Republic - Trendy Thai at Modern Picnic Tables on Union Square
Written: Jul 26 '06
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Pros: Inexpensive, quick, constant re-watering
Cons: Inattentive service otherwise, loud
The Bottom Line: Trendy, casual, inexpensive dining on Union Square equals a way to enjoy a bustling lunch without much hassle.
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| davidmanning's Full Review: Republic |
I Shoulda Been Doing This on Fridays More Often
My office has been mere blocks from Union Square for two years, but how often do I go in that direction to eat? Seldom. The best of the area is simply too expensive to make a regular journey toward, but also because the decent places are sit-down and time is a factor.
So we wait to have cow-orkers in from the other coast, and take the time to sit down and actually have a meal. Republic offers a reasonably-priced lunch menu, and as long as you like Asian noodle cuisine, this restaurant will do right by you.
When Last We Saw Republic
A pleasant summer's-day stroll led our group to Republic, tucked in amidst the Starbucks and McDonald's and Heartland Brewery. There are a few outside tables, with umbrellas, but nothing a group of six would be comfortable at. Inside is reasonably well-lit -- it gets natural light, too -- and all the seating consists of simple honey-stained wooden tables and benches, each seating 4-6 comfortably. Plenty of tables in front were already full, so we were led to the back of the restaurant, in among the huge poster photos of trendy people of all colors posing with noodles in artful ways. While I could have done without staring at a teenaged Thai boy's nipple all through lunch, this is Manhattan, and I'd likely be seeing one soon enough anyway.
We sat comfortably, two to a bench, and awaited our server.
Food. Good. Yum.
Republic offers a wide variety of Southeast Asian meals. Besides a list of appetizers -- sorry, Small Dishes -- that we passed over, mainly Asian-inspired salads and wontons and dumplings and egg rolls in the $4-$6 range, the entree section is divided into Broth Noodles, regular old Noodles, and Rice Dishes.
I've gotten to be a fan of the broth noodle subspecies of Asian dishes, and so chose the Lime Chicken. Each Broth Noodle dish contains a noodle type -- Lime Chicken uses glass noodles, while others use the Udon noodle, simple rice noodle, wide rice noodle, even rice vermicelli with the salmon -- and typically scallions, fresh Asian-inspired herbs, and bean sprouts, along with some unique ingredients that tie the dish together -- spicy beef uses lemongrass, spicy duck adds curry, you get the point. Broth Noodle dishes are some seriously large soup bowls. It's really more of a stew in a clear broth.
Standard Noodle dishes dispense with the broth, naturally, in favor of a sauce or nothing at all, and put your choice on a bed of the same set of noodles. Curried Duck, Chicken, Salmon, grilled Beef, various vegetarian options, from simple spinach to Vietnamese vegetable, all on noodles spanning the same range as above.
Rice Dishes replace the noodles altogether. And here, there are rice choices, though substitutions are frowned upon. Black rice with the grilled chicken... well, I hope you like the flavor. The curried rice and salmon or sauteed rice and squid choices are safer if you don't like "interesting" rice flavor.
All 25 or so dishes are orderable by number, and range from $7-$9.
We Got...
My Lime Chicken comprised a softball-sized clump of glass noodles, tangled together, a healthy dose of green onion, bean sprouts, and a lot of lightly-grilled chicken in a clear broth. The broth was spiced, and together with the lime made an intriguing dish. The promised peanuts managed to sift down to the bottom, so I had lime peanuts late in my meal. Altogether, the lime-spice zested up my lunch very pleasantly, and I now have a new favorite dish.
The salmon rice orderers received a chunk of seared pink salmon atop a bed of curried rice, with some vegetables thrown in. The salmon was more than fork-tender, falling apart at the touch. It smelled wonderful, but I had my own problems getting through my own lunch to think of trying someone else's.
The chicken pad thai was your basic dish, nothing unusual except that you can get it with shrimp or squid instead. In all, a wonderful set of meals presented in non-trendy bowls with a set of chopsticks and a soup spoon (flatware on request).
Service, Atmosphere
The water server deserves special mention first, as he filled our 10-ounceish glassses repeatedly, before they hit the halfway point most of the time. Clearly he was enjoying his work. I suppose if my job was to refill waters during lunch I'd have to make a game of it, too.
The food server, a handsome young gentleman in a tight shirt -- I'm comfortable telling you that -- took our orders quickly, as a lunch waiter ought to, and while it took about ten minutes to receive our food (in two closely-spaced trips to the kitchen), alas, the kitchen had boned him by sending out a seafood pad thai, not chicken, to a member of our party who was not a seafood eater. It took nearly ten minutes to right that wrong, but the server seemed concerned, as much as he could display any emotion.
One thing to note is that the space is concrete/cement, with high ceilings and artful lighting. The big arty photos on the wall are not sound-dampening. There's no sound dampening anywhere, actually, so expect to be raising your voice at lunchtime to talk to the person seated across from you. Noisy, noisy, noisy.
We weren't hurried, and the bill arrived unobtrusively and without a toe-tapping, watch-glancing waiter hovering over our needed table. This was greatly appreciated, naturally.
Damage
Republic is, somewhat surprisingly, easy on the wallet. Including tip, the six of us left $70 lighter. While drinks with the meal or appetizers will certainly ratchet up the total cost, $11-$12 for a decent sit-down lunch on Union Square is impressive. This, and not the modernesque wall art and tables, is why Republic will stick around awhile and has earned more business from me.
If you're not in the mood for basic, expensive American fare nearby at Heartland, and another day at Subway makes your heart hurt, Republic wwelcomes you with open, loud arms.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Lime chicken is interesting and filling; the salmon dishes are quite tasty.
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
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Epinions.com ID:
davidmanning
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: New York City
Reviews written: 303
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