Zimmi's deftly walks the line between rustic and refined - Review - New York - The Infatuation
"Stepping into Zimmi’s, a southern French bistro in the West Village, feels so much like entering someone’s home that you might briefly consider taking your shoes off. The compact, sepia-lit dining room with gingham tablecloths and billowy white curtains evokes grand-mère’s countryside house in Provence—if grand-mère kept a Loewe candle burning in her powder room. Pops of antique decor feel like they were curated by a seasoned thrifter’s keen eye: a punch-needle wall hanging in all earth tones, a still life of mushrooms over the bar. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte The food is old-world homey, too, like the simple yet extraordinarily flavorful pissaladière. By comparison, some of the mains—buttery pastasciutta, an herby lamb stew—are a little one-note, almost too close to homemade. But Zimmi’s generally navigates its embrace of the rustic and the refined with poise. And the wine list is extensive and interesting, with both bottles and half bottles from Provence and beyond. (We still regret turning down a second glass of a Jurançon Sec that tastes exactly like a toasted croissant.) Bring just one other person with you to Zimmi’s. A restaurant this snug is perfect for a pair of friends to catch up after much too long, or for the kind of meaningful eye contact-filled date where you’re not about to complain about finding yourselves in close quarters. But coziness is a double-edged sword. The tables here are wedged together so tightly that just getting up to use the bathroom can become a high-stakes game of hospitality Tetris. Food Rundown photo credit: Kate Previte Pissaladière Caramelized onions on tender pastry, cross-hatched with briny anchovies and black olives. It’s postcard-sized perfection. photo credit: Kate Previte Barbajuan Your server might liken them to fried ravioli, but to us these fritters are like Uncrustables that just returned with a golden tan from summering on the French Riviera. Their filling is soft, stewy, and pleasantly herby: swiss chard, mint, and lightly tangy fromage frais. photo credit: Kate Previte Soupe D'Artichaut The soup is so sweet, creamy, and earthy on its own that we almost wouldn’t miss the hunk of foie camouflaged under all those chopped chives. Almost. It’s delicious, seared to a crisp crust. photo credit: Kate Previte La Pastasciutta This tagliatelle with a ragout of chicken liver and other tempting-sounding innards is nice enough, but makes a much more mild impression than one would expect from savory cheat-code ingredients like those. Saumon Mi Cuit A delicious piece of pretty much raw salmon, with crisp skin on top. It's served with a ragout of tiny beans, and quarters of buttery-soft turnip. photo credit: Kate Previte Échine De Porc When this dish arrived, a woman at the next table couldn’t restrain herself from interrupting. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I just have to say, I’ve never seen it cooked that perfectly.” The pork collar is indeed very juicy, with a nice crust, and the hazelnut sabayon is even better. photo credit: Kate Previte Riz Au Lait The riz au lait is the standout dessert at Zimmi’s. The rice pudding is plated like an egg, with jammy persimmon for a yolk, and secret slivered almonds hidden among the still-firm rice grains. The vanilla ice cream, aggressively freckled with vanilla bean, is also lovely. It’s served with brown butter sable cookies that you should approach like chips and dip." - Molly Fitzpatrick
