Chez Sardine Gets Ichi Star

[courtesy chezsardine.com]Gabe Stulman opened Perla at the beginning of 2012. Former Babbo chef Michael Toscano commands the kitchen there, and in May last year, Pete Wells filed a two-star review on the restaurant. Chez Sardine, Stulman's fifth, opened in November, and today Wells gives the restaurant one star.

Chez Sardine is the restaurant group's first Asian restaurant, loosely inspired by Japanese izakayas (restaurants we love to eat in). Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly is the chef, and he's got four years at Au Pied De Cochon on his resume. Between there and Sardine, he created a menu with American and bistro leans at Fedora, another restaurant under Stulman's umbrella.

Pete Wells' review has more than one reference to "Asian Stoner Food," but the menu is not without well-executed food. "Hamachi with chicharrones reads like a declaration of war," Wells begins, "but no. The pork skins add crunch and a savoriness that deepens as you chew and that is kept in check by pickled ginger. And Arctic char, cured with sugar and lime zest and smoked, makes for sushi you could happily eat for breakfast." "And there are lovely little grace notes," he continues, "like the brussels sprouts in brown butter with apple purée, good enough to make you wish Mr. Brunet-Benkritly would take an interest in vegetables more often."

Despite snack, sushi bar, small and large plate options on the menu, "There are, in fact," Wells writes, "very few ways to put together a balanced meal at Chez Sardine." But Stulman's Little Wisco empire has grown even since Chez Sardine. Montmartre opened in Chelsea just three months later; proving, if there were any doubts before, Stulman's got his formula down to a science. Maybe Wells will check in on Montmartre and find more to like on Tien Ho's menu. [NYTimes]

Chez Sardine is Open

Chez Sardine opened last night at 183 West 10th Street. The restaurant is Little Wisco emperor Gabe Stulman's first forray into Japanese cuisine and the izakaya-style restaurant is the next to go from our Taste of Tastes to Come list.

Izakaya is a Japanese drinking establishment where the food is designed to go with the drink. To help make that happen, Stulman called on talent from other Little Wisco restaurants. Fedora chef Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly is in charge of the food at the new 30-seater. The menu hasn't been released yet, but some of the dishes Brunet-Benkritly is serving are smoked arctic char, beef with sea urchin, sushi rice balls with avocado and fish roe, and chicken with kimchi. Perla sommelier Jen Sgobbo put together the list of sake and wine for Sardine. We'll get back to you with more very soon.

183 West 10th Street | 646-360-3705 | www

Pete Wells has Two More for Perla

Pete Wells gives two stars to Gabe Stulman's two-month old Perla in today's review.  Chef Toscano's savory part of the menu is right up Pete's alley.  He finds the veal in one of the anitpasti "thrillingly pink," while a tartare made from a Piedmontese breed of cow is "suave."

When it comes to desserts, it may be in chef Mr. Toscano's interest to hire a pastry chef, "Rustic desserts like chocolate crostata or date cheesecake looked as if they had been dropped on the floor, and fennel cookies showed up one night so underdone that they might have been made in an Easy-Bake oven."

Wells is none too pleased about some of the policies instilled at the restaurant, as he finds "Dining at Perla takes a significant commitment of time and money. The restaurant should make a reciprocal commitment, rather than force customers to stand around near the bar — not at the bar (stools are reserved for dining at peak hours), but near the bar."  "Better values would be welcome and so would reservations."

Perla Turns One Week this Week

Perla is the much buzzed about new restaurant from Gabe Stulman.  At 24 Minetta Lane, it's the fourth restaurant in his Wisco empire, along with Joseph Leonard, Jeffery's Grocery, and Fedora. 

Michael Toscano made the move from Manzo to helm the kitchen at Perla, and with only a few nights of service under its belt, the city has plenty of (mostly good) things to say.

Minetta Lane is in Michael Toscano's Ear and in Gabe Stulman's Eye

When Eataly opened at the end of August in 2010, Michael Toscano made the move from Babbo to head the stoves at Manzo, Eataly's flagship resto.  After a year and a half he will pack up and take his knives to Perla, the new venture from West Village powerhouse Gabe Stulman.

Perla will open in the old Bellavitae space at 24 Minetta Lane.  Chef Toscano's Italian cooking will fit into a traditional antipasti, primi, secondi Italian menu format.  The space boasts a wood burning, brick oven that will lend itself nicely to various roasts for two.

Along with Mr. Toscano comes a pretty all-star staff.