Joseph Leonard

REVIEW

January 4, 2010


CUISINE: American (New), French
NEIGHBORHOOD: Greenwich Village, West Village

Photo: NY MAG

170 Waverly Pl. at Grove St.

(p) 646-429-8383

 

Dining at Joseph Leonard is an exercise in patience. First, there's the inevitable wait —  usually between one and two hours — and then the space itself, which is unbearably small.  There are only seven tables, most of which fit two people plus the knees and elbows of waiting diners. It was so packed that I couldn't lift my arm without unintentionally poking the girl next to me. Run by Gabriel Stulman, JL bares a striking resemblance to Stulman's former haunt, The Little Owl, in that they are both nestled in teeny-tiny west village corners and are decorated in a rustic, low-key fashion. But unlike The Little Owl, Joseph Leonard does not take reservations, and the food isn't worth waiting for. CONT'D

 

 

After abandoning our third round of newly ordered drinks at Kettle of Fish across the street, we ran to the restaurant when the hostess called us, only to discover that our table's previous occupants didn't feel like paying their check. (What's the etiquette for sitting on a bill when you know someone is waiting for your table?) Fifteen minutes later, we were seated in a four-top by the window, as cold as my refrigerator. We immediately ordered a bottle of wine and a slew of appetizers: oysters, leek and potato soup, "soggy toast", and a scallop special. Three out of four were decent, though not memorable, while the scallops were disastrous. Deep-fried and hacked to pieces, the dish resembled tater-tots, and tasted like any other fish would when deep-fried and dunked in tartar sauce. The entrees were better. A deep-fried pork chop fell off the bone. Rabbit wrapped in pork sausage was moist and satisfying, despite being accompanied by overcooked white beans. The pan-roasted chicken, one of their signature dishes, was lacking seasoning, but the bird sat atop delicious mashed potatoes. The most flavorful dish was the special coq-au-vin — dark meat chicken in a tasty wine sauce. Though we were too full for dessert, I was tempted by the caramel pudding and carrot cake options for only $6. Complimentary cookies (on the crunchy side) arrived with our check, which we paid immediately.  

 

So why the thumbs down? If I could make a reservation at Joseph Leonard, then this review would have a different verdict, but I spent two hours waiting to get into this uncomfortably cramped restaurant. The food had to compensate for the time I spent thinking about it, and frankly I'd rather stay home and make a ragu.

 

 


Posted in FOOD on January 4, 2010 5:43pm by Jena Steinbach | 1 comment



Comments

Thomas12:38pm | January 6, 2010

Did they change their menu? I loved the experience- warm, laid-back, attentive. I went during the holiday season when people were busy buying gifts rather than going out to eat. They had great dishes: The chicken pate, the autumn stuffing, the boeuf bourguignon and fresh beets. Although the shrimp and grits wasn't too memorable of a dish. I think they were having a bad day (although restaurants should never have an off-day and this is no excuse). I think you should give them a try again...


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