Serious Eats: New York
Raising the Bar: Tuesday Nights at Allen & Delancey
In her column "Raising the Bar," author of Bionic Bites Tia Kim will be checking out the grub at a different bar each week.
[Photos: Tia Kim]
For me, a drink on a Tuesday night can mean only one thing: drinks at Allen & Delancey. On Tuesday nights, all the carefully made cocktails at Allen & Delancey, which normally cost $16, are $8. In times like these, that's something I can appreciate. But what about the food at the bar? Are the eats as good? This week, I descended upon the bar area to find out, and discovered the food was worthy of the fine drinks.
We sampled several plates from the bar menu—which I was pleased to discover was more extensive than the one listed on the restaurant's website—including a mild Tête de Cochon with a delicate pear mostarda ($16). But the table favorite was the simple Grilled Bologna & Cheese ($7), a grilled mortadella and fontina sandwich. (The meat is listed on the menu as "bacon roll," but according to the kitchen, it's mortadella.) It's a fancy grown-up version of a childhood favorite, but in miniature form. And I stress, miniature. The sandwich was delicious, but the general consensus was we would have been even happier if it was larger or came two to a plate.
Another highlight of the evening was the Garbanzo Beans ($12) with smoked tongue, tomatoes, and pickled shallots. Smoked with an earthy sweetness, the diced tongue and the nutty garbanzo beans contrasted nicely with the tangy shallots and tomatoes. I loved every bite, especially with the crusty bacon sage rolls brought hot to the table.
As for drinks, the cocktail format is interesting at Allen & Delancey. There are basically five cocktails on the menu, but each has two variations. According to the menu, "No. 1 is light and festive" and "No. 2 showcases a base spirit." I tried both versions of the William and Mary ($8 on Tuesdays), and while I found the No. 1 (made with gin, lime, yellow chartreuse, maraschino, rose, and lavender bitters; pictured right) refreshing, on that particular night with snow still on the ground, I wanted a stiff drink to warm me up. The No. 2 (made with gin, vermouth bianco, green chartreuse, and a dash of cinnamon bark tincture; pictured above) fit the bill.
Tuesday nights downtown used to mean drinks at Allen & Delancey, but after a tasting of the bar menu, as long as drinks are half-off, Tuesday nights now mean dinner and drinks at Allen & Delancey. And for those who don't drink, or eat more than they drink, on Thursdays the bar food is 10 percent off.
115 Allen Street (b/n Delancey and Rivington St; map), New York, NY 10002
212-253-5400
restaurant.allenanddelancey.net