I discovered The Cannibal few years ago, at The Gotham West Market, where I noticed their bone marrow that I kept in mind since then, thinking that I should definitely go back to try it. And I did...I went to their main location, on the East side, for lunch. As I entered, I noticed a large selection of beers, some of them being fairly old.
It was not that crowded and I easily got a seat at the bar, enjoying a documentary on martial arts that was playing on the TV.
At first, you would think it is small, but they have an extension in the back, that looks like a backyard in a way, with bicycles hanging from the walls. You might wonder what these bicycles are doing there: well, the name The Cannibal is a homage to Eddie Merckx, a Belgian champion who got this nickname because of his insatiable appetite for victories.
Menu wise, they have mainly meat dishes, this place bring a butcher shop; and, looking at the menu, there are quite few animal parts you can try.
As far as I was concerned, I was interested with the pig head's Cuban, a twist on a classic pressed sandwich, where the ham, gruyere, pickles and mayo are complemented with some pig's head meat that has been roasted. It was definitely a great sandwich: crispy pressed bread, with the pickles adding an extra crunch; melted Gruyere as well as very tasty meat. Fantastic and a good portion.
But I did not stop there: I needed to try the bone marrow that was prepared brûlée, with marinated mushrooms and cilantro. The presentation was beautiful and very appetizing.
To be honest I skipped the bread that was under the bone and simply ate the marrow with a spoon. The brûlée preparation was simply succulent, giving a bit of sweetness to te dish that counterbalanced the acidity of the vinegar I could notice. If you like bone marrow, you definitely need to go to that place!
I had a fantastic meal at The Cannibal: the dishes were delicious. This is for sure not a place for everybody, especially if you are vegetarian, the choices being limited. And then, if you refuse to even accompany somebody who really wants to eat some of the creepy animal parts, then forget it! Otherwise, it is a place to know.
Enjoy (I did)!
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