While the Meatpacking district may be so "Not" the Lower East Side, and particularly Clinton Street is definitely "Hot." Until recently, (WD-50) I had shied away from trekking over to this side of the city but last night I made it back again to dine at Alias. With a new chef at the helm, Anthony Rose, late of Washington Park (which in case you hadn't heard opened as Cru this week) the menu has taken a turn for the seasonal, highlighting fresh local produce in all of the dishes.
The space is tiny, with a view into the kitchen from almost any seat in the room. On a Thursday at 9 the restaurant was full and lively with some locals lingering at the bar. The menu changes daily and tonight heirloom tomatoes, fresh corn and okra were the featured items. We ordered some plates from "Medium" and "Tomatoes," starting with a delicious green and yellow bean salad with fennel, sage and parsley. We also sampled the heirloom tomato salad with fried okra and buttermilk aioli and a flaky sweet onion tart with fresh mozzarella and tomato. Though I hail the arrival of the praised heirloom tomato as much as anyone, I have not been overly excited by their appearance on menus across the City. The most inspiring tomato salad I've eaten was at of all places Steakhouse V (which received yet another luke warm review to appear in New York Mag on Monday), which was served simply with a basil oil and frizzled onion rings. My advice for the rest of the summer would be to skip the tomato salads, buy some yourself at the Greenmarket or Manhattan Fruit Exchange and enjoy in your own kitchen.
It was a heavy "Fish" crowd so I was able to sample each if the choices, the tuna with cranberry beans and olives, mussels with bi-color corn, potatoes and okra and Nova Scotia lobster with creamed corn, cherry tomatoes and portabello. The one meat eater had the hanger steak with potato mash and another tomato side, which was pretty basic and a bit tough for my liking. The flavors were all straightforward and well integrated in each dish, but the lobster was hands down the winner, though the most prominent flavor in it was most definitely butter. For dessert the Il Laboratorio Sundae was delightfully refreshing composed of brownie, mint chip gelato and fresh fruit. We also tasted a fresh (but small) piece of a very peachy upside down cake.
The menu advertised for a $25 Sunday Supper of three courses (a steal!) and as the weather turns colder I am sure that this will be the perfect Sunday night spot to sample autumnal flavors and ingredients. Though I will definitely return to see what turns up come September, with restaurants lining the block and others opening soon, I have much more to taste before then.
Alias
76 Clinton Street
212 505 5011
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