Resto is a casual gastropub serving up Belgian comfort food and libations in the
Murray Hill area that’s becoming quite hot.
Although Resto offers more than 60 Belgian varieties of beer, we opted for wine by the glass and started with some plebeian roasted almonds with a blend of spices, ($5) cinnamon, fennel seed, coriander and anise.
Since the petite plates were more enticing than the large ones, we shared a few plus ordered the classic Belgian moules frites (mussels and fries).
Do try the crispy batter-coated small shrimp in a mildly spicy harissa sitting on smoked yogurt and topped with shredded green onion and some fried garlic ($15). Not as goo
d was the charred octopus. It contained lots more frisee ($18) and chunks of roasted sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke) than the cephalopod mollusk and very little of the menu-stated pistachio salsa verde.
I would recommend the very fatty but flavorful lamb ribs in a green romesco sauce with pickled spring onions ($16). We actually ended up with two orders… but I digress.
Skip the crispy (aka deep fried and oily) broccoli rabe with sliced red grapes, calabrain chili and a sauce the menu said was “bagna cauda” ($7). Bagna cauda is generally a warm garlicky oil and butter dip, not a bland aioli.
We had ordered the classic Belgian moules and frites steamed in white wine, with orange, herbs and some bacon added but after two sandy bites, we sent it back as the inedible ($24) mussels weren’t cleaned properly. The manager did take them off our table and bill, and offered us a replacement, hence the second order of the lamb. The frites — as they should be in a Belgian restaurant — were good.
So what do I recommend? Go for a beer or glass of wine and their frites.
– bonnie
Resto
Murray Hill
111 East 29th Street
New York, NY 10016
Leave A Comment