Nestled in the ritzy Manhattan Flatiron District, ABC Kitchen is the brainchild of Jean-Georges Vongerichten and executive chef Ayaka Guido, specializing in local, fresh ingredients cooked with the perfect balances of spice, acidity, and Asian touches. The restaurant exterior presents a modest and understated façade: its entrance, subtly integrated into the ground floor of the ABC Carpet & Home building, features large windows that offer glimpses into the inviting interior. The unassuming exterior leads into a space full of rustic charm and quiet, contemporary elegance. The interior showcases reclaimed wooden beams, whitewashed brick walls, and vintage-inspired furnishings, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Our party of four made a last-minute reservation for 7:30pm thirty minutes in advance during the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend - at that time, the restaurant was around ¾ full, so we were immediately led to our table. The menu is short and simple, highlighting seasonal produce with thoughtful flavors. The pacing of our meal was perfect: upon ordering our appetizers arrived within ten minutes, and our entrees about fifteen minutes after that, and we never felt rushed.
We began with their Sour Cream and Onion Pull-Apart Bread ($19), which is pillowy-soft rolls that nostalgically resemble an upscale version of the Pringles flavor: there's a richness from the herbed oil, as well as a tang from the sour cream, and the herbal labneh dip on the side provides a lovely earthy richness to the dish. We also ordered their Wood Roasted Whole Artichoke ($20), which is a crispy, charred whole artichoke slathered in garlic, parsley, lemon, and oil. This was actually a bit greasier than we thought it would be, with very little actual artichoke "meat", but it was an interesting take on the vegetable that we had never seen before, and the garlic-parsley combination was surprisingly addictive.
For entrees, one member of our party opted for the Farro Risotto ($29), which consisted of toothsome, slow-cooked farro with a smoky creme fraiche, earthy black trumpet mushrooms, roasted sugar snap peas, and preserved lemon. Even without a protein, the combination of earthy, bitter, rich, and acidic flavors in the dish paired with contrasting textures lent it a unique quality that I've never seen before. Another member went with the Grass Fed Cheeseburger ($32), which was a large 6-8oz succulent beef patty cooked to a perfect medium rare, served with an herbed mayonnaise, pickled jalapenos, and crispy hand-cut fries. Again, the chefs have really mastered the art of pairing flavors together to craft the perfect bite, although we found the fries a bit too thin-cut for our liking.
The Spinach Pizza ($26) was New York style pizza with an extremely thin and crispy crust, topped with spinach, tangy goat cheese, and a lovely blend of herbs. It came pre-sliced into 8 pieces, and was perfect as an entree for one or a shared dish for the table. Lastly, as I had a lighter appetite that night, I went with the Five Spiced Beet & Celery Salad ($24), which consisted of two different types of earthy, slightly sweet beets (pink and red), whipped goat cheese, and herbaceous shiso leaves (which lend a flavor akin to a blend of mint and basil). While the portion was a bit small, this was perhaps one of the most unique beet salads I've ever tasted, and I didn't feel it was overwhelmed by too much oil and vinegar, as some beet salads are.
In summary, our meal at ABC Kitchen was a lovely departure from some of the heavier meals I'd had on my trip, with a great farm-to-table ethos and grounding in environmental consciousness. While this was certainly pricey, especially given the portion sizes, I could really taste the thoughtfulness, intentionality, and ingredient quality in each dish, and the service was eager to provide us with their expertise. I will certainly be back to sample some of their seasonal dishes when autumn rolls around! read more