The Spotted Pig

The Spotted Pig Hamburger with Shoestring Fries. Picture taken from The Spotted Pig website.

Last week, I went to The Spotted Pig. I didn't bring my camera along, but just wanted to mention it because this Greenwich Village gastropub was amazing. According to wikipedia a gastropub is "a British term for a public house which specializes in high-quality food a step above the more basic 'pub grub'..." I would say that The Spotted Pig is more than a step above a regular pub.

One of the great things about this place is that executive chef April Bloomfield likes to keep it seasonal. I got the halibut with pea puree and sauteed escarole and my friend got braised rabbit with ramps and fiddlehead ferns. We shared a generous portion of shoestring fries which were laced with rosemary and fried garlic slivers. We also got their house beer and a pot of pickles, which unfortunately was just a tiny dish of pickles - not to say they weren't delicious. Click here to take a look at the menu.

What I find wonderful about this place is that it has a casual, laid-back atmosphere, yet the food is on the level of an upscale restaurant. As you walk in, the bar is filled with the neighborhood gang, but when you walk past them you are greeted with bright blue Tartan fabric-covered booths, small stools and quaint tables. There is also an upstairs, but I didn't get a chance to take a look. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive without being pushy. This place is a little pricey, so I would go more often if I could afford to, but for now I will just have to save it for special occasions.

Click here to read an interview with April Bloomfield in The New York Times.

Note: According to Joy of Cooking, Fiddleheads come from the ostrich fern and have a flavor reminiscent of asparagus and artichokes - some say a touch of green beans.