Marvelous Minetta

The first weekend back in the city since July 4th was an exciting one! Not only did I get some quality beach time out in Long Island, but I also visited Keith McNally's hot spot Minetta Tavern. We scored a reservation easily for a Saturday night, but each table was filled and there were many people waiting at the bar. My first thought when I got out of the cab and saw the bouncer standing outside the door was "I'm definitely not cool enough to be in here." But once he smiles at you and opens the door, a wave of casualness comes over you. The vibe is reminiscent of what the place looked like back in the 30's when it was a Italian restaurant in the Village. Old photos grace the walls with wooden tables and chairs back to back to each other in the main dining room. Black and white checkered tiles line the floors and you wonder, why is this such a hot spot? Then you take a glance around the room and spot Brooke Shields and Juliana Margolies chatting with each other like no big deal.

We knew going in that we had to order the Black Label burger but the rest of the choosing was so hard! An asparagus salad stood out under the appetizers, but there were too many yummy main courses that we turned the za za pasta into a starter. It was easy enough to share and wasn't too creamy or heavy. Very lightly seasoned with thick pieces of fatty pancetta, sage, Parmesan and a fried egg on top.

Then we ordered 2 black label burgers cooked medium one with fries and one with a salad. A special striped bass served with summer vegetables and a side of the anna potatoes.

The burgers were juicy and delicious. There was no cheese necessary because they had caramelized onions on top. The bun was fresh and soft and my first bite definitely made juices go running down my hand. The fries were thin and salty, think similar to McDonald's but not as greasy. The fish was lightly seasoned with a little olive oil. It wasn't fabulous but it was cooked well and wasn't too heavy. I liked the vegetables best about that dish - grilled bell peppers and eggplant. And then the side of anna potatoes - everyone must get them when they go. They are thinly slices new potatoes fried in duck fat. They come out so crispy and delicious it was hard to save room for dessert.

But good thing we did, because 20 minutes after we ordered an amazing chocolate souffle came to our table. Light, fluffy, full of flavor and they didn't even need to pour anything in like they sometimes do. I went back for seconds even though my stomach was beyond expansion.

The service, scene and food were all seriously impeccable. They didn't treat us any different than the celebrities sitting a few tables away. Now that I've been there once, I'm not rushing back so I'll give you all a chance to score a table.

I also suggest trying one of their signature cocktails. The prices are steep, but the one I had (something Sophie) was perfect for a summer night.