A peek into our New York City babymoon getaway the weekend before Christmas, where we stayed in a cozy Airbnb on West 10th Street with the prettiest aqua door. The West Village is infinitely charming by way of cobblestone streets, historic Federal style townhouses, underground jazz clubs, trendy bars and fantastic restaurants. Below, two of my favorite neighborhood meals.
Barbuto (775 Washington Street) embodies the West Village's casual sophistication and cool neighborhood vibe. The elevated Italian comfort food is very good. We ate: insalata burrata ($16) red and green pears, walnut, oregano / pappardelle con bolognese ($26) veal and pork ragu, tomato, parmesan / gnocchi stagionale ($24) delicata squash, spinach, sage & hazelnut / crostata ($14) Bartlett pear & vanilla gelato / tiramisu ($11) ladyfingers, mascarpone & cocoa.
Barbuto does not take reservations - which actually helped our cause as I hit so many dead ends with popular West Village spots. [Emphasis on popular, I simply researched who had the best reviews. I was booking a week in advance, in actuality you need about a month or two.] If you head to this chic Italian eatery I'd prepare to wait at the bar for 30 minutes until a cozy table for two opens up - preferably alongside the industrial garage doors to soak in the atmosphere both inside and out.
Jeffrey's Grocery (172 Waverly Place) is a West Village restaurant and oyster bar with a stellar weekend brunch. As large windows bathe the understated nautical kisch in a serene Sunday morning light, I am once again enraptured by this neighborhood, reflecting on her endless eateries, bars and coffee shops tucked perfectly into every other street corner. We ate: Spinach-Artichoke Benedict ($20) poached eggs, hollandaise and home fries / Fried Egg Sandwich ($18) wilted spinach, gruyere, pickled peppers, english muffin, fries and lettuces. It was quite possibly one of the best egg sandwiches I have had in recent memory. P.S. They've got a really good looking bloody mary menu; not to mention dinner, cocktail and late night menus; I wouldn't hesitate to check out Jeffery's at any point in your West Village stay.
We walked around a lot, seeing the traditional holiday touristy things; the tree at Rockefeller Center, the Macys windowfronts, Paddy Maguire's Ale House, the Flatiron building as we passed by. We met friends in Columbus Circle for drinks at Ascent Lounge on the 4th floor of the Time Warner Center. The elegant space was matched with gorgeous views of the circle and park, plus friendly bartenders who served Bob a perfect Manhattan.
Of course there is quite a bit more to share before our departure from Grand Central. Stay tuned.
Quite the vibe in NYC, especially Christmas time!
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