The Folly of Buzz

Ever since the John Dory closed, everyone was clamoring for the low-key sister restaurant situated in the Ace Hotel called the Breslin. Myself included, having been enamored with The Spotted Pig (same proprietors), ever since my first visit 4 years ago, I had high expectations for this place. I would have to say that while my meal at the Breslin was delicious, and some items I thought were amazing, it fell just short of what I had envisioned.

First off, the Breslin is packed. I went with my brother around 6:45, hoping to beat the 7:00 rush. We did, just barely, and were seated in about 25 minutes. The setting is nice--not anything revelatory, but comfortable nonetheless.

The menu was a nice length--I loathe menus that are chock full of dishes. I am of the opinion that a restaurant can only do so many things perfectly and they should serve only those items. As it was my brother's birthday, we decided to cover the gamut of dishes: scotch egg to start, plate of terrines, pig's foot, and fries. For those averse to swine, options are more limited. This place is definitely a palace of pork and they are very unapologetic about that fact.

The scotch egg rolled out first and probably was my favorite of the night. It was caked then crisped in a luscious breading and sausage stuffing, the egg oozed perfectly when you cut into it, and had a delicious, almost breakfasty flavor. Both my brother and I are still talking about it.

The terrines rolled out next. I have been more willing to give terrines a second chance lately. When done correctly, they really are amazing...when done poorly, they are loathsome. The Breslin nailed the four terrines we ordered: Guinea hen with morels / Rustic Pork / Rabbit & prune / Head Cheese. I pretended to forget what head cheese is, but it was still tasty. My favorite was probably the rustic pork or the guinea hen with morels...mostly because I adore morels. At this point in the meal, I was full, but alas, we had a beast (literally) of an entree heading our way.

On our servers recommendation, we opted for pig's foot. This name is misleading, as our server pointed out, as the dish is really the pigs lower leg, from knee to hoof. It is stuffed with more pig and is probably the most pork-tastic dish one could conceive. This is when I was a little let down. The dish is meant for two and could be easily shared amongst a foursome. The meat was tender and flavorful. However, it was too mushy and there was too much of it. The texture was kind of like really rare hamburger meat (though it was cooked properly) and there was not enough balancing items to add a crispness or crunch to the dish. When I did add some of the sides, it improved the dish, but not by enough. It was almost like glorified baby food.

The side of thrice cooked chips, however, were a totally different animal. They were very salty (not necessarily a bad thing btw), had a crispy shell with a warm and soft interior. The dipping sauce that accompanied tasted of something from India, but I still can't pinpoint what. They were awesome. The fries were recently dubbed the best in New York--I do not agree with that (Pommes Frites still does it for me), but they are definitely in the outstanding category.

So, all in all, I would given the Breslin a good not great. In the Breslin's defense, this was the second week of dinner service, so the kitchen still may be working through recipes and ideas. I would probably go back--certainly after the initial craze wears off.