On Monday night we stepped out to the trendy "Mercer Kitchen" in SOHO for dinner. The restaurant is in the basement under the hotel. It's attractive with lots of wood & brick and lots of 20-somethings all wearing black (as is the staff). We fit right in! I felt like the waiter looked at us like we were his grandparents.
The food was very good. Overall, the menu was interesting, with a heavy emphasis on contemporary comfort foods. I had a wonderful peeky-toe crab cake with papaya chutney to start and Chris's salad of shaved fennel and parmagian over arugula was fresh with a light vinegrette dressing. For the main course Chris had "slow-cooked salmon served with a puree of parsnips and some interesting mystery mushrooms that were very unusual. I had Niman Ranch pork chops with broccoli rabe and potato gratin that were tasty but unimaginative.
The food was good but we both felt very rushed. We had a 7:30pm reservation and were finished before 8:30pm; this included a cocktail, 2 courses and coffee. Each course came too quickly for it to have been just prepared and was not very hot. Staff seemed overly attentive and were waiting to clear the table as soon as we put our forks down. Before we had finished our coffee, and without us asking, the bill was placed on the table. It seem surprising that with so many empty tables, staff found it necessary to rush us this way.
Mercer Kitchen (a Jean-George Vongerichten restaurant)
99 Prince Street (in the Mercer Hotel)
212-966-545
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