Resto

Occasion: Dinner with Ben
Location: Resto on 29th between Park and Lex (restonyc.com)
Edibles: frites with lime pickle sauce and smoked paprika sauce; tête de cochon sandwich with sriracha and pickled onions and carrots; lamb belly ribs for me; veal belly for Ben; waffle ice-cream sandwich for dessert

Musings: In my neighborhood, finding a nice bar is no mean feat. The blocks near me are cluttered with insufferable places like Merc Bar, Tonic and Joshua Tree, usually packed to the rafters with fratboy douchebags.

Resto is a much appreciated oasis. Like Back Forty, it's dim and casual, bustling but not too crowded or noisy, and patronized by adults. Ben and I lingered long after we were done with our food and drink, and the staff couldn't have been nicer about it.

I've always wanted to try the tête de cochon or pig's head. Ben, never one to turn down a culinary curiosity, was all for it. The sandwich that arrived was a bit of a surprise, but a yummy one. It was meaty and spicy, with a nice bite from the pickled vegetables. Sort of reminded me of abánh mi.

Whoever was manning the grill did a great job with the lamb ribs. They had a gorgeous, fragrant crust on them, and had more meat than I expected. My one quibble was that they were pretty fatty. Ben's veal belly was also really fatty, but I guess that what you get for ordering the cuts we did.

The waffle had a bit of a funny aftertaste, like undissolved baking powder or something. Once I slathered it with vanilla ice-cream, it was hardly noticeable. The few kitchen missteps aside, it was a fun evening. Ben, it was great catching up and I look forward to seeing your new place!