10/26/09

All around lukewarm

by petersondr

I am a NYC fine dining regular and was excited to give Hearth a shot after numerous excellent reviews. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a pleasant hostess and a large, spare dining room with padded carpet strips on one wall. Hearth has a large, complicated wine list that is likely excellent by-the-bottle, but too highbrow if going by-the-glass. After plenty of consultation with our server, we opted for the autumn tasting menu with one substitution. The salad course was not remarkable, with light dressing reminiscent of Henri's Tas-tee on the pear and pecorino salad. Next, came lukewarm pumpkin ravioli that was so sweet it made my teeth ache, like a too-rich dessert. The main course was venison (again, lukewarm), which was overcooked and which the server smartly and subtly tried to warn me off. I should have taken her advice. My wife substituted the duck, which was excellent and the best thing we ate that evening. The apple crisp dessert was very basic and very good. In the end, I was turned off by the coldness of the dining room and the average quality of the food, especially at those prices.

• Pros: Great duck
• Cons: Chilly dining room, average food, high prices

12/28/08

Average

by ajk1

Average New American restaurant. Nothing special about it, but nothing bad about it either. Ambiance is a bit dark, but it caters to a large group and casual couple dining.

• Pros: Ambiance
• Cons: For all the hype, food could've been better

12/08/08

Enjoyable Dinner

by wetzel

I met a couple of friends at Hearth for dinner on a Saturday night.

We decided to share so we carefully scanned the menu for the items that appealed to us the most. We selected the braised veal breast , the pumpkin ortelli , and the beet salad.

The service was timely. The food was tasty and well prepared. The decor was modern and welcoming. It's just, for some strange reason, nothing stands out as excellent.

And then we had dessert. We selected the chai spice cake. A nice finish to a good meal.

Would I have enjoyed the food as much if I did not have such excellent company? Perhaps. It's all part of the experience.

It was enjoyable. I would eat there again.