NYC: The Ace Hotel opens The Breslin restaurant
Today, The Sensible Aesthete dropped by The Breslin, an edgy bar and restaurant that debuted at The Ace Hotel in Manhattan's Flatiron district this past weekend.
Bloggers have been salivating to try out the brunch, and have already weighed in on it at Eater and HotelChatter.
Early reports are good: The stylish Ace Hotel boutique chain does right by foodies with The Breslin.
Helmed by the owners of the West Village gastropub Spotted Pig—which was famously invested in by Mario Batali, Jay-Z, and Bono—the new restaurant is open off of the Ace's lobby for breakfast, lunch, and (the aforementioned) brunch.
Who could resist trying out this vintage-inspired, hipster hangout? Named after the hotel that used to be at the site, The Breslin fetishizes comfortable, centuries-old British pubs. Think dark wood paneling and flooring. Keeping with the theme, food is served on planks of wood.
Lobbyists from the beef and pork industry ought to hold meetings here. The decor runs to miniature carved pigs and cows—and wall-mounted pastoral prints of pigs and cows.
What to eat? Try the beef tongue baguette sandwich with a cup of lentil soup ($16).
A hotel guest dining beside me was thrilled with her ham-and-three-cheese sandwich, for $16. We agreed that we'd each return for fatty slabs of terrine: guinea hen with morels/"rustic pork"/rabbit and prune/head cheese, served with pickles, piccalilli and mustard (from $25 for a small shared plate).
Traveling solo? Belly up to the bar, a preferred spot for dining because it increases your chance of rubbing shoulders with the locals. Two cask beers are available, plus five more brews on tap, including an $8 pint of Defiant Muddy Creek.
Be patient, though. My meal took 22 minutes to arrive. Yet who's eying the clock while on vacation?
The Breslin, 20 W. 29th St.; reservations are recommended, given that the bar and restaurant can fit a maximum of 180 persons total.
Where—or what—should The Sensible Aesthete review next?
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