Minetta Tavern

I've been waiting for the longest time to try one of Minetta Tavern's famous burgers. It was incredibly hard to get a reservation here; I called two weeks ahead, and all they had left was 5:30pm and 10:30pm. If you want to eat here, be determined and plan early.

My first course was the scallop risotto--it's a daily special, so ask if they have it. It's a lemon risotto with pea puree and a giant scallop on top. The scallop was just amazing. Really nice sear, semi-translucent center, and so juicy. It was just incredible. The risotto itself was so nice; it was rich, but with the lemon, it wasn't cloying. I find that a lot of risottos are so heavily laden with cheese and cream, that you get full really fast--I tend to feel a little sick, too. However, this risotto was exactly what it should be--an appetizer; it made you want to eat more. My problem with this dish was the tangle of raw leaves and vines; I had to dig through them to find my food.

My main course was the famous Black Label Burger: dry-aged beef with caramelized onions. The effect of dry aging is that the meat becomes very tender, but at the same time it develops a gamey flavor. It's hard to describe gaminess, but it's a kind of deepness; it's in game meats like venison. Anyway, the burger is really good; it's simple, but the point of it is to enjoy the quality beef. It also comes with fries. I'm never particularly thrilled with any restaurant's fries, but these were really good. So crispy, and so non-greasy.

For dessert, we got chocolate souffle to share. I've found that hardly any restaurants make proper souffles anymore; usually they'll call it a "fallen souffle" just to sound chic and like they know what they're doing, and end up giving you a flourless chocolate cake, because they don't know how to make a souffle. I feel like Minetta Tavern's version falls somewhere in the middle. The top of it, and the crusty edges, are so nice and light and not overly sweet. But once you get inside the ramekin, the souffle is way too dense and moist, and the chocolate flavor is so overwhelming. I choked a little on the powdered sugar, too.

Minetta Tavern has some great food; the burger is definitely great, as is the scallop risotto. I'm iffy about the dessert, though. I'm not sure if it's quite worth the money, because it is quite a lot ($70 for the risotto, burger, half the souffle, tax, and 20% tip). I would recommend coming here for a special occasion with someone who is excessively generous and loves you very much.

Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St., at Minetta Lane
http://www.minettatavernny.com/