Fedora is as chic and impractical as the West Village itself - Review - New York - The Infatuation

"In a zip code where “casual” translates to a Rolex Datejust with a modest stainless band, Fedora, from the team behind St. Jardim, is a perfectly impractical little neighborhood spot. The restaurant in the basement of a West Village walk-up is in its third iteration since 1952, serving melty sweetbreads and dainty slices of culotte roast to a crowd that was thinking about cooking tonight, but got sidetracked at work. photo credit: Nicole Franzen photo credit: Nicole Franzen photo credit: Nicole Franzen Pause Unmute Part neo bistro, part Julia Child, the menu leans French and makes great use of produce—but, aside from a steaming brick of chicken cordon bleu, the skimpy mains are hard to get behind. Arrive with more of a snacking mindset, and enjoy a sopping wet house martini or glass of Slovakian sauvignon blanc while you catch up with a few friends in the pitch black room with a ceiling so low you could almost bonk your head. RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Pierogies Always order these doughy pierogi tossed with the greenest, crispest produce in a tart lemon-butter sauce. We don’t know what will happen when peas and asparagus are no longer in season, and we’d rather not think about it. photo credit: Bryan Kim Grilled Squid with Quail Eggs and Parsley Fedora could have served a burger or kale salad. Instead, they take risks. We respect that, but we probably wouldn’t get these soft rings of squid with not-quite-runny eggs again. It’s a good dish, but doesn’t quite mesh. photo credit: Bryan Kim Sweetbreads Obscenely tender sweetbreads in a sauce so thick you could write your name in it. Add a glass of Burgundy, and you’re off to a good start. photo credit: Bryan Kim Chicken Cordon Bleu If you want something comforting and filling, this is the choice. Rather than the typical Alpine cheese, this dense cylinder of lightly breaded chicken is filled with mildly funky, liquified comté. On the side, a heavily dressed tangle of greens. photo credit: Bryan Kim Merguez Sausage It can be challenging to put together a full meal at Fedora. This $35 stick of merguez sausage, for example, is technically a main but reads like an app. The charred peppers and onions are nice, but the chicken is a much more satisfying route. photo credit: Bryan Kim Roasted Culotte Of Beef A certified miss. The thin slices of picanha are very pretty, but they have a strong chew and lots of unrendered fat. Soft as they are, the two skin-on carrots do not save the day. Apologies for saying this, but maybe Fedora should just serve a burger. photo credit: Bryan Kim" - Bryan Kim