Where the locals go for dinner:
Written: Nov 14 '99 (Updated Nov 14 '99)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great food and atmosphere, "local flavor".
Cons: Price, perhaps, and they can be difficult to find if you don't know the neighborhood. Cabbies will know how to get you there, though.
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| illuminatrix's Full Review: Greenwich Village |
Greenwich Village is teeming year-round with visitors from all over the world. Most of the shops and restaurants in this historic New York City neighborhood cater to those visitors - which often means higher prices as well as compromised atmosphere.
So where do the locals go to enjoy a nice dinner? What restaurants feature great food and impeccable service and are filled with the people who actually live in this great neighborhood?
C'mere. I'll tell you about three of my favorites:
Paris Commune is tucked away at the far end of Bleecker Street. Their menu is consistently good, featuring French-influenced American food, and is served in a warm, firelit and instantly-comfortable setting. This is the place I always take visiting out-of-towners, and it's the first place they want to go back to on their return trips to the city. Though this is most "casual" of the three restaurants - you'll see plenty of locals stopping by for dinner in jeans - it's perfectly appropriate for more special occasions, too. It's the Village. Anything goes. $20-$30 per person is the range for dinner, and they also offer a famous weekend brunch menu. All major credit cards are accepted. They have a small bar area in the back of the room, but if you're there waiting for a table, the small park across Bleecker Street is much more pleasant.
Grange Hall can be impossible to locate, especially for those unfamiliar with the neighborhood. And this is, no doubt, the secret to their success. Grange Hall features a large dining room that is more-than-vaguely reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright, and their menu reflects this Midwestern influence. It's high-end comfort food at its best, with generous "sides" to be shared by the whole table. They're open for dinner every night, lunch every weekday, and brunch on weekends. Dinner runs about $30 per person, they accept only cash or American Express, and reservations are recommended. There is a full bar area.
Finally, Chez Michallet. In its plum corner location, hidden away in the very heart of the residential area of the West Village, Chez Michallet serves always-innovative French-influenced food. (The last time I was there, I had lamb with a sauce based on sour cherries. It was wonderful). The room is small and the tables close, but it's far from uncomfortable. Reservations are recommended for "prime time" on weeknights and definitely for weekends. See if you can get one of the corner banquette tables, and enjoy the view of both the room and the quiet street scene outside the large walls of windows. Chez Michallet accepts all major credit cards, and is the priciest of the three - dinners typically top $30 per person. They serve wine; there is no bar area.
All three restaurants feature vegetarian options on their menus.
Paris Commune:
411 Bleecker Street (between West 11th & Bank Streets)
(212) 929-0509
Grange Hall:
50 Commerce Street (at Barrow)
(212) 924-5246
Chez Michallet:
90 Bedford Street (corner of Grove)
(212) 242-8309
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
illuminatrix
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Location: New York City
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 27 members
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