When Eel Bar opened last summer, the weight of expectation was heavy. For a certain kind of New Yorker — I am one — Eel Bar’s sister restaurants (Hart’s, Cervo’s, the Fly) represent a halcyon ideal of “our” places: cozy, boozy, tasty, and, for a half a minute or so, semi-secret. Not so at Eel Bar; it was jammed from the jump. Aaron Crowder, Cervo’s longtime chef and a partner at both restaurants, did double duty between the two, and the menus overlapped. You could get a very good half-chicken at either with good fries. Mussels escabeche at Cervo’s — spicy, coral colored, just barely cured in preserved lemon — became fried mussels, stained paprika orange, at Eel Bar. If you can popcorn a shrimp, why not a mussel?
Eel Bar felt great. Its room was sexy, all textured glass and stainless steel. Rather than one long galley, the bar here looked out over the dining room, and the dining room looked back over the bar — you could make eyes across the room, if the mood struck. Eel Bar was a perfect vibes restaurant in the complimentary sense, like all the group’s establishments. Founding chef Nick Perkins cut his teeth, not to mention met several of his partners, at Diner in Williamsburg. Diner, Andrew Tarlow’s first venture, was a previous generation’s vibes restaurant, where the cooking was quality but the ambience was never taken for granted.
Like Tarlow and his team before them, Perkins and his partners — Nialls Fallon and Perkins’s wife, Leah Campbell; and, later, Taylor Ward among others — understood that food alone wasn’t enough. The light had to be right, the soundtrack had to be perfect, the interiors had to be just so, like the apartment build-out you’d have done for yourself if you had just enough cash but not more. The food was always good but not showy, recalling the coastal cuisines of Spain, Portugal, and Italy without ever landing on one specific reference point. You got the feeling that these were chefs cooking for themselves and their neighbors, not for stars, turning up the dials in ballsy, cost-conscious, approachable ways. Roe, not caviar. Horseradish, raw onions, and anchovies everywhere as amplifiers. The burgers, too: lamb with anchovies at Hart’s and Cervo’s, beef with anchovies and ripe Roquefort at Eel Bar. Extra on extra. Game on!
When Hart’s opened in 2016, in an unprepossessing shoe-box space next to the elevated Franklin Avenue C train, I lived a ten-minute walk away and wandered in uninvited during the friends-and-family pre-opening. I was neither friend nor family, until I was. It was easy to become a regular there, the way I’d always hoped it would be somewhere. Cervo’s followed, in 2017, then the Fly, a more casual chicken spot with an island-taverna energy.
In short order, each of the group’s restaurants went from if-you-know-you-know to everybody-knows. Reservations for a comparatively tiny number of tables and bar seats became scarce. Michelin took notice of Hart’s and then Cervo’s, a place where only the luckiest diners get a seat back. (Servers navigate the narrow passage between bar seats and one row of tables in the front room like flight attendants.) What used to be these restaurants’ peculiarities — a very Spanish appreciation for vermouth, bitter greens, all that mayonnaise — became the norm.
But something at Eel Bar didn’t quite work. The food wasn’t as polished as it was at Cervo’s. The potato salad, snowed over with roe, was kind of gloopy. Chicken-and-pork meatballs were good, and so were the fries, but serving them together diminished both, weirdly. Eel Bar was hot, there was no question. But it wasn’t great. And Cervo’s, which hovered over the place like a grandstanding big brother, was as it had been, only three blocks away.
It’s an unfortunate reality for restaurants that heat tends to gather at the outset, when everything is least tested. That’s not always the best time to visit. Eel Bar needed to stretch its legs, establish its rhythm. Seven months in, the restaurant has gotten its footing. During a few revisits this month, I found it markedly improved since my meals there last year.
The menu hasn’t changed dramatically, but the confidence and ambition have. Like Cervo’s, Eel Bar feels more like a bar that serves food than a restaurant that serves drinks, and if that’s the case, these are lucky drinks. You will, no question, leave redolent of anchovy, whether you start with a pickled-cucumber Gilda or not, and I wouldn’t suggest wearing anything you’ll worry might get stained with oil. There are still a few dishes that are simple to the point of silliness — that potato salad, onion petals with shavings of cheese — but Eel Bar’s chicken al ajillo, with its blackened skin and scattering of braised beans and Basque peppers, is as good as chickens I’ve paid twice or more to eat at fancier restaurants. A rabbit for two is even better: half a bunny braised in cider with big hunks of carrot and mushroom, the love child of a pot roast and chicken soup, served with a few bare salt-boiled potatoes. Pair it with a sharp, inky salad of tardivo with feathery slices of Garrotxa, a semi-firm Spanish goat cheese that cuts through it all nicely.
If you compare Eel Bar with Cervo’s, as I did, you will still find overlaps. The kitchens are clearly splitting deliveries of seafood and citrus. Sometimes the win goes to one, sometimes to the other. Cervo’s mussels escabeche, usually a terrific dish, was rubbery when I had it recently; Eel Bar’s fried interpretation was better. Both restaurants are doing a soupy bomba rice, not quite risotto: Cervo’s, with spinach and razor clams, got over on Eel Bar’s, with chorizo and just-seared scallops, which wanted a little more acid.
Together, they feel like two halves of the same whole. Crowder is Crowder, wherever he cooks. Yet he has pulled Eel Bar to where Cervo’s was, so now the choice between the two can safely be made on mood. Where Eel Bar is New Wave sexy (“It feels like inventive sushi rolls could be served here,” a friend said), Cervo’s charm is warmer and more Old World, all wood paneling and sherry-colored light. The soundtrack is smoother, the seating more cheek-by-jowl. Is tonight incandescent or neon? Now that the heat has cooled, the choice is yours.
Eel Bar
Where’s the…?
