Mas Farmhouse
(212) 255-1790
39 Downing St
New York,
NY
10014
40.7293
-74.0038
Neighborhoods: West Village, Downtown
What People Are Saying About Mas Farmhouse
The Editor
Allison Austin
Citysearch
The Scene
There's an understated, unstuffy elegance evident in everything--tidy linens, soft glowing lighting and ever-changing menu printed on thick paper and tied with twine. Service is similarly inclined: attentive and even a tad formal, but never showy. The crowd is a mix of couples and small groups, many serious foodies among them.
The Food
Chef Galen Zamarra's fiercely local and seasonal cooking is French in technique, yet light and straightforward on the palate. His crowning achievement is a thin slice of bigeye tuna, flash-cooked in nutty-brown butter and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. A smooth mango-parnsip soup with just-set oysters also stands out. Among entrees, the incredibly tender lamb loin, simply partnered with young artichokes, exemplifies how pristine, organic ingredients can elevate a dish. The simplest desserts, like perfect berries marinated with aromatic hibiscus flowers and topped with homemade vanilla-bean ice cream, impress most.
User Reviews
AlisonH
May 10, 2009
"I had high hopes for this place.... The food was definitely good, but the service was pretentious and rude. I took my mom there for Mother's Day. Right away the waiter was pretty distant and pretentious but after we ordered it was even worse! We had eaten a late lunch so we decided to just split an appetizer and an entree. Also, she had to drive home after dinner and the wine was $16/glass so we didn't get any drinks. Well, they weren't fans of our order. The waiter said "That's all you want?" and then later in the meal sort of made fun of us for sharing. My mom also saw the waiter go over to the host and tell them we were sharing and they started laughing. The whole rest of the meal, he was totally rude to us. I could understand having a little attitude if we were taking up a whole table at prime time and only ordering drinks. But we basically each had a meal's worth of food and eating at 6:30pm when half the tables were empty. If a restaurant frowns upon sharing, they should mention it on the bottom of the menu. I still think that's a bit pretentious, but I respect the directness, instead of laughing about it behind our backs (or more like in front of our faces.) Restaurants should appreciate their customers, not make them feel unwelcome. You can get food as good at places that are fun, upbeat and welcoming."
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tadevosy
April 03, 2009
I have been living in New York for over five years, and this is the first time I have discovered a restaurant whose reputation does not do it justice! I cannot believe it took me so long to discover this gem of a place, tucked away inconspicuously on Downing street. Now, I simply cannot get enough of it. The food is simply amazing. I have tried pretty much everything on their menu (excepting the fish, which I cannot eat at the moment) and have yet to dislike a single item. The ingredients are amazingly fresh and put together perfectly. The only restaurant where I would order vegetarian entrees and be perfectly happy with them! Very reasonably priced ($68 dollars for a four-course meal that allows you to pick anything from the menu and arrange it in any order you like? Are you kidding? It's a steal!) and impeccably executed. The wait staff is polite, solicitous, and attentive, although it has to be said that the first time we were there, they made us wait for our table for close to 30 minutes. In all fairness, I have to say that they had a table ready but asked if we wanted to wait a bit and take a more spacious table instead (I am hugely pregnant). Worth the wait! Last time we were there, I ordered the duck and forgot to ask them to cook it medium-well (avoiding undercooked meats). It took less than a minute for our waiter to come over and offer, without my having said a single word, to have the chef cook it a little more! Now that's attention to detail! My only slight criticism would be that their by the glass wines are a bit pricey and not sufficiently diversified. And, on any given evening, if you call for a table, they seem to give you the same stock answer about one being available either at 6:15 or at 9:00. Not sure how true this is. However, in every other aspect this restaurant has exceeded my expectations. Beats Blue Hill (a restaurant with a similar philosophy regarding local and seasonal ingredients) by a mile! I cannot wait to go back soon.
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sakumawiki
January 13, 2009
I?ll start with the fact that the decor and location are fantastic ? for a romantic evening, you really can?t ask for much more ? West Village charm & beautiful interior ?farm house? textures of wood, leather and earth toned surfaces. The tables are snug and fit together closely ? but there seems to be enough cushioning around to absorb the majority of the noise you?d expect from such tight confines. Next, relax and order from the tasting menu. You could select from the main dishes ? but the multi-course tastings offer a full range, starting with a selection of appetizers and ending with dessert. I hadn?t been here before and decided to let the waiter suggest a wine from the pre-recession priced list that would complement both fish and meat ? set parings are not an option. We went with a very nice ? and flexible ? Oregan Pinot Noir (albeit still pricy at $60 ? and on the low end of the list). The down note here is that the most memorable part of the meal was the very lovely foodie couple next to us that we chatted with between courses. A lobster salad starter was shamefully over-powered by a too-tart vinaigrette and a flim-flammy pork belly dish was served like a piece of flabby soup meat with little seasoning and no evidence of any crisping or cooking beyond the multiple boils it had already endured. With those exceptions aside, the rest of the dishes were good ? uninspired, but good. The waiter was very helpful and service in general was efficient and very friendly. I?d recommend Mas with the caveat that you must take the time to ask about each course option. In this case, the kitchen is uneven but mostly pretty solid and the overall experience is uniquely downtown.
read full reviewThe Details on Mas Farmhouse
The Extras:
The cheese list features outstanding small producers from all over the U.S.
What to Drink:
The wine list features wines from smaller California vintners and the occasional bottle from Oregon, but the focus is on French wines from Burgundy, Rhone and Provence. The Chateau de Tringuevedel Tavel rose ($34) is a nice start.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Late Night Dining, Romantic Dining, Quiet, Hidden Find, Date Spot, Notable Wine List
