Wicked Jane’s publicist recently invited me to sample New Jersey chef Zod Arifai’s fare at his 3-year-old Greenwich Village 8th Street restaurant. He offers a small bar in the front room and an intimate back room with generously spaced white-linen-covered tables.

I suggest Chef Zod add rugs, art or something to add warmth and absorb sound. We couldn’t hear our server speak when one of the folks at the table 3-feet away from us spoke.

I tried their citrusy eponymous cocktail ($18) with vodka, Cointreau and hibiscus. I liked that it wasn’t sweet.

Our only menu choice was whether or not to add the potato flan topped with Siberian sturgeon caviar ($38) to the seven-course tasting menu ($95). If you opt for the wines, you can choose between the classic single-vineyard pairing ($95) or rare vintage ($150).

In addition to the flan, our amuse-bouche included a pecorino cake topped with truffles and an espresso cup of onion bubble tea. The wine choice: Domaine Sicera “Odette” Cidre Poire de Normandie NV, France or Herbert Beaufort, Grand Cru Carte D’Or, Bouzy, Champagne, France.

One of the evening’s treats is Alvaro Mondaca (Gramercy Tavern), Somellier extraordinaire! who walked us through and poured samples of each of the wine options.

The salt-cured codfish, smoked in onion skins, comes in homemade yogurt, drizzled with citrus-berry juices and sprinkled with hibiscus powder. These wine choices included Rudi Pichler, Red Achleithen 2018, Gruner Veltliner Smaragd, Wachau, Austria and Alfred Merkelbach, Urziger Wurzgarten 1999, Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany.

Next was the delightful, gently cooked ocean trout, over fermented apples, pickled radishes and ginger, topped with ginger and jalapeño foam. Those wines were Francois Chidaine, Les Tuffeaux 2019, Montlouis, Chenin Blanc, Loire Valley, France or Chateau LaTour-Martillac, Grand Cru Classé 2012, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France.

We were in heaven devouring their housemade sourdough bread served with housemade cow’s milk cheese in EVOO and salt.

The evening’s only miss was the chewy monkfish with fresh English peas and chopped almonds in a red pepper coulis. The wines were  Jean-Marc Lafont, Morgon Cote Du PY, Gamay, Beaujolais Cru, France or Kistler, Sonoma Coast 2019, Pinot Noir, California.

The fabulous duck breast made up for it. The perfectly cooked slice comes with a persimmon puree, a raisin-honey emulsion and a slice of turnip over cabbage. Wines with that last savory course Señorío de P. Peciña, Gran Reserva 2011, D.O.C. Rioja Alta, Spain or Sergio Zenato, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2017, Vento, Italy.

The dessert is a frozen citrus meringue with a hibiscus puree sprinkled again with citrus powder. And a chocolate mocha topped with white chocolate sauce, all hidden under homemade chocolate cookie crumbs. We sipped the Royal Tokaji, Late Harvest 2018, Tokaj, Hungary or the Carmes De Rieussec, by Domaines Baron de Rothschild Lafite 2019, Sauternes, France, with that.

I recommend an evening at Wicked Jane.

Wicked Jane
Greenwich Village
15 West Eighth Street (5th Avenue and 6th Avenues)
New York, NY
646-329-5767
wickedjane.com