Minetta Tavern

Not much needs to be said about Minetta Tavern — it’s a New York institution for a reason. First opened in 1937 by Eddie “Minetta” Sieveri, it was named after Minetta Brook, a natural watercourse in Manhattan, whose existence seems to be a mystery. It has since been associated with writers such as e.e. Cummings, Ernest Hemingway, Eugene O'Neill, Dylan Thomas, and many others.

In 2009, Minetta Tavern reopened under the ownership of restaurateur mogul Keith McNally (owner of Balthazar, The Odeon, Pastis, etc.). It seemed that there was a subsection of New Yorkers who mourned the loss of one of their own being handed over to a restaurant conglomerate. Thankfully, most of the charm of the restaurant seems intact, with caricatures of famous guests lining the dimly lit walls of the restaurant and dapper waiters seemingly at every table.

But enough talk, let’s get to the food…

Complimentary Bread
We started off with some freshly baked bread, butter, and flaky salt. From a presentation standpoint, I’m a big fan of how they served the salt — even though it’s a “fancy” restaurant, I’m more than happy to use my fingers to pinch and control the exact amount of salt I put on bread. Not the best free bread in Manhattan, but definitely far from the worst!

Foie Gras Terrine — $34
I’ve always had mixed feelings regarding foie gras. Aside from the glaring ethical issues, I feel like there are only a couple of times when the pairing or taste has ever truly been memorable. For Minetta Tavern’s version, initially, what stood out to me was the “terrine” aspect, since I’m kind of a sucker for Americana gelatinous foods of the 1950s. After trying the dish, I wish they had leaned into this aspect a bit more since there was only a small lining of gelatin around the foie gras. Ironically, what stood out to all of us was the ridiculously cute toasted brioche slices that they gave us. We’ll take 10 of those to go, please!

Black Label Burger — $38

Selection of prime dry-aged beef cuts, caramelized onions, pommes frites
Truth be told, the NABI Foodies (Milly, Ruby, and I) were playing a game of “F***, Marry, Kill,” and this burger was my one-night stand. I consider myself to be somewhat of a burger enthusiast, and this was a good burger. Aside from the standard execution of a well-seared and flavored patty, a fluffy bun, and good proportions, the caramelized onions were perfection. There was just something about those well-seasoned onions that took this burger to the next level.

It was by no means oily or greasy in the way a burger can get, but it did lean on the heavier side (hence, the reason for me putting it in a one-night stand category as opposed to marriage). Still, one bite into this burger, and inevitably someone at the table will ask, “What would you rather live without? Good food or good sex?”

Smoked LI Duck Breast — $45
kumquat marmalade, glazed turnips, honey soy glaze
This dish was a last-minute addition to our order, and it ended up being my personal favorite. I’m definitely biased towards duck in general since Duck al'Orange is hands down one of my favorite flavor combinations. After the first bite, it reminded me of one of my favorite dishes, Zhancha duck, or tea-smoked duck. The smokiness and slight gaminess of the duck perfectly complement the sweet and ever-so-slightly bitter taste of the kumquat marmalade. If I were to bring my Asian parents to fine dining, this is what I would order for them. Then, I’d order another one for myself.

Dry-Aged Côte de Boeuf — $189
for two, with roasted marrow bones and gem lettuce salad
Oof, where do I even start? This dish screams showstopper in every possible language. First, they bring you the entire hunk of beef beforehand — to show you the sheer impressiveness of the dish and almost a mental preparation of what you’re about to experience — and when it comes out, there’s truly nothing but oohs and aahs. The meat is perfectly cooked, not too fatty and not too lean. The toasted baguette slices with the bone marrow were the cherry on top for that extra layer of decadence.

The little gem lettuce salad that was served on the side as a palate cleanser was fine. My only complaint is that I realized I’m not the biggest fan of the frites. Maybe we got the bottom batch of fries, but they were crispy to the point of being like chips and so small that I felt like I had to keep eating them like popcorn.

Chocolate Soufflé — $26
As far as soufflés go, this was an excellent one! Our waiter recommended ordering ours with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (which we did), but it’s also served with a crème anglaise. Our Editor-in-Chief, Milly, had the superb idea of ordering some cappuccinos to go with the meal, and it was truly a great fit (also, I was surprised at how good the cappuccino was!)

In terms of an overall dining experience, the food and the ambiance were excellent, but since it was so busy, I kind of felt like I couldn’t linger after every course. If I were to go again, I would definitely order the duck and the burger and would be interested in trying the aligot and the oysters.

Oh, and don’t order a soda here. It was $6 for half a can.