The Dutch is one of New York’s restaurants of the moment– sitting atop year-end top ten lists of several of the city’s papers of record, acclaimed by critics, beloved of the in-crowd. These accolades often indicate just the type of eatery that the City Present would want to avoid– impossible to book, a line around the block, snobby, dismissive service, and other horrors of over-popular restaurants.
Delightfully, however, the Dutch shows few signs of either resting on its laurels, or being blinded to customer satisfaction by the glow of the limelight. While the Dutch,- a corner bistro in northwestern SoHo with an intimate layout– is small and in many ways unfancy, potential diners are welcomed by the Maitre d’ and offered a spot on the wait list for a table, or any available bar stools, with a warm smile and apology if a table isn’t immediately open.
The Dutch’s interior may be familiar to foodies– in its decor and design, it checks several boxes in the contemporary retro-hipster look, most especially the archaic turn-of-the-century white-painted metal sinks in the men’s room, surely rescued from immanent demolition of an old YMCA. The dining areas are mostly wood-paneled and subway-tiled, presenting a simple, clean look, accentuated with the hand-written chalkboard oyster list and illuminated from the large windows looking out onto leafy Sullivan and Prince Streets.
The Dutch’s small menu is fully available at the Bar, where the bartender is helpful and attentive as the other waitstaff. The offerings might best be described, simply as American: choose between the luscious Burger or towering Turkey and Avocado sandwich at lunch; Spaghetti or gumbo Scallops from the”Supper” menu. Oysters from Washington State, Massachusetts or Virginia; even the cavier is American. An 18-0z New York Strip beckons; Fried Chicken frequents both the lunch and dinner offerings. This is paired with a bar menu dominated long list of boutique Kentucky Bourbons and domestic speciality drafts– particularly the hipster trifecta of Narragansett, Allagash, and Pretty Things Jack D’Or.
Although such a description may sound disappointingly indistinct or pedestrian, the Dutch’s great success is that, rather than chasing the new for its own sake, the restaurant executes the familiar so flawlessly. Simply put, the Dutch is so celebrated because so much of what it offers is truly exquisite. The menus have so many gems: the side order of heirloom cauliflower was a great satisfaction; the burger, softly melting away on the tongue, is like no other. The smoked liverwurst is remarkable; the steak tartare tremendous.
If the future of New York’s dining scene is moving away from the overpriced and over-the-top to the casually flawless neighborhood eatery that is the Dutch, then New Yorkers and visitors to Manhattan have more to look forward to.
The Dutch 131 Sullivan Street New York, NY 10012 212-677-6200 www.thedutchnyc.com Tweet