No, there is no eel served at Eel Bar. Yes, the servers have heard the joke already, and no, they don’t want to talk about it.
When Wet Ain’t It
The bar’s “filthy martini” is a better dirty than most, with just enough brine and a splash of sherry.
Haute to Go
This group also runs Minnow, a tinned-seafood concern with sardines, mussels, cod liver, or landlubbing snails you can take home.
More Reviews
ADVERTISEMENT:
Halo, sobat pengemar slots pernahkah denger semboyan “raja slot? jika belum, siap-siap jatuh hati dengan program ini. slot gacor adalah mesin slots yang sering memberi win. Ya, mesin-mesin ini bisa disebut adalah jagoannya tuk bawa come back hasil. any way, gimana sih
tekniknya nemuin slot gacor yang benar? Santai Bro and Sis, kita bahas santai aja di tempat ini
Game terbaik saat ini hanya satu berada Indonesia hanya di pasti menyediakan imbal hasil terbaik
Daftar hanya di :
Informasi mengenai KING SLOT, Segera Daftar Bersama king selot terbaik dan terpercaya no satu di Indonesia. Boleh mendaftar melalui sini king slot serta memberikan hasil kembali yang paling tinggi saat sekarang ini hanyalah KING SLOT atau Raja slot paling gacor, gilak dan gaco saat sekarang di Indonesia melalui program return tinggi di kingselot serta pg king slot
slot demo gacor
slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun demo slot gacor
akun demo slot gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun slot demo gacor
akun slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun demo slot pragmatic
akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun slot demo pragmatic
akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun slot demo
akun slot demo permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun demo slot
akun demo slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
slot demo gacor
slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun demo slot gacor
akun demo slot gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun slot demo gacor
akun slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun demo slot pragmatic
akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun slot demo pragmatic
akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun slot demo
akun slot demo permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun demo slot
akun demo slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
slot demo gacor
slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun demo slot gacor
akun demo slot gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun slot demo gacor
akun slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun demo slot pragmatic
akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun slot demo pragmatic
akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun slot demo
akun slot demo permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun demo slot
akun demo slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
slot demo gacor
slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun demo slot gacor
akun demo slot gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun slot demo gacor
akun slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun demo slot pragmatic
akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun slot demo pragmatic
akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun slot demo
akun slot demo permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun demo slot
akun demo slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
situs slot terbaru
situs slot terbaru permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
slot terbaru
slot terbaru permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
merek 88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama merek88.net
merek 88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama merek88.com
mantan99 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama mantan99.asia
mantan88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama mantan88.asia
maksimal88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama maksimal88.biz
maksimal88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama maksimal88.asia
liburan88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama liburan88.com
indodax88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama indodax88.org
indah99 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama indah99.asia
indah88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama indah88.asia
ikn88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama ikn88.asia
ibukota88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama ibukota88.com
huawei88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama huawei88.asia
hot888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama hot888.asia
hot88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama hot88.sale
dingin88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dingin88.net
citra88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama citra88.asia
binance88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama binance88.net
best99 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama best99.info
best88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama best88.asia
tradisional 88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama tradisional88.net
tradisional 88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama tradisional88.com
tombol88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama tombol88.org
tombol88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama tombol88.net
survey88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama survey88.net
survey88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama survey88.com
start88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama start88.org
start88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama start88.asia
obatkuat88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama obatkuat88.net
obatkuat88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama obatkuat88.com
mcb88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama mcb88.info
mcb88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama mcb88.asia
master99 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama master99.biz
master888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama master888.asia
master88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama master88.asia
live88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama live88.bio
live88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama live88.asia
libra88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama libra88.net
kompresor88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kompresor88.net
kompresor88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kompresor88.com
kesimpulan88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kesimpulan88.net
kesimpulan88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kesimpulan88.com
kapasitor88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kapasitor88.net
kapasitor88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kapasitor88.com
kacamata88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kacamata88.net
kacamata88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kacamata88.com
jamu88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jamu88.info
jamu88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jamu88.asia
jam88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jam88.info
jam88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jam88.asia
follow88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama follow88.org
follow88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama follow88.net
dinamo88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dinamo88.net
dinamo88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dinamo88.info
baterai88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama baterai88.net
baterai88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama baterai88.com
miegacoan permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama miegacoan.life
miegacoan permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama miegacoan.asia
gacoan permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gacoan.org
gacoan permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gacoan.asia
website88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama website88.org
waweb88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama waweb88.net
waweb88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama waweb88.com
translate88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama translate88.net
translate88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama translate88.com
tempur888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama tempur888.info
tempur888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama tempur888.asia
tambang99 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama tambang99.news
tambang99 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama tambang99.asia
support88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama support88.org
support88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama support88.net
support88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama support88.asia
sogoslot88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sogoslot88.asia
siap88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama siap88.news
siap88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama siap88.asia
rog88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama rog88.asia
rog77 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama rog77.info
pt88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pt88.info
pt88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pt88.asia
pln88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pln88.biz
pln88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pln88.asia
oke99 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama oke99.asia
oke88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama oke88.asia
mining88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama mining88.org
livechat88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama livechat88.info
livechat88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama livechat88.asia
listrik88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama listrik88.org
listrik88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama listrik88.info
listrik88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama listrik88.asia
freeport88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama freeport88.net
freeport88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama freeport88.com
free88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama free88.org
free88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama free88.asia
domain88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama domain88.org
domain88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama domain88.asia
dokter888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dokter888.net
dokter888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dokter888.asia
bmkg88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama bmkg88.net
bmkg88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama bmkg88.com
asn88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama asn88.org