Located in Chelsea next to its gourmet market, Foragers Table is a farm to table restaurant that serves dishes made with locally sourced products.
With its open kitchen, adjacent to the bar, that also prepares food to go sold in the grocery store, this place has a nice vibe, a great service and no loud music that is something I always notice, going for dinner being for me a moment to share and not to scream.
We were there on Veterans‘ Day with our friends Jen and Chris, for a 6pm dinner. The place was not that crowded at that point, but, when we left, most of the tables were filled with hungry diners. Food wise, they propose a menu a la carte or a prix-fixe (appetizer/entree/dessert) that is, for $45, a really good deal that we could not ignore and picked (know that you can add a wine pairing for an additional $19). Here is what we had:
I started of with a cocktail and chose one made with Michter’s Rye, pressed apple, aromatic bitters and lemon; what they call a “perfect autumn whisky cocktail”. True, beautiful with its star anise, the apple gave that seasonal feel.
For her appetizer, Jodi ordered the Foragers farm salad, made with croutons, heirloom mix, sweet gem lettuce, olive dirt and a sherry vinaigrette.
The rest of us went for the soup of the day that was a butternut squash soup with fennel. At that point I was surprised by the size of the appetizers as usually, prix-fixe offer smaller portions. Not there. And the soup was delicious: velvety and tasty, I liked the addition of fennel that enhanced a bit the taste.
I even dipped some of the focaccia bread that they brought to the table at the beginning of the meal.
Next were the entrees. Jodi ordered the “tenderloin” of butternut squash, served with a mushroom ragout and barley. Delicious, the squash was smoked and presented in a nice way that made it look like a full dish, quite creative and appetizing, rather than a double portion of a side.
Jen went for the chicken that seemed very good and was originally my choice of entree.
But I finally settled for the striped bass, the fish of the day, thinking that I rarely order fish in restaurants. And I did not regret it: it was flaky, moist and perfectly cooked, with a crispy skin. It was served with braised chickories, yuzu pickled apples and a salad.
Last was dessert. We went for the lemon ricotta cake and the chocolate torte. I admit that I preferred the former that was airy and tasty, the chocolate torte being a bit dry.
So overall it was a great meal: I definitely would go back to Foragers Table and would again get the prix-fixe that is a good deal, hoping that they change it regularly. The company was great, the food delicious and all of that in a relaxed atmosphere that made it the perfect setting for a dinner out with family, friends or your significant (or soon to be) other.
Enjoy (I did)!
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Foragers Table - 233 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10011