03/26/08

A neighborhood restaurant that skips on trendiness to showcase the synergy of food and wine.

by Contributor

The Scene
Co-owner Jennifer Scism once helped oversee the front of the house at Chanterelle, and that restaurant's spirit of elegance is clearly a source of inspiration. The airy, minimally-adorned room features buttercream walls and wood floors. The folds of a large white curtain run along one wall. Pools of soft white light created by the flicker of small candles abound.

The Food
An idiosyncratic, occasionally freewheeling style of intelligent New American haute cuisine is on offer. Chef Anita Lo can make the volume of her flavors go from a delicate purr to a scabrous growl on a dime, often within the span of a single dish. An assertively-seasoned lamb tenderloin, for example, finds its foil in cooling yogurt and cucumber, while wafer-thin sheets of raw tuna juxtapose the oniony pang of pink radishes.

03/23/08

ok food- tiny portions

by philli1

i went with my parents and brother for easter dinner. my brother had the only vegetarian option- an eggplant dish- which for $25 was 2 pieces of eggplant, yogurt sauce, and a tiny pile of lentils. my dad had the lamb, 4 small pieces which were overly salty, and my mom and i had the colbi which was by far the best entree but again, the portion was tiny for the price- a small piece of fish with 5 baby carrots. for dessert we had the apple tart, which was tasty but nothing spectacular. overall the restaurant was overrated and expensive.

• Cons: $200 later, still hungry

12/18/07

Unexpectedly lukewarm service and food

by ismaelq

I took a dear friend to Annisa for a special occasion. Our first impression: the place was loud. We got a nice table, but it wasn't until a few of them emptied that conversing ceased to feel like an unnecessarily loud indulgence. Annisa seems to have an acoustics problem. The good news is: acoustics may be the least solvable of its ambiance-related problems. The restaurant has surprisingly dirty--in some areas filthy--walls that dim lighting does very little to hide and the quality of the food not enough to help one forget. It only takes a short round-trip to the bathroom to notice the magnitude of the problem. I find it simply unnacceptable that an otherwise decent restaurant, Michelin-starred no less, let itself go like this. Decorator/painter needed!!!!

Some people assume, often correctly, that a restaurant's physical exterior reflects its interior, namely the kitchen. I tend to agree; moreover, I believe that it affects staff morale, as in our waitress, who rarely cracked a welcoming, I-like-my-job, tip-me-well, come-again smile--not a hypocrite, I guess.

For appetizers, we had the seared foie gras with soup dumplings and the scallops with sea urchin. Since my friend had had the original Chinese soup dumplings hot, Annisa's version seemed cold and unremarkable to her. I'd say they were room-temperature dumplings a foie-gras slice above the rest. My scallops, on the other hand, resembled a lotus flower in presentation and mythological effect: a plesant drowsiness catalyzed by the silky freshness of a Pinot Nero, an excellent red to start and match light seafood with. However, I must say that this dish in particular could reach new heights if served at least warm. For entrees, my friend had the skate and I the lamb (matched w/ a full-bodied Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon). Both offered simple yet refined textures that formed the idealized memories of home-made classics. Our dessert was a well-balanced chocolate biscuit w/banana mousse.

• Pros: Above-average food. Excellent wines
• Cons: Ambience, Service

12/09/07

Gracious service, helpful waitstaff, Very good food

by johnjohn88

12/8/07 dinner at 8. Made convenient online reservation. Took female friend out to dinner. Seated w/i 2 minutes of arrival. Never heard of this place until I the day before I had dinner here. Selected this place based on the positive citysearch reviews here. These positive reviews are all on the money as I agree w/ them.

Relaxing place w/o being pretentious. Waitstaff helped us select a very good wine. Nice wine list. The food is a given. That is, the food is very good. The menu is short: about 8-10 appetizers & 8-10 main courses. Thus. I don't think u can go wrong. The highest compliment I can pay is that I would bring a date to Annisa. Yeah, this is from a guy's perspective. Female friend also liked Annisa too.

Good crowd. Had a good time.

• Pros: Gracious service, helpful waitstaff, very good food
• Cons: none

12/06/07

Brilliant food, flawless service, intimate ambiance

by hotow

One of my favorite restaurants. No gimmicks, no showing off, just brilliant, fresh AmerAsianFrench food from a menu that changes all the time. I go several times a year, and each visit is memorable and deeply satisfying. It's expensive, of course, but always seems worth the price. If you really want to do it right, have Jen suggest a wine for each course -- their wine list features women vintners (and sake makers). Also a great place to have a drink if you happen to be an adult.

