The Breslin

If it's not too late, I ditto the Breslin lamb burger recommendation. And if the brioche doughnuts are still on the menu, absolutely do get those. Among the most delicious things I've eaten ever. REPLY (40 Replies) (by rose water, created September 6, 2011)

if you're staying at the ACE you HAVE to go to the Breslin. You can get reservations there as a guest of the hotel, and the food is simply divine. I recently did a review for the restaurant for Examiner.com - you can see the slideshow here: http://www.examiner.com/fine-dining-in-new-york/tour-of-a-breslin-bar-dining-room-meal-picture.

Bresline Review:
Entering the The Breslin Bar & Dining...+READ if you're staying at the ACE you HAVE to go to the Breslin. You can get reservations there as a guest of the hotel, and the food is simply divine. I recently did a review for the restaurant for Examiner.com - you can see the slideshow here: http://www.examiner.com/fine-dining-in-new-york/tour-of-a-breslin-bar-dining-room-meal-picture.

Bresline Review:
Entering the The Breslin Bar & Dining Room (29th street between 5th and 6th avenues), is like stepping into a trendy, British hunting lodge. The staff is made up of young, attractive hipsters, and the clientele is much the same. This combined with the fact that the restaurant sits in the middle of the über-chic Ace Hotel makes dining here an adventure. You will have to fight your way through the dance club in the lobby to get to the restroom, but might have a celebrity sighting on the way.

The cocktails at the bar are inspired by the classics. The London Calling is a tart, updated version of a cosmopolitan made of vodka, blackcurrant syrup and topped with Prosecco. They also mix a killer martini, which comes with three large olives. That said, be aware that the olives contain a large pit. And if beer is your preference – especially this week during American Craft Beer Week - they have a variety of cask beer, along with Spotted Pig Bitter made exclusively for The Breslin and The Spotted Pig.

The best part of April Bloomfield’s nouveau gastropub; however, is the eclectic menu of comfort food that has an option (or two, or three) for every palate. Though best known for the Chargrilled Lamb Burger, make sure to start with some of the unique snacks and small plates.

The Beef and Stilton Pie is the perfect four bites to start your meal. The crust is golden brown and crispy and the beef on the inside is as tender and juicy as a slow cooked pot roast. The stilton cheese melts on the inside, creating a delicate sauce that engulfs the meat.

Even if you don’t like caesar salads, this version is unsurpassed by all others. The Herbed caesar salad with anchovy croutons is a bit pricey at $14, but worth every penny. The dressing provides an explosion of lemon and salt, and the surprise on the plate is the pork-fried parsley. It’s also big enough to share with up to four people.

The Chargrilled lamb burger, which was named one of the Top 25 Best Things to Eat by Wined & Dine, comes on a hearty bun and is topped with creamy feta cheese that brings out the zesty seasoning in the ground lamb. It is served on a cutting board along with “thrice cooked” fries and homemade cumin mayo served on the side. The tender, juicy meat visibly drips back onto the plate with each bite, meeting the basic requirement for any good burger: messy, messy, messy. To note, you will not be asked what temperature you prefer. They only serve this burger medium rare.

The Ribeye with ramp béarnaise and chips (aka the same “thrice cooked” fries that come with the burger) is in one word, succulent. The ribeye is a boneless cut that comes from the same part of the animal as prime rib. Because of the luscious marbling throughout, this steak is loaded with flavor and remains tender and juicy from the grill to your plate. The ramp béarnaise sauce adds a layer of garlicky, lemon zest that stands up to the bold flavor of the steak.

For sides, consider the Asparagus with lardo or the Cabbage and bacon. Both options are extremely fresh with a crisp, tangy finish.

No meal is complete without dessert, or “pudding,” as they say at this restaurant. The Brioche doughnuts are the perfect ending to a decadent meal. This dessert comes with five, plump doughnuts rolled in sugar that are unexpectedly light and fluffy. They are accompanied by three dipping sauces: spiced maple butter, dark chocolate, and salted caramel. Feel free to mix and match to try all of the different flavors.

One important note: The Breslin does not accept reservations unless you are a guest of the hotel or a group of 8-12 people for one of the chef’s table tasting meals. You have a choice of either the Suckling pig dinner, featuring a whole-roasted suckling pig or the Lamb dinner featuring all parts of the lamb including lamb chops, the head, liver, kidneys andleg of lamb. These tasting dinners can also be accompanied with a wine pairing for an extra fee.



