Mercer Kitchen

Our latest family dinner was Amy's pick and I was a little worried for my wallet when she picked Mercer Kitchen.  Nevertheless, I was excited to have an excuse to visit such a swanky place and even more excited that our usual crew expanded for the evening to accommodate our cousins who were passing through the city on vacay. 

The decor is simple and segmented.  One area is filled with traditional two- and four-tops while another (where we appropriately sat) featured long farm-style group tables.  I thought the blue lights behind the bar were a little dated, but I absolutely loved the pristine open kitchen.  I kept sneaking peaks at the copper pots and white subway tiles that lined the walls and hung from the ceiling.  I loved watching the chefs grab a handful of herbs from the garden that divided the kitchen from the dining area.  It doesn't get fresher than that. 

This Jean-Georges restaurant is not known for being cheap, but if you navigate the menu properly you don't have to spend a ton.  I went the two app route and found it to be the perfect portion and price.  I started with the sea bass carpaccio with lime, coriander, and mint (from that herb garden).  It was wonderfully tart from the lime and bright with the mint - great for the warm June evening.  The fish also seemed a little meatier than what you normally find in a carpaccio dish.  It was served with fresh rosemary breadsticks that were perfect for picking up all the extra lime-y oil.  I also tasted two of the other apps that were floating on my end of the table.  Sarah's prosciutto and mozzarella was given new life with the addition of strawberries, rhubarb, and serrano chilis.  It is a combo I would not have come up with myself but it worked.  Sarah's boyfriend Jeremy ordered a raw kale salad that was like a kale version of a caesar - I quite enjoyed it. 

For my main course I had the shrimp salad appetizer.  It seemed to be the least special of the dishes I was choosing between, but the waiter suggested it would follow the carpaccio nicely.  He was right.  The salad featured large shrimp, plenty of avocado, and some sort of fancy mushroom that made it filling enough to serve as an entree.  The acidity of the champagne vinaigrette was a nice sequel to the carpaccio of course number one.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm glad I had the little push of a family dinner to get me to this restaurant.  The food was good, they make a great dirty martini, and I had the added benefit of strolling Soho before dinner.