

10

"A match made in hella-cool heaven, this buzziest downtown restaurant from chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson with indie film studio A24 is attached to the reopened West Village Cherry Lane Theatre, where every seat is a good one — even the tiny horseshoe bar — and there’s a high chance of celebrity-spotting from the likes of Bradley Cooper and Sabrina Carpenter. My server recommended the seafood cocktail, a tangy mix of squid, mussels, shrimp, scallops, and big avocado chunks served with long crackers; the cheeseburger is damn good, with a hefty medium-rare patty draped with melted cheese and strewn with onions; the in-house kielbasa with sauerkraut is one of the best in the city; and dessert custards are standouts, particularly the rich chocolate with a Chartreuse drizzle. The space is utterly hip and boisterous yet warmly inviting, all dark woods, an archway with marquee lightbulbs, and green plush booths, with delightful cherry-themed matchbooks presented with checks. Reservations are already hard to snag and, even with a 7 p.m. reservation, I had to wait — it’s bustling — so don’t come with a strict schedule; if you do wait, grab a cocktail from the lobby concessions. If you have a ticket for the theater, let your server know so they can time out your meal, and you can order your entree to go for pickup when your event ends. The varied menu ranges from frogs legs Kiev (truly) to standbys like burgers." - Nadia Chaudhury