Continue reading on Examiner.com The Breslin Bar & Dining Room: Where hipsters and fine dining converge - New York fine dining | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/fine-dining-in-new-york/the-breslin-bar-dining-room-where-hipsters-and-fine-dining-converge-review#ixzz1NTUyTdDf-COLLAPSE / REPLY (4 Replies) (by ttournoux, created May 26, 2011)

The Breslin

http://uhockey.blogspot.com/2010/03/breslin-new-york-ny.html

If one were to attempt to explain the “boutique” ACE hotel to a friend the descriptors would undoubtedly include brash, hipster, unique, and *gasp* affordable considering its location. With a fresh flower man in the doorway, an eclectic souvenir store in the lobby, and more fedoras and skinny jeans than you can shake a...+READ The Breslin

http://uhockey.blogspot.com/2010/03/breslin-new-york-ny.html

If one were to attempt to explain the “boutique” ACE hotel to a friend the descriptors would undoubtedly include brash, hipster, unique, and *gasp* affordable considering its location. With a fresh flower man in the doorway, an eclectic souvenir store in the lobby, and more fedoras and skinny jeans than you can shake a stick at, the ACE also contains three eateries and a coffee shop – the most notable of which is the newly Michelin Starred “The Breslin.” Owned and operated by April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig fame and considered “nose-to-tail” and “meat-centric” I have to admit the concept screamed “gastropub” to me, but a quick review of the breakfast menu also suggested I check it out to find out for myself.

Taking the early train from New Hyde Park to Penn and greeted by far less friendly weather conditions than the day prior I made my way expediently to the ACE Hotel only to walk right past the main entrance before stopping at Stumptown and making an about-face. Entering through the lobby entrance as the front doors were not yet open I was greeted by two young ladies at the hostess stand and led to a table without delay. Opting to keep my bag and coat with me the bag took a chair while I took the booth and within seconds my water and coffee were filled and a menu presented.

Already well aware of what I’d be ordering before I arrived I next spent some time examining the interior – heavy, dark, “pub-y” quite like The Girl and The Goat in Chicago, but significantly smaller. With the kitchen wide open to public view and myriad animal sculptures of various materials and forms aplenty the feel was essentially a gussied up hunting lodge. Sipping my nutty Stumptown blend it wouldn’t be long before my server would arrive – a cute and bubbly young woman named Allison who called everyone dear, babe, or hun regardless of age or gender. Pleasant, fun, and upbeat despite being the only primary server on duty that morning (all the while training another young lady, as well) I have to say that the service was great from her end but lacking from the ancillary staff as coffee often sat empty and required requests for a refill.

With a soundtrack of stereotyped 80’s kitsch playing overhead and orders placed it would be perhaps 15 minutes of reading my Relais & Chateaux guide before my first course would arrive – the $18 Oven baked 3 cheese sandwich with house smoked ham and egg. Thinking to myself that for $18 this had better be the best egg sandwich ever – well, I’ll just say that if it wasn’t the best, it was certainly close – this was a damned good sandwich. With at two hefty slices of savory ham tucked between thick slices of buttered sourdough and loaded with cheese the sandwich was rustic and hearty at baseline – the addition of a barely cooked farm egg simply put it over the top.

With Allison returning to collect my empty plate a new pair of diners sat down next to me and while browsing the menu I overheard them discussing my follow-up to the egg sandwich – the lady of the pair referring to it as the most decadent thing she’d ever eaten for breakfast. Described on arrival by Allison as “the devil’s doughnut,” the fried peanut and banana sandwich with bourbon and vanilla was most certainly decadent, but I’d suggest it a creation from the heavens rather from below. This time replacing sourdough with hollowed out brioche roll this sandwich was much more a doughnut and absolutely stuffed with bourbon and vanilla poached bananas and gooey peanut butter. Topped with cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar as though it weren’t already sweet enough, it isn’t the most decadent thing I’ve ever eaten for breakfast, but I think that says more about me than it does about The Breslin.

