisket patty topped with white cheddar, sweet onions, and homemade pickles on a garlicky bun, and served with Old Bay-dusted fries. Chef Mikey Price’s constantly changing menu has much more besides: You might luck into grilled corn with chili, Parmesan, and lime, or braised-lamb gnocchi, or a whole market fish with escarole and golden raisins. Lunchtime on a sunny day is when you really want to be here, thanks to wraparound streetside windows that let the rays pour through.

Market Table. 54 Carmine St. at Bedford St.; (212) 255-2100.

Prices/Features: Moderately Priced

West Village: Soto

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:06:44 +0000

Pic courtesy of 11870.com

The city is packed with sushi joints (although very few outstanding ones) but there still aren’t enough restaurants doing what chef Sotohiro Kasugi does at Soto: Gorgeous, deceptively simple, crudo-like spins on raw seafood. His preparations have a few more bells and whistles than Japanese-style sushi and sashimi, but he knows how to let the distinct, ocean-fresh fish flavors shine through. See what he does with Long Island fluke (brushes it with lime juice, sea salt, and yuzu zest) or sea urchin (wraps it in thinly sliced squid and a shiso leaf and tops it with quail egg). Sit at the counter for a slightly livelier experience than the all-white, hushed dining room has to offer. But no matter where you sit, you’ll be glad you stumbled into this seriously classy restaurant, now the well-deserved holder of two Michelin stars, on an otherwise soulless stretch of Sixth Ave.

Soto. 357 Sixth Ave. between W. 4th St. and Washington Pl.; (212) 414-3088.

Prices/Features: MOD, VGT (See Welcome to Salmaland for key to letter abbreviations.)