Restaurant Review: The Otter and Brass in New York City

"Set deep inside the Evelyn Hotel, behind reception and a sister cocktail lounge, this brasserie-styled restaurant trades in a heavy-lidded, sultry atmosphere—velvet banquettes, frilled Art Nouveau chandeliers, and mirrors hung with faux Corbusier nudes—anchored by a baby-grand piano that supplies live music. Led by chef-partners Jeremiah Stone and Fabián von Hauske, the menu imports the duo’s Contra/Wildair creativity into French brasserie territory: fruits de mer, fromage, charcuterie, and aggressively tweaked classics. The kitchen’s playful twists can be hit-or-miss (marinated mussels over chickpea-flour panisse, denser-than-expected gougères, a soggy tarte flambée), but ambitious projects shine—the $135 deboned chicken roulade served in a copper gratin atop potato and celery-root purée is a showpiece—and desserts range from yuzu-meringue tart to a blackberry-studded vanilla-custard slice. The room’s initial buzz has softened on later visits, leaving a sparser late-night scene despite attentive service and an upstairs lounge that draws some hotel guests away." - Matthew Schneier