With another coffee refill plus one for the road my check was delivered – pricey for breakfast to be sure, but worth every penny given the quality of the food. Thanking Allison and leaving just as the opening notes of Guns n’ Roses Sweet Child O’ Mine started overhead I made my way to street after wandering the hotel for a bit – the flower guy was still there and so were the hipsters lined up out the door at Stumptown, like Tribeca or Soho had migrated uptown - perhaps for good reason given my experience at The Breslin.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (164 Replies) (by uhockey, created March 19, 2011)

»My dinner at The Breslin

Friday, date night. I've been looking forward to starting my "Holiday Wish List" with The Breslin – a much-hyped new restaurant at the Ace Hotel. The food is "gastropub", which is high quality pub grub, roughly translated. Think: fried egg, lamb burger, oxtail stew, seafood sausage, sweetbreads, etc. The Michelin Guide was very generous to award it a coveted star (out of 3) for their 2011 review,...+READ Friday, date night. I've been looking forward to starting my "Holiday Wish List" with The Breslin – a much-hyped new restaurant at the Ace Hotel. The food is "gastropub", which is high quality pub grub, roughly translated. Think: fried egg, lamb burger, oxtail stew, seafood sausage, sweetbreads, etc. The Michelin Guide was very generous to award it a coveted star (out of 3) for their 2011 review, when New York Times rightfully had given it 1 star (out of 4). My experience borders closer on the 1 NYT star, and this is why: 1) the noise level is deafening throughout the restaurant, but especially at the bar, where it is a mandatory 1-hour wait for the table. 2) The Breslin doesn't take reservations (unless you are a guest at the Ace Hotel) so any chance for a quick walk-in table is doomed. The Maitre D' did not make smart seating choices, since she was too busy texting on her phone throughout the night. Her crowd control was poor, and the waiting guest spilled into the dining room, ready to colonize at any moment if the tables didn't move quickly enough. 3) The dining room was quite dark, but it did not hide the playful ass-groping between FOH emplyees (serving that much meat in a restaurant will bring out anyone's animal instincts, even if you are vegan.) 4) They didn't have pig's foot, which was the sole inspiration for my journey. The menu changes every day, so one can't hope for consistency.

Overall the food was nice, but too heavy on the oil. I suggest forgoing the "popular" Scotch Egg as a starter – a soft-boiled egg encrusted in a 1/2" thick sausage meat placenta, breaded and fried. One bite is enough, but the actual thing is about 4.5" in diameter, hence 12 bites. That is a heart attack on a plate, simply put; it is way too big, and I would prefer for it to be served as amuse-bouche, or at least substitute the large egg for a tiny quail egg. Moving on... I ordered the sweetbreads with lentils (the meat was also fried, oh joy) and an oxtail stew with grilled beef tongue and tempura (fried, again). The former was nicely done, and the flavorful lentils complimented the sweetbreads well. The later was somewhat lean (not really, but at least it wasn't all fried), but it still made me feel bad for negating all good I've done to my body by working out with a trainer for the past 6 months. Alexander ordered the smoked pork belly roulette on top of mashed potatoes with fried (!) bacon on the side (total food porn.) Yes, it was delicious, and well-done, but I knew where that pork belly was going to end up (on me, since I eat at least 50% of what's on my husband's plate. I now need 2 trainers.) There was no talk of dessert, since that would just be too damaging to our girlish figures in the long-term. A few glasses of wine, and the check was a brisk $150, which made me frown on the damage that's infiltrated our financial body as well.

I will not be coming back there, and I am not itching to try The Spotted Pig either. Gastropub isn't for me. You can find me around the corner at John Dory (what's up with that website, btw!?), the oyster bar at the Ace Hotel.

What was your experience like?-COLLAPSE / REPLY (15 Replies) (by Thupamodel, created November 14, 2010)

»What the-e-list had to say...

Deliberately meat-centric, slightly indecipherable (scrumpets? Eton mess?) and authentically pubby, the Ace's restaurant, The Breslin, offers up spot-on English-accented grub. Pork belly is the star here and cholesterol be damned, I ordered it for the first time in my life. Hardly photogenic but scrumptious nevertheless, served with a vat of heart-stopping creamy, buttery mashed. After my piggy...+READ Deliberately meat-centric, slightly indecipherable (scrumpets? Eton mess?) and authentically pubby, the Ace's restaurant, The Breslin, offers up spot-on English-accented grub. Pork belly is the star here and cholesterol be damned, I ordered it for the first time in my life. Hardly photogenic but scrumptious nevertheless, served with a vat of heart-stopping creamy, buttery mashed. After my piggy dinner, I chose steel cut oatmeal for breakfast (with an interesting salty note) but next time I'll have the full on English breakfast or gorgeous tray of croissants and hot cross buns. No reservations, but if you're staying in the hotel, put your name on the list early.-COLLAPSE (by the e list, created October 29, 2010)

Try the Breslin...its amazing. REPLY (10 Replies) (by Iraphilly, created June 9, 2010)