CLOSED: Dinner at LEVANTeast
- Cuisine: French/New American
- Atmosphere: modern, spacious, bright
- Attire: business-casual, trendy
- Ideal for: 1x1/small to large group seating, hotel dining
- Must try: Whole Main Steamed Lobster
- Price: Dinner entrees, all under $29
- Reservations: Via phone or opentable.com
- Phone: (212) 796-8040
- Website: www.hotelonrivington.com/thor.html
- Location: 107 Rivington St., (at Ludlow St.)
What’s the space like?
Modern and spacious, decorated in haute gothic-chic. Think: Sprawling black lacquer chandeliers, ornate metallic wall-paper, furniture/sculptures with voluptuous curvature, and a vast overhead skylight illuminating (and encompassing) the entire dining room.
How was the service?
Our waitress was adorably patient, kind, and attentive; though we were the only occupied table at the restaurant for ¾ of our meal. Is 7pm too early for dinner on a Saturday night? Perhaps.
Did you drink?
Yes, I had a chilled-champagne flute filled with “Fresh 75,” a fruity concoction that consisted of: Mango vodka, passion fruit puree, fresh lemon and champagne. The cocktail was simply delicious, but for $21, it damn well better be!
How was the food?
While I’m still unsure what exactly transpired here, what I do know is that the Hotel on Rivington’s restaurant is under new management. Formerly called “Thor,” I was familiar with its French-inspired menu, and was especially fond of the tuna tartare and steak frites. Thor certainly changed management and chef hands a number of times, but hopefully with a revamped menu (courtesy of Cannes-born chef Laurent Brunacci), new management (under Matt Levine, who is also linked to The Eldridge and Georgica) and a snazzy new name, “LEVANTeast” (‘levant’ means ‘lower’ in French; the restaurant is located in the ‘Lower Eastside’ of Manhattan), this restaurant will flourish.
- Bread basket & olive oil: Look, I rarely mention a restaurant’s bread basket…Unless it’s over-the-top phenomenal, or just down-right dismal. For a higher-end joint, I was kind of surprised by the bread basket’s lack of excitement. There was nothing wrong with the sliced baguette, but I found the accompanying dish of olive oil (with floating clumps of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and the saddest-looking rosemary sprig you’ve ever seen) an embarrassing afterthought. What’s wrong with some good ol’ fashioned butter?
- Whole Maine Steamed Lobster: Could they have made it any easier for this girl from the land-locked corner of Texas? Seriously, had our waitress not informed me that the lobster was de-shelled prior to plating, there’s no way in hell I would have ordered it as my entrée. I’ve worked for my lobster meat once before, and I’d rather not relive the horror (trust me - it involved blood, sweat and tears). An oval dinner plate came topped with the entire shell-less crustacean, white and purple “new” potatoes drenched in butter, lime-green fava beans, grilled ripe peach slices and a small bowl of drawn butter. The snow-white lobster flesh was perfectly cooked and tasted as if it were living just moments before making its appearance on my plate. Paired with a hunk of the smoky-sweet grilled peach, followed by a quick dive in to the savory drawn, the trinity of flavors was triumphant…Especially on a warm summer evening.
What’s pricing like?
In my opinion, LEVANTeast’s food prices are fair for the quality and quantity received. However, I found pricing on the cocktail menu to be outrageous even by Manhattan standards:
- Fresh 75 (cocktail): $21
- Whole Maine Steamed Lobster: $28
Will you return to LEVANTeast?
Perhaps, though I wouldn't go out of my way. On my next visit, I’d like to sample the brunch specialties and perhaps the restaurant’s signature burger. I also hear that LEVANTeast is quite the place to be after dark…Now, if I could just find that sugar-daddy to buy me those pricey drinks!!