Rubbing elbows with the has-beens?
Written: Aug 21 '01 (Updated Aug 21 '01)
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Pros: Great food, comfy seats!
Cons: Pricey, noisy, cavernous
The Bottom Line: Decent place to go for a celebration. Good time overall.
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| kenshin27's Full Review: Canteen Cafe |
A few weeks ago a group of friends from all over convened in NYC for a wedding. I met up with them one night and we went to Canteen for dinner. The friend who made the reservations introduced it as a place that used to be high on the list of the city's "in" crowd but wasn't as much anymore. By the time we got there for our 9:30 reservation, the place seemed busy enough to me. I guess in NYC if people aren't 5 deep at the bar waiting for their tables, then it's not cool enough. ;-)
Waiting around
Despite arriving on time for our reservation, we still had to wait about half an hour before they had a table ready for us. Which normally I would be rather annoyed with but since two of our party members had not shown up yet either, twasn't as big a deal. So those of us who were already there retired to the bar area (located to the left of the dining area) to wait and get some drinks. I wasn't in the drinking mood so took the time to check out the lay of the land so to speak.
The place is pretty nicely located just a block from the subway (N/R) so it's easy to get to. However I probably would have never known that it was there if we weren't specifically looking for it since it's underground and rather non-descript.
Inside, the place is quite large and at the time we were there, busy and loud. The restaurant is basically in the basement of the building but with the basement ceiling/first floor floor removed so that the whole area looks very high. The decor is mostly dark with lighter highlights here and there. Makes the bright orange chairs stand out rather well though. They have a pretty wide variety of tables ranging from smaller square ones to round booths and even larger round tables for big groups. There's even a separate and smaller room to the right of the main dining area that seemed to be a lot more cozy and insulated from the general noisiness of the place.
The crowd seemed rather trendy to me. Lots of beautiful people in black or variations thereof. It seemed like a place that was popular with a wide range of people and looks though. Dress seemed mostly business or going-out casual but there were people that were fully-decked out for a night on the town and others in t-shirt and shorts.
Seated at last
By the time they were ready for us, our 2 missing compadres showed up at the same time. Good timing by them. We were shown to a big round table which we all wanted since they're better for large groups instead of the "stringing a bunch of square tables together to make a really long rectangular one." And the chairs! The orange chairs were definitely unique and quite comfortable since they were pretty well padded.
The waiter came by to take drink orders and then disappeared for like the next 15 minutes. At first we thought he was mad cause no one in our party ordered a drink besides water but I think he was just busy since there was other big groups in his area besides us. So a friend flagged down another waitress who was very nice and she wound up taking our orders.
The goods
Canteen basically serves American food with flair. You have your typical steaks, fish, pork chops, chicken, lamb, and pasta. I thought the macaroni & cheese entree was a tad out of place though. The friend who invited us here said it wasn't too bad but that it was basically just expensive mac & cheese. Everyone managed to order different things though and I opted for the poached halibut with mashed potatoes. I also had a soup for an appetizer but I don't remember what it was called. It was basically cold tomato soup with avocado and bean sprouts. Not bad for cold soup I guess but I think I'll stick with hot soup from now on. =)
When our entrees arrived, I was pretty impressed since everything was very artistic. The dishes just looked _good_. But how did they taste? The halibut was excellent. Fresh, tasty, and firm. And the mashed potatoes that came with it was insanely superb! I don't think I've ever had mashed potatoes quite like it before. It looked like normal mashed potatoes but the flavoring was spectacular. Heck, I think I was still thinking of their mashed potatoes a week after which is why I ordered mashed potatoes at Ruth's Chris (see my review link below). The only slightly bad thing that I can say about my entree is that maybe the halibut was a little small. But after that and the mashed potatoes were done, I was full. Not stuffed, but just right. The other entrees that seemed very good included the pork chop which was highly recommended by my friends, and the lamb dish which my other friend picked clean and left no trace of. Apparently their special of the day, surf & turf (steak and scallops) were pretty well done too.
Since it was already around after 11 by the time we were done with dinner, we decided to pass on dessert since we needed to meet another friend. By that time, the crowd was starting to thin. The final damage to my wallet was $42 for the appetizer and entree. I guess it was a good thing I didn't order drinks and dessert after all. =)
But overall it was a pretty good experience. The food was good in all ways and service wasn't too bad either. It's a bit too pricey for my blood for frequent eating but I just _have_ to go back for their mashed potatoes! =) As for hipness, the place still seems pretty hip to me, even if the truly hip don't think so anymore. ;-p
Too hip for you? Try my review on Ruth's Chris Steakhouse then!
http://www.epinions.com/content_36557655684
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Whatever you do, don't miss out on the mashed potatoes!
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
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Epinions.com ID:
kenshin27
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Member: Ben C
Location: NJ
Reviews written: 34
Trusted by: 17 members
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