17 Oct 2010, Posted by admin in L'Epicurien, 1 Comments

bohemian: noho’s best kept secret

From the famed Prohibition-era speakeasies to the bevy of exclusive “members’ only clubs” that have cropped up throughout the City in recent years, hidden hideaways are inextricably intertwined with New York nightlife. A new emerging spot in tune with this legacy is Bohemian, a Noho newcomer with a door policy as tough as any–assuming you can even find it. However, in an unexpected, but welcome contrast to its inner-circle cohorts, Bohemian manages to remain refreshingly hospitable and unpretentious.

Tucked away behind a Japanese Butcher shop on a largely desolate block, Bohemian is unmarked and completely invisible to the casual pedestrian. Scoring a reservation is equally elusive, as the restaurant has no listed phone number.  While Bohemian now serves diners from outside its select group of 200 original members, like Milk & Honey or the Waverly Inn, tables can be booked only through a top-secret phone line.

After traversing a long, narrow hallway known as “Basquiat Road” named for the painter Jean-Michel Basquiat who died inside the building and passing though a second set of intercoms which double as the modern restaurant’s take on the velvet rope, guests finally set foot in the tiny dining room. Reminiscent more of a friend’s living room than a restaurant, the combination of the 20-seat capacity and the plush armchairs and coffee tables in lieu of more traditional dining sets creates an intimate, comfortable feel. A zen garden and Bob Dylan soundtrack complete the mellow mood, while neon plastic dishware and fondue dishes give the space a retro vibe, conjuring images of the Brady Bunch.

While finding Bohemian does require significant sleuthing, the cuisine does not disappoint. Featuring an extensive array of small plates, the menu is best characterized as nouveau-Japanese. The standard sushi rolls and trite tempura dishes are absent from the menu, replaced by a far more innovative take on Japanese fare. With nods to French and Italian cuisines, the menu features inventive combinations like foie gras soba and sun-dried tomato and pecorino waygu sliders.

Meats are a mainstay on the menu, which includes a variety of cured and smoked chorizos and jamons. For the more adventurous palate, Bohemian offers more exotic fare such as bladder and tongue. True to its Japanese roots, fish is also a featured component of several dishes, with sashimi, cod, tuna and caviar all making recurring appearances.

Not to be overlooked amidst the plethora of proteins, vegetables make a respectable showing amongst appetizers, with vegetable fondue smothered in an anchovy cheese sauce, uni-topped mushroom croquettes and a number of pickled dishes, such as cauliflower and cucumbers. A notable standout was the Japanese sweet potatoes–a cross between a sweet potato and a plantain. The soft, extremely rich starch is encased in a crisp, honey-coated skin, making for a delicious starter, albeit perhaps more fitting for a dessert course.

The miso cod was a notable highlight among entrées–sweet, tender and buttery, the dish was served with an Italian-inspired side of shitake mushrooms and dressed in a parmesan-cream sauce. However, the best dish of the night was the whole branzino. Served straight from the oven and open-faced on the bone, the piping-hot fish was presented over a medley of grilled vegetables in a square skillet. Eating the dish is somewhat cumbersome, requiring almost as much effort as finding the restaurant, but similarly is well worth it. The fish is flaky and moist, avoiding the all-too-common pitfall of branizno–dryness. With little in the way of distracting accoutrements, the dish lets the freshness of the fish speak for itself, with a side of sea salt serving as the sole garnish, helping to accentuate, but not overpower, the flavors of the fish.

Following the generous portion of branzino, dessert seems superfluous. This is a fortuitous circumstance as it is clear this course receives little attention from the Bohemian chef. While the Japanese fusion elements evident throughout the menu works well for the savory dishes, they somehow miss the mark for dessert. The sake panna cotta is overpowered by its alcoholic undertones, with a liquefied brown sugar only partially offsetting the acerbic aftertaste. The Japanese Flan–Japanese by title alone–was unremarkable, while the dark chocolate crème brulee was exceedingly rich, with the requisite crisp burnt sugar top notably absent.

To finish off the meal, Bohemian offers an extensive array of sakes and plum wines. While my group was not familiar with the vintages or varietals of the largely Japanese wine list, reflecting the restaurant’s comfortable domestic vibe, our waiter was extremely generous in offering tastes of several different options to assist my party in our selection. Indicative of the quality of the service more broadly, waiters at Bohemian are extremely attentive, honoring the fabled Japanese hospitality.

While the wine list offers a wide variety, the majority of options were very reasonably priced, at $8-10 per glass. Appetizers were similarly priced in the $8-10 range, with entrees also quite reasonable, from $20-25. The four-course prix fixe is a popular option, and in contrast to the bite-size plates which characterize many tasting menus, Bohemian offers very generous portions for an incredible value of just $55 per person.

Although Bohemian was somewhat difficult to find, it was well worth the hunt, as my party left more than satisfied with the experience. While Bohemian still remains under the radar, its unique combination of affordability, quality and hospitality ensure that this secret is unlikely to be safe for much longer.

Bohemian

57 Great Jones St.

playearth.jp

–Rachel Horowitz