Immaculate Infatuation

While we stand by our claim that there is not a more influential endorsement a restaurant can receive than one from this site, we’ll admit that a seated and former president can probably compete. If you’ve ever been to Il Mulino, you can probably guess that Bill Clinton was the one who picked the venue when he and Obama lunched there recently. Il Mulino is definitely a Slick Willy kind of place. The restaurant is a New York institution. An alpha-dog hot spot that most people around town will passionately defend as the best of it’s kind, even though the service is cold and the food heavy handed and extravagant. It’s a place that even though will piss you off at times, you still love it. The Bill Clinton of restaurants indeed.

Eating at Il Mulino is an exercise in tolerance. You’ll have to tolerate a lot to eat some good, though incredibly rich and over the top Itlaian food. The surly wait staff, impossible to secure reservations, ridiculously expensive everything – read a Zagat’s and it seems that all is forgiven with a little bit of Clintonesque charm. Il Mulino definitely isn’t an Immaculate Infatuation favorite, but as we do with Bill – we’ll give some credit where credit’s due.

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More so than any other section of NYC, West Village restaurants have a common neighborhood feel to them. Like the people who flock to them, these spots are understated, stylish and well groomed. The current king of the scene? Cafe Cluny. It doesn’t get much cuter (did I just say that?) than this place as it’s nestled on the ideal corner of W. 4th and W. 12th. Cluny is money for breakfast and a reliable option for lunch and dinner as well. It’s pretty much a can’t miss for all kinds of Infatuation “Perfect For” categories including Chronic Brunch , Neighborhood Hang , Date Night and After Work Drinks & Dinner. Next time you’re grabbing food in the WV, avoid the two hour wait at Joseph Leonard, don’t even consider The Place next door and get your Cluny on.

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We’ve been meaning to get to this Tribeca favorite for a while now, and we’re glad we finally did. The Harrison is the exactly kind of restaurant that we love – nice but not fancy, classy but not stuffy, with excellent food and unflappable consistency. It’s a great all-purpose dinner destination, and apparently that’s no secret. Most nights, the restaurant is operating at capacity, hosting a meal to all walks of New York life: singles, couples, neighborhood families, celebs, and models on dates with old guys. Why? Well because he’s got a lot of money and probably gives her drugs. Oh…why such a diverse crowd? Because The Harrison is one of the few places in town that gets it done no matter what you’re out for.

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Tia Pol is an ultimate Infatuation “Early In The Game” date spot. Take the edge off, have a couple glasses of wine, and maybe some sangria while you’re at it too. Conversation will be flowing freely, you’ll be sharing quality small plates and before you know it, you’ll wind up back in her apartment listening to Lady GaGa while you play grab-ass on the couch. Just beware, there’s pretty much standard half hour wait at Tia Pol; a good thing in case you realize the person next to you is a disease and you need to bail after one drink.

If dating is not your game, come here with a large group and share everything on the menu. The small dishes are a good excuse to sample the entire menu and not feel like a fat-ass. Note: don’t even attempt coming in with a group larger that 3 without a reservation.

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It would seem to us here at Immaculate Infatuation that the only way to properly assess the fawned over revival of the Minetta Tavern is to take aim directly at the ridiculous love fest that both the national and New York food media has had with the place. Let’s start here – everyone chill the f–k out.

I don’t want to start this review out with negativity, but it’s only fair that we discuss what has been said about Minetta. All the hype led us in with high expectations, as it would with anyone paying attention to the heavy hitters like The New York Times, New York Magazine, and The Food Network. It’s one thing to read a chorus of glowing reviews about a new restaurant online, but once Frank Bruni crowns Minetta Tavern “the best steakhouse in the city,” you should be expecting perfection. It’s also probably worth mentioning that Tyler Florence went off about the burger on the Food Network for a full half hour, but then again, anything that guy puts in his mouth on television is “fantastic.” That being said, here’s the Infatuation bottom line: while the food at Minetta Tavern is very good, it does not, and can not live up to all the hype. Is it the best steakhouse in New York? No way.

Our meal at Minetta was definitely satisfying, but there were some notable let-downs. The $26 Black Label Burger is excellent, and the cheaper Minetta Burger is also very good, but going to a place like this just for a burger seems counter-intuitive … a burger joint, this is not. For starters, there is a gigantic bouncer with a clip board at the door, and reservations at a decent hour are nearly impossible to secure. The room is appealing and the service is good, but an attempt at exclusivity diminishes the charm. If Minetta Tavern were a little cheaper, a little more accessible, and a little less Waverly Inn, it could be one of the great restaurants in New York for a long time to come. We’ll see if it can continue to thrive under the weight of such great expectations.

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