Jane: Refined in West Village
I went to Jane last Friday night with two of my friends. I've actually been meaning to come for brunch or lunch (since that's what they're really known for), but I've been away for the past few weekends taking care of some family errands. Yes, I know what you're thinking. All thissss *gestures to rock hard abs and stunning athletic figure* also comes with a great personality. Miracles do happen.
Anyway, I was very pleased with my first time here. I'd recommend Jane to anyone. I was especially happy with the service. The hostesses were incredibly welcoming. Our waitress was super attentive and nice, like your friendly neighborhood Spider-man. After we ordered our meals, we waited quite a while for our food to come. It's possible that they might have been understaffed that night or something. But, the manager was kind to give each of us a small plate of Watermelon Salad. It came with heirloom tomatoes, feta, mâche, and balsamic syrup. The restaurant is well-designed and spacious. It also has a basement area for private events.
Jane, I will be back for brunch.
Address: 100 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012
Recommendations:
Toasted Ricotta Gnocchi with parmesan, Italian parsley, and white truffle crème
Brussels Sprouts
Big Pot of Mussels with white wine-tomato broth, garden herbs, fries
Filet Mignon with onion marmalade and blue cheese
Steak Frites (flat iron) with rosemary fries and bearnaise sauce
Grilled Swordfish with paella risotto, chorizo, and piperade
Seared Diver Scallops with Shrimp Toast, Tomato Fondue, and Basil Salad
To start, we ordered the Toasted Ricotta Gnocchi with parmesan, Italian parsley, and white truffle crème. I am severely addicted to truffle. It has such a great scent and makes almost everything taste better. Gnocchi is traditionally made with potatoes. However, Jane makes it with ricotta, which makes it lighter and creamier. Jane also toasts the gnocchi instead of boiling it. This gives the gnocchi a nice, crisp layer on the outside. I kind of wish that they had added something savory like bits of pancetta or bacon. Nevertheless, the dish was devoured in just a few minutes, i.e. DELETED.
For my friend’s entree, she ordered the Grilled Swordfish with paella risotto, chorizo, and piperade. Swordfish is like the steak of the sea. It's heavy, meaty, and firm. It is usually grilled because the flavor is mild, less fishy, and goes well with that burnt, smokey flavor. The risotto was nice and perfectly moist. Sometimes, risotto can be too watery from being cooked in too much broth. Watery risotto is sad. It's like rice and puppy tears.
The flavor was just enough to complement the mildness of the swordfish. There were bits of chorizo in the risotto, which gave it a good spicy kick. More like a tiny kick from a small child, rather than a Bruce Lee kick to the face. The piperade was awesome. It looks like chopped up pieces of fruit but it's actually made with yellow bell peppers (I think?). Usually, piperade is made with sautéed tomatoes, green/red/yellow peppers, and onions. I like that they added it to this dish because it's sweet at first but it gets peppery towards the end.
I ordered the Cavatelli, equipped with a ten-hour short rib ragu and mascarpone. Cavatelli is a type of pasta. They look like hot dog buns. You think I'm kidding but I'm being completely serious... for once. Google it. They look like miniature hot dog buns for miniature people or hamsters. The ten-hour short rib tasted so good that I lost consciousness for a few seconds. Since it was slow-cooked for so long, all the tough connective tissues broke down leaving behind all the soft, meaty goodness.
For dessert, we got the Honey Panna Cotta because I can't resist panna cotta. I was also curious to try it because I had never tasted a panna cotta with greek yogurt before. It turned out to be really tasty! I like panna cotta because it's light, creamy, gelatinous, and bouncy. Jane's panna cotta was creamier, thicker, and heavier than a regular panna cotta. The strawberry consomme was alright. I liked the sea salt brittle a lot because it gave the dessert an extra texture component, similar to how people like to eat granola with yogurt.