28 May 2010, Posted by admin in L'Epicurien, 0 Comments
small plates, big taste: balaboosta, nolita’s new mediterranean gem
Mezze, tapas, antipasti–once rare among the more classical cuisine of New York’s culinary scene, over the past few years, the small plate has become a fundamental fixture in the city’s epicurean landscape. Pioneered by the Stanton Social, which opened to much fanfare in 2005, over the past 18 months, the small plates phenomenon has enjoyed a resurgence. Perhaps because of the recession, New Yorkers have increasingly eschewed the sumptuous steakhouse dinner and the formality of the five-course French tasting menu for meals comprised of the more economical, and often more satisfying, small plates. But despite the countless virtues of this movement–among them the ability to customize your meal and sample a broad smattering of the chef’s best–the ballooning array of small plates restaurants has made the concept ubiquitous and almost cliché.
Because of this it would be easy to write off Balaboosta, which opened last month in Nolita. But from the moment you step inside, it is immediately apparent that Balaboosta is different. Unlike the somewhat sterile surroundings of the typical haute tapas joint, upon setting foot inside Balaboosta, you are welcomed with an unexpected warmth and the distinct feeling that mimics stepping into a friend’s apartment for an intimate dinner party among acquaintances.
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