People-watchin' at Pastis

Pastis
9 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10014
(212) 989-4844



We never gave much thought to this place, thinking that it was just another one of those to-see-and-be-seen kinda restaurants. Especially given its location, smack dab in the middle of the Meatpacking District. I think we finally ended up here out of curiosity, and also to try something new. We tried to squeeze in dinner before DJ Spinna's party downtown (it's on Thurdays).

The decibel level inside Pastis was quite frankly deafening, like everyone was excited to be there. It has a very handsome interior, like your typical Parisian brasserie, with a gorgeous bar, big mirrors, and dainty little tables. We got a seat outside, which was what we were hoping for. It was fun people watching and remarking on how trendy everybody else seemed to be.

Pastis' drinks menu looks great, with plenty of old fashioned continental drinks--- champagne cocktails, liqueurs, and I think I even saw absinthe. Food-wise, everything seems rather tame and a touch touristy.

Of course, I was gearing up for boogie mode, which you cannot do on a full stomach, so I settled on some apps.

Eastern oysters (I think these were Kumamoto). They were fresh and had a very metallic taste. Washed this down with some beer (Steppenweiss?).


DJKung's app was a mesculun salad and potatoes topped with goat cheese (he is a big fan of goat cheese). The vinaigrette was tangy. This was excellent.

I got a tomato tart for my main. The crust was really buttery and flaky, which was not what I expected. The tomatoes were ok, not too flavorful (tomatoes were not yet in season when we went).

DJKung ordered the cheesesteak. He loved-loved-loved this sandwich and exclaimed that this was THE BEST he'd ever had. The steak came from good cuts of excellent beef, with lots of onions and guyere cheese. The mayo was nice and creamy, and the shoesting fries (see how much they gave!) were crispy, potato-ey and seasoned just right.

SUPERFATTY: So you're saying it's better than Indigo Deli (in Mumbai) ?

DJKUNG: Yeah... I could see what Indigo was trying to do, and they don't come close.

SUPERFATTY: Whattabout Pat's? Or Geno's (both in Philly)

DJKUNG: Blows 'em out of the water.

SUPERFATTY: Wow. I'm not sure I believe you.

Apple tart with a cream sauce. This was likewise very buttery, and a bit on the sweet side. I decided to splurge and try the raspberry eau de vie (I love that name!) and it was definitely quite interesting. The smell (and the taste, to be honest) is very off-putting, like inhaling distilled alcohol, but it leaves an amazing ghost of a raspberry aftertaste.

DJKung was all for placing Pastis on our rotation. I am inclined to agree, but I think we should try more of their offerings. For the hype, we were quite pleased with the food so far.