Year-end deadlines, Christmas shopping, counter-productive weather--the odds are stacked against a year winding to a relaxing, peaceful conclusion.
All the more reason to take a breath, slow the pace, and take a moment for a simple pleasure...like a real lunch.
I've done my share of cubical-bound, simul-surf-noshing, of delivered sandwiches that seal the deal on seeing natural light for the day, of fishing for comfort in paper-pint containers of overpriced soup. But you (yeah, YOU, reader!) can only spin your wheels so hard for so long.
August sits in a tunnelish space with a snug front parlor, flanked by dark wood beams and low lighting; which makes walking into the glassed-in garden room that much more of a welcome kick in the head.
Basking in weather-blocked sunlight is just a cherry on your mid-day sundae, as there are some great eats to be had here, noon or night!
Even with the abridged lunch menu, The Office Alpha Asian and I struggled to make choices, knowing in our hearts that eating-induced comas are less socially acceptable in daylight. She wound up with the cuppa soup and half sandwich special:
On that day, 'twas Curried Pumpkin Soup and Salumi Panini with roasted tomato, mustard, pecorino, arugula; $13. Alpha was happy with this combo of toasty and soothingly creamy, and after a proffered spoonful, I was actively coveting her soup.
But my lunch was no slouch: I ran with a Frisee Salad with Duck Confit, a Poached Egg and Toasted Brioche:
I missed the porn-shot of the perfectly runny egg dribbling sunshine on the whole affair. (Sorry! TOTALLY distracted!) Hiding under the brioche were elusive-but-delicious-roasted-figs doused in balsamic vinegar, understandably afraid for their continued existence. CHOMP. This beauty was also a special, and came paired with a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau--a screaming deal at $14. HURRAY!
Alas, they do NOT offer their hot desserts for the lunchitarians, but one could do far worse than a mixed bowl of Il Labratorio Gelati and Sorbetti:
Ours were a lip-smacking assortment of cold-weather fruit: (clockwise, from 12 o'clock) White Fig Gelato, Pear Sorbet, and Prune Armagnac Gelato.
Don't read me wrong--August serves a fierce dinner, too! (THANK YOU, Mild Matty and Spicy Matty, for the gorgeous birthday dinner here...the contents of which have since been yanked for the sake of seasonality. DOH! Bad, BAD BLOGGER! One salvage: Wild Mushroom Pizza with Oozy Duck Egg is no longer a dinner starter, but remains on the lunch menu. PHEW!)
But during dinner, the narrow shape and popularity of the place lends itself to the usual Village restaurant pitfalls--division between you and your neighboring diners is more a state of mind than a reality, and the service gets a little uneven once the sh*tshow starts to pick up.
Yeah, there's brunch, and I bet it's tasty! But don't kid yourself, there's not an FN thing relaxing about brunch in the West Village, with crowds that are thicker and more hungover than at dinner. Wait 'til after the holidays.
The magic of lunch: The slower pace and natural light really flatter the rustic setting and the simple, savory food pouring out of that wood-oven kitchen.
Go. Bask. Feast. The rest of the afternoon'll be a breeze.
----------------------------------------------
August
359 Bleecker St
(between Charles & West 10th)
West Village
NYC, NY 10014
PH: (212) 929-4774
Reservations: (212) 929-8727
Fx: (646) 349-3614
[email protected]
Favorites: Wild Mushroom Pizza with Duck Egg, Apple Fritters, Pumpkin Soup, Duck Confit Frisee Salad.
Still want to try:
For lunch: Tarte Flambe (Alsatian onion and bacon tart with crème fraîche); Grilled Chorizo with fried egg, manchego cheese, coriander pesto, and country bread.
For dindin: Roasted Veal Sweetbreads; Sheep Ricotta-Lemon Gnocchi; Slow Cooked Suckling Pig; Cassoulet of Roasted and Confit Duck; Grilled Lamb Paprikas; Caramelized Banana Butter Cake.
Plus, super-appealing special events! Call to snag a seat for Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve!
Comments