• Pros: Anita knows how to bring out the best character in any food
• Cons: too expensive to eat there every night

06/04/07

Simple, quiet backdrop for deliciously thought-out food

by amihaly

Went here on a double date. The ambiance is perfect for two couples to get together and actually ahve a conversation on a Saturday night. I also raelly liked the decor, even though it was rather simple. The large window out front over looking Barrow street raelyl adds charm to the place. It really feels like a local food coinasseur's hang-out. We all ordered the 5 course tasting menu (as recommended by the waitress that everyone on the table should participate) and enjoy every course. Actually found their "signature" dumplings to be the least interesting but the sausage wrapped lamb and fish appetizer to be delicious. We paired the courses with a Cabernet which suited each course as they came. The food was fresh and not too inventive. Also the portions were reasonable for a 5 course meal. Dessert was amazing, bread pudding, chocolate souffle and apple tart. I recommend this place for a date where you actually want to talk with your partner and also a great place to take mom when she visits. All the staff were female and very friendly. A memorable experience and yet not pretentious or over-the-top. I would come here more often for any dinner date I want to plan and want to please everyone, plus those who like fish and meat which is usually hard to get together.

• Pros: Fresh food, quiet ambiance, little pretention
• Cons: Not for the weekend tourist who wants some jazzy new york meal.

02/21/07

Elegant West Village

by fosterc

My mom and I went here for dinner, and we both really enjoyed it. Although they seated the two of us at a four top side by side which was a little wierd and almost looked like I was on a date with my mom, the food was incredible. I consider their food to be the best I have tasted in this city. I had an Indian eggplant appetizer that melted in my mouth and a roasted chicken as a main. I tried some of my mom's fish as well. Everything was so flavorful and rich, I savored every bite! For dessert we had apple pie, whch was wonderful as well.

As for the ambience, it is very very simple but nice, with white walls and just a green glowing rectangle at the back of the restaurant. The service was perfect as well. I probably wouldn't take a young person or child there, instead it is better suited for a date or a dinner meeting because of the more somber quiet atmosphere. There is also a small bar at the front which is great if you want to go somewhere a little more intimate and relaxed to grab a drink.

The experience was pricey, but definitely worth it.

• Pros: Fantastic Food, great service
• Cons: atmosphere might be too somber

01/30/07

Outstanding!

by prodgers

I am a connoisseur of fine food and have been to Annisa twice and am looking forward to going back very soon. The tasting menu is incredibly structured and inventive. The foie gras was sublime although a trifle small. All the other dishes offerred in the tasting menu were great as well. I've tried the regular menu and found the food to be no different. The wine was decent and I liked the ambience-minimalist yet warm and inviting.

12/12/06

The most Exquisite tasting menu ever

by jen247good

A simple, classy, peaceful place with a tasting menu that seems custom made . Incredibly accomodating and courteous staff.

We went there in a group of 6 people for our friend's birthday and opted for the 5-course tasting menu. They asked us if we were allergic to anything, or if there was something that we would not eat... like fish or red-meat, etc. The food they served seemed like it was designed for each person. Every dish was unique, unlike anything I've ever eaten before. At dessert time they served us each a different dessert. Its was a great way to try out 6 different desserts and all were exquisite.

Just when I thought it would be hard to impress a manhattan snob like me, such a lovely restaurant comes along. I highly recommend it.

• Pros: Great tasting menu, Great service
• Cons: little pricey, but thats expected.

08/17/06

beautiful tailored tasting menu

by kokn11

It's been a while since I've had beautifully orchestrated food and this place did not disappoint. The service was a bit on the sluggish side at the beginning, but that was quickly forgotten with the delectable combination of flavors and texture. The highlights were the fois gras soup dumpling, full of flavor and impact (although mine was not as soupy as Boyfriend's), the perfectly grilled trout, the juicy long island duck paired with the most amazing of flavors - wine and house pickled plum. A dainty touch was visible in all the dishes, and the plating was beautiful. This was the first time a tasting menu was "customized" for us with the waiter taking notes of our preferences and aversions. Well done!

• Pros: ambience and food
• Cons: sluggish service