Prune: An Unfortunate Name, But a Worthwhile Meal

Although cursed with an unappetizing name and tucked away on a nondescript street running along the edges of the East Village and the Lower East Side, Prune is reminiscent of a well-worn bistro one might find in a Parisian arrondissement. Rather than classic French bistro dishes, Prune's menu is comprised of trendy New American favorites like duck breast, lamb chops, and cuts of offal. A cute, brightly-lit dining room covered with antique mirrors serves as a pleasant backdrop to what I hoped would be an enjoyable experience, considering all the buzz this restaurant has generated. And indeed, I was not disappointed.

My meal started with two appetizers, one from the depths of the ocean and the other from the plains. A pan seared octopus starter with celery and chili flakes was tender and tasty enough, although slightly underseasoned. I have an unnatural affinity for our tasty tentacled friend, invariably ordering octopus when it shows up on a menu and so I consider myself something of an aficionado. My sole complaint would be that Prune's version lacked a bit of a punch; the chili flakes should have done the trick but were simply not applied aggressively enough.










My other appetizer, however, was an unqualified success. To be honest, how can you really go wrong with roasted marrow bones. Nicely charred, the marrow bones were accompanied by a vinegary parsley salad and sea salt. Eating marrow captures the essence of red meat in all its primal glory. A truly decadent treat, marrow bones are currently enjoying a surge of cult popularity amongst NYC carnivores, but are still a rarity on most menus. So this first course was well appreciated.

Our main courses followed in short order and were truly the stars of the meal. A seared duck breast entree with dandelion greens and raisin-caper dressing was well-seasoned and a perfectly cooked medium-rare. The crispy skin of the duck provided an ideal textural contrast to the juicy and pleasantly salty breast meat. Really quite exceptional.










And last but not least, a seasonal special of fiddlehead ferns with peekytoe crab jus was delightful. The delicate and sweet crab meat served as an ideal counterpoint to the al dente fresh ferns; a spicy, smoky broth brought the dish together and really made the flavors pop. This was one of the most enjoyable dishes I have eaten in quite some time.

Prune is one of those restaurants that truly makes the restaurant scene in Manhattan unique and second to none. To find a small restaurant this ambitious and self-assured on an inauspicious block is what makes eating out in this city fun and the dishes I sampled surely merit 3 stars. Although I am not enamored with its name, whisper Prune in the ears of your foodie friends...if they haven't already heard about it, they definitely will thank you.

3 stars: Worth Traveling Above 14th Street For (or all the way to the 1st and 1st as the case may be)

Prune
54 East 1st Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues
Cost: Dinner for 2 $90 (excluding tip)
Highlights: fiddlehead ferns with peekytoe crab jus; seared duck breast
Service: Friendly service, but a bit slow and unorganized