Cafe Clover - Review - West Village - New York - The Infatuation
"If we get one more fresh, farm-sourced California-inspired restaurant, we’ll be in serious danger of attracting all the sun-seeking Benedict Arnolds back from San Francisco. But if Cafe Clover wants to stay a while, we certainly won’t mind. You see, they’ve somehow found a way to give off a warm, summer-y, homey vibe no matter how crowded it is or how much snow is dumping outside. Kind of like when you enter Mary’s Fish Camp and get a sudden urge to sail the sh*t out of Cape Cod. When you enter Cafe Clover, you can’t help but feel like you’re one of the pretty people who lunches on weekdays in Santa Monica. In an elegant, yet come-as-you-are kind of way. We won’t lie. The most accurate way to describe Cafe Clover’s menu is “chick food.” With “chick” being interchangeable with any term you have for humans of any gender who have an annual SoulCycle membership, attend Fashion Week events, and/or know every lyric on Michelle Branch’s break out album. All things we respect, but don’t necessarily dabble in. But next time we’re looking to prove to visiting parents that we’re operational adults, or even better, trying to show our new squeeze we know what spaghetti squash is, Cafe Clover will be on the list. It also has serious eating alone/meeting some fabulous folk at the bar potential. Just watch out for the models. They’re mean when they’re craving cauliflower steak. Food Rundown Sweet Potatoes There are several fresh-looking vegetable selections to kick off your meal, and they even offer a Westville market plate-style 3 for $22 option to share with the table. If you’re in for something cozy and flavorful, hit up these bad boys. Diver Scallops Perfectly pan-seared with a light ginger flavor to give ’em some kick. Celery Root Salad It has the texture of spaghetti squash, but the taste of a sassy vinaigrette. Chick. Food. On. Fleek. Octopus A La Planche These spicy and lightly sauced tentacles are the business. Organic Scottish Salmon We’re always disappointed when our Scottish salmon is served sans bagpipes. But the simplicity of this lighter dish makes up for it. Quinoa Tagliatelle Don’t let the word “quinoa” deter you. This dish is dangerously close to replacing Lupa’s carbonara on the top of our craving list. It’s light, but savory and flavorful. Pasture Raised Beef Burger This burger isn’t great, but if you’re in a beefy mood, this is a solid bet. It’s served on a sweet potato bun and comes with any side you want. Like always, we recommend adding cheddar. Halibut The fish itself melts in your mouth, while the vegetable and lentil accoutrements bring the party. Even halibut haters will be into this dish. Brussels Sprouts In theory, brussels sprouts roasted with jalapenos sounds genius. But in practice, they just toss them into the mix and hope for the best. We’d expect more flavor here, but instead, they’re just meh. Olive Oil Potato Purée Not only is its mini ceramic serving pot adorable, this side is a must-have. The portion isn’t huge, but the flavor is big enough to make you genuinely entertain the ultimate first world curiosity: where does Cafe Clover get their olive oil?" - Calais Zagarow
