"The Noortwyck manages to get us excited about a menu that calls itself New American. Even their most basic dishes get unexpected accents, like raw oysters with seasonal garnishes like cherry and raspberry or pickled shimeji mushrooms. And despite the fact that this isn’t an Italian restaurant, their pasta is some of the best in the West Village. (That’s saying something.) The space is casual enough for after-work drinks, yet special enough for a birthday dinner. Be sure to save room for dessert." - bryan kim, will hartman, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick