Apiary
60 3rd Avenue, East Village, NY
Pleasantly surprising…that’s how I’d describe our recent visit to Apiary. The menu is heavy and meat-centric, but most everything is incredible, especially the steaks and anything that sounds German, which is pretty much everything. Thanks to the recent addition of new chef Scott Bryan (Le Bernardin, Bouley, Gotham Bar & Grill), Apiary has received some good buzz lately, and rightfully so. Apiary is not only a solid local East Village option, it’s a restaurant that should be on everyone’s radar. The food that’s coming out of that kitchen is excellent – top tier quality and at an affordable price. The flavor and texture combinations, presentation and all around attention to detail on each dish really wowed us. You can eat very well here, and even have a drink, for $50 a person. Definitely take advantage of the Sun-Thurs $35 three course tasting menu, that’s a damn good deal. Another plus, Monday is “no corkage” night.
While it is indeed a comfortable place to hang and eat, the one strike against Apiary is the décor. It’s trying a little too hard to be sleek and contemporary. The combination of what looks like glowing flamingo statues in the front window, big flower arrangements in the back and a half-assed play on silhouettes and shadows throughout makes it feel like you’re eating at CB2 showroom on Collins Street in Miami Beach.
Food Rundown:
Artichoke & Baby Arugula
Served with cherry tomatoes and lemon, this was a nice, light way to start the meal.
Braised Pork Belly
Ok- this dish was just straight amazing. A tender piece of pork belly served over a bed of lentils with a poached egg on top. Mush it all together for a forkful of heaven.
Squid Ink Linguine
Served with gulf shrimp, chopped up little neck clams with chili flakes, white wine and basil this pasta dish could have easily come out of the kitchen at Scarpetta. It was that good. If you dig spicy, you need to order this.
Roasted Monkfish
If ever there was a time or place for you to test the waters on a Monkfish order, this is it. Step outside your standard fish rotation of Tuna, Cod and Scallops and live a little. Check what these dudes look like, beastly! Some people think Monkfish tastes like lobster, I don’t really buy that. Although, I do appreciate that it tastes a bit more like shellfish than your typical fish. Bryan’s Monkfish creation is the sleeper of the menu- definitely consider ordering this. What’s appearing to be the norm, Chef Bryan kills it with the sauce and accompaniments. This time in the form of an artichoke, onion and carrot salad along with leeks, tomato and basil.
Roasted Organic Chicken
This half chicken was pretty much done to perfection- moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. The mascarpone cheese polenta it was served over transformed this dish from solid to out of this world.
Orzo “Mac” & Cheese
Great in theory, just wish they’d used a lighter hand with the garlic. It overpowered what could have been a chronic dish.
Blackberry Financier
A moist almond and blackberry cake served with a blackberry sauce. Everyone at the table loved this one.
