Double Duty for Pete Wells This Week

Pete Wells files a double review this week on Peter Hoffman's Back Forty and Back Forty West.

Back Forty West comes to us as the replacement to Peter Hoffman's Greenmarket visionary Savoy, which operated in the same building, on the corner of Crosby and Prince, for over twenty years before closing last June.

The menus at the BF and BFW share "an overall philosophy," but are no means identical.  "Back Forty West isn’t a total clone. It’s more like a fraternal twin, sharing the logo and the look of the first place, along with a few menu items and an overall philosophy."

"Over the last month or so, I’ve had a string of extremely pleasant meals at second-generation Back Forty West, and a succession of sloppy, careless ones at the place it was modeled after. It’s as if Back Forty has gone into a long, jealous sulk, like a family cat that responds to the arrival of a new baby by hiding under the couch and scratching at anybody who gets too close."

His experiences at the restaurants leave Wells awarding zero stars to Back Forty, who gets pegged 'Fair', while Back Forty West receives a solid two stars.

Savoy to Open as More Casual Back Forty, Dubbed Back Forty West

After a 20 year run, Savoy shut its doors last June and but will soon emerge from hibernation.

The new digs will be called Back Forty West and offer a similar menu to Hoffman's Back Forty in the East Village in a more casual setting.  Chef Shanna Pacifico will make the move from Back Forty and get Back Forty West up and running in a couple of months.

Is it too much to ask for an honorary cassoulet?