Phil Suarez and I are thrilled to be partnering with Paulette Cole, CEO and Creative Director of ABC Home, to open ABC Kitchen, our new farm-to-table restaurant. I’ve been an advocate of sustainability over the years and am thrilled about opening ABC Kitchen.
Paulette did an amazing job transforming the space into a stylish, warm dining room, using many recycled materials. Beautiful old beams from a barn and the whitewashed floor creates a farmhouse effect that matches the market-driven menu.Local artists made the ceramic plates and the bread and dessert dishes and the silverware are antique. Placemats and menus come from 100% recycled paper and our coasters are squares of cardboard from shipping boxes.
Lois Freedman and James Liakakos have been doing a great job training the front-of-house staff to be as warm and inviting as the ambiance. We want this restaurant to reflect the farm-to-table experience with a casual and convivial atmosphere and the servers have made diners feel very much at home. We’ve even found some of the front-of-the-house staff uniforms at local thrift stores in the spirit of the recycling.
In this elegant, comfortable dining room, we serve market-driven dishes made with the freshest organic and local ingredients possible. Even the cocktails devised by Bernie Sun, my beverage director, are made with local, organic liquors and juices. I especially love the tarragon-infused Green Kitchen and sparkly Blood Orange Bellini. An extensive list of biodynamic wines and local beers accompany the mixed drinks.
My executive chef here, Dan Kluger, who worked with Danny Meyer at Gramercy Tavern and Tabla before joining me, and I had a lot of fun creating the dishes. And we’re still enjoying it, since our menu will change daily. We’re only a few blocks from the Greenmarket and will create dishes based on whatever we find. Everything—vegetables, fruit, cheeses, meats, flowers—is sourced as locally as possible.
Here’s a glimpse of what you can taste now:
Roasted Beets with Homemade Yogurt: These end-of-winter candy-striped and baby beets are incredibly sweet.
Peekytoe Crab Toast: The smoky, crusty grilled bread brings out the sweetness of the lightly dressed crab.
Shaved Fluke with Blood Oranges: I can’t get enough of these ruby-hued fruits when they’re in season. Their sweet-tartness highlights the freshness of the fluke.
Raw Maine Sweet Shrimp with Grated Horseradish: My dear friend and amazing seafood purveyor Ingrid Bengis tells me these aren’t going to be available much longer. If you’ve never had 
Mackerel Sashimi Marinated with Ginger: Anyone who thinks mackerel tastes fishy needs to taste this version. A little heat makes it great.
Roast Carrot and Avocado Salad with Crunchy Seeds and Citrus: This is one of my favorite dishes here. The sour cream in the center brings together all the flavors.
Housemade Ricotta Ravioli: Delicate, but satisfying. Needless to say, vegetarians have been offering rave reviews of this one.
Clam, Mint, and Parsley Pizza: We’re working with Jim Leahy to create seasonal pizzas and this is one of my favorites. Chilies add a little kick too.
Roasted Cod with Citrus Emulsion: Clean and bright flavors define this entrée.
Roasted Pork T-Bone with Apple-Meyer Lemon Puree and Swiss Chard: The flavorful, juicy meat comes from Flying Pigs Farm in 
Salted Caramel-Peanut Ice Cream Sundae: The perfect balance in a sweet-salty dessert with a whipped creme fraiche topping, chocolate sauce, and caramel popcorn crisp.
Pear Bourdaloue Tart: This rich pear-almond dessert reminds me of the French tarts my mother and grandmother made for me in 
Chocolate Layer Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Icing: A classic American cake, made even better.
By the time you read this, the menu will likely have changed again. But everything will taste just as good. I love cooking with organic, seasonal ingredients from local farms and hope you enjoy eating the results.ABC Kitchen
35 East 18th Street, near Broadway, NYC
212-475-5829
