I like my shiny new toys a little bit worn-in

Trying San Sabino and Eel Bar months after opening, and sharing a run-down of the new restaurants I'm most excited for this Spring.

I was asked this week if the restaurants I pick (and subsequently the content of this newsletter) focus only on the newest, buzziest openings. After all, New York, more so than other cities, is a dining culture hyper-fixated on the shiniest new toys. Us armies of hungry diners march toward them with insatiable fervor, eager to be the first to stamp “The Corner Store” on our invisible passports.

Trust me, I surely am not above pouncing on a place the week it opens or the moment Helen Rosner drops her New Yorker review of it (I’m eyeing you, Sunn’s). But dining out this week reminded me just how much pleasure can also be found in letting our toys get a little bit dusty on the shelf first, in order to make that Resy easier, to enjoy smoother service and a refined menu, to calm overly pressurized, sky-high expectations. San Sabino and Eel Bar opened in March and June of last year, respectively, but I went to each for the first time this week. I was just looking for a good time with good food that I could book relatively last-minute, and I was met with experiences that felt smooth, self-assured and downright enjoyable.

Dispatches from the Corner Booth

Tales from a week of dining.

A laid-back visit to Don Angie’s seaside sister before a showing of Oscar-nominated animated shorts in West Village.

What in the easy breezy beautiful is going on at San Sabino? I had a pang of fear walking into this buzzy restaurant that they’d sneer at me over a guest being 15 minutes late. Instead, this place exuded the laid-back confidence that only the more well-oiled, smooth-operating machines can give off.

Once seated, every dish came to life with their own distinct personality, revving up backstage to come out and surprise me with their unexpected tricks. The martini, named Scottie, ate a hunk of garlic bread before slinking out. The spicy tuna thought it’d be fun to cosplay as a cream puff, sandwiched in between flavorful balls of broken arancini. The spritz was drunk on liquor-soaked fruit and wearing a pineapple hat. The crab was minding his own business as a dip in its own body, yet somehow had the most to say. The farfalle pasta was taking a luxurious, rich bubble bath. Go ahead, call these performers over-the-top Instagram bait; but try them, and I bet they’ll get you smiling and clapping, too. Bravo, cast, you delighted me.

Then it was off to the nearby IFC Center for what is always guaranteed to be an entertaining rollercoaster of an experience: the Oscar-nominated animated shorts. They range from the heartfelt to the powerful to the absurd, to the occasional animated penis (?). My favorites this year were Magic Candies from Japan and Yuck! from France. I have my ballot printed and I’m ready for Oscar Sunday.

A very European after-work tapas date in Dimes Square.

The glorious feeling of some sunshine and 50 degree weather this week had me in the mood to wine and dine like a European on the coast of Spain. Eel Bar in Dimes Square popped into my head to fulfill this idealistic vision, the latest venture from the team behind Cervo’s, Hart's, and The Fly. With some mixed reviews at opening and a menu with mains that didn’t quite speak to me (see: Meatballs & Fries), I had been trepidatious to try for a full dinner; but for an early snacks and drinks, I was impressed.

We walked in at 5:30 for walk-in seats at the beautiful bar, ogling at the moody effect that pebbled glass and neon lights can have on a space. Then, the parade of tapas-style snacks: large oysters with paprika (good), fried mussels (great), croquetas with spinach and ham (excellent). I basked in the satisfaction of taking sips of my negroni-esque Sharona cocktail in between bites of these flavor bombs. After, I sucked down the remaining oils in each empty shell and greedily swiped up the residual flavors on every plate.

A really good sandwich and a murder mystery in Maryland.

I drove down to Maryland this past weekend to attend a very fabulous murder mystery birthday party with my college friends. I’m a proud fast food trashcan on road trips, so we stopped at Burger King for chicken fries on the way down and and then McDonald’s for egg mcmuffins + hash browns on the way back. All types of dishes deserve their place in this newsletter too, ok?

But while there, I had a sneakily good sandwich from the quaint John Brown General & Butchery called the “Jam-Bon Jovi.” It was a knock-out, with delicate ham, gruyère cheese, hot honey vinaigrette and fennel salad on a toasted baguette. Aka, critical fuel before transforming into my character for the night, 1920s movie star Lucy Carmichael, and preparing to solve a murder.

Bathroom Mirror Selfie

Design inspiration from restaurants.

I couldn’t get enough of Eel Bar’s sultry, moody, European feel. Instead of a plethora of tchotchkes, the design here relies primarily on the power of strategically placed mirrors, the mysteriousness of textured glass, the warmth of dark wood paneling, the punch of neon lights and the slickness of silver accents. And of course, a bevy of perfect martini coupes. A few finds inspired by the space all linked here!

1. Short, chic wine glasses are the name of the game here. I love these options from Bormioli Rocco, West Elm, Artemest or Terrain.

2. Beautiful vintage glass wall sconces from Etsy here, here and here.

3. Silver accent vases like this one or this vintage find.

4. Bring on the retro vibes with pink and blue neon lights.

5. They were burning the Keap Timur Moon candle.

6. Might need to rock this Eel Bar hat moving forward.

The Reservation Desk

Curated dining suggestions.

Dilemma: Dinner with parents in early Spring. I received this one last week but I wanted to circle back to it, in light of this week’s fake Spring that defrosted my soul and put me in better spirits to answer it. Here are some new spots, both currently open and upcoming, that I’d want to bring the ‘rents to once Spring actually arrives.

• Crevette, West Village | I’m dying to give this ambitious seafood spot another try once their patio is open and I can eat ten orders of the tuna on crispy potato with the sunshine on my face.

• Chez Fifi, UES | If your parents are feeling fancy, take them uptown for a visit to The Met, drinks at Bemelmans Bar and then dinner at this splurge of a French restaurant. Dad, if you’re reading this, can I convince you to try the $160 chicken with me?

• The View, Midtown | The Times Square revolving restaurant is back, and I think a parent visit is the perfect excuse to try it. You’ll likely need an option in this area anyway if they want to catch a Broadway show.

• Bartolo, West Village (Opening April) | The Ernesto’s team is opening a new Spanish spot, described by chef Ryan Bartlow as a “more Madrid-style” menu and a “more sophisticated” vibe than its sibling.

• I Cavallini, Williamsburg (Opening May) | I can’t even wrap my head around how hard this reservation is going to be once this new Italian spot from The Four Horsemen folks opens, but boy am I excited for it.

• Chateau Royale, Greenwich Village (Opening Spring) | French food, table side cocktails and dark green leather booths in a two-floor townhouse, from the Libertine owner? Sure.

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