John Hornick Chef’s A.
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Category: Elevated Gastropub. Styled as an American Brasserie, Society Swan exudes the atmosphere that elegant speakeasies of Prohibition-era America probably had. The term “brasserie” doesn’t have a concrete meaning (originally it depicted a beer-centric establishment or brewery) but usually suggests an informal French-ish restaurant offering comfort food. Except for a few French headings on the menu, I wouldn’t say the place or the menu is French-ish, but the menu does offer a broad selection of comforting foods, with something for everyone, from oysters to Prime Rib Dip to pasta to short ribs to Maine Lobster Roll to French Onion Soup to Maki. All of the food was good, as was the service. We especially liked the Roasted Garlic Custard. Though the decor doesn’t remind me of Paris, it’s both sleek and warm. The dimly lit super-classy high-ceilinged street-level bar is cozified by glistening bottle racks above the bar. The rectangular bar itself is the kind of place we like to dine, less formal than a table, with good people watching around the bar. The bar area offers small-booth dining, with a dining room beyond (or maybe it was a mirror). The butcher’s block booth tables, padded fabric banquettes, herringbone wood plank floors, low-light sconces, discreetly placed mirrors, and interesting backlit soffit-level screens make it an ideal place for a romantic rendezvous or a secret meeting, or both. For slightly more formal dining, follow the Big Yellow Arrow downstairs to the speakeasy within the speakeasy, which seems a bit livelier and brighter (I don’t mean this as a dig on the upstairs, which has a great feel, just different). There’s a smaller bar and a dining room below the arrow, with larger booths, separated from the bar by squared-off archways. We’ll be back. YouTube’s Chef’s Apprentice
