Last month I finished reading Gabrielle Hamilton's autobiography entitled Blood, Bones and Butter which won a James Beard Award for Literature in 2012 and got me very excited about her cooking and life. In 2011 Chef Gabi also won the James Beard Award for Best Chef and her tiny restaurant Prune in the East Village has been jammed since then. I arrived on a most chilly night and was greeted warmly in the small space which had about 12 or 13 tables for two, so maximum would be under 25 or so people. The tables are traditional heavy marble bistro tables and the wooden chairs are none too comfortable; I am sure to insure people don't linger. There is a small bar to the right with maybe six chairs which was also full of diners. I was seated at the table against the front window right next to the door and worried about the draft, but the door was not opened that many times and then there was a very strong radiator right behind my back...thank goodness. We could all see into the teeny kitchen through an open window at the rear.Two ceiling fans circled slowly over the white and black tile floor, that looked quite worn as did the hanging globe lights and worn mirrors on the wall. There was an old world charm, but definitely well worn feeling.
The menu was not very long, but it was exciting and quite varied, so I asked my hunky server Ryan to help me choose as I enjoyed a drink called El Diablo made from tequila, lime, Cointreau and yellow Chartreuse. It was refreshing and smooth and I asked one of the servers why it was called El Diablo, as it did not seem menacing or spicy or anything that would earn the moniker of "the devil;" she had no clue!
Pappadam came to the table and I gobbled it all up as it was so well spiced and tasty and then a small cup of Parmesan Broth arrived to warm me up; it was a nice touch, but I would have loved perhaps another amuse that showed more invention. My first course was Deviled Rabbit Kidneys which was a truly brilliant creation with the tiny kidneys in a rich brown, cognac and mustard sauce and served with two large pieces of grilled bread glazed with red currant marmelade. The combination was amazing and, while I have previously loved veal, lamb and beef kidneys, these tiny treats were a dream come true. (FB photos on my page). A glass of Francois Confuron-Gindre 2016 Pinot Noir from Burgundy was a nice pairing, but the second wine Ryan recommended was so much better, a Domaine Philippe Alliet 2017 Cabernet Franc from Chinon(Loire). This paired deliciously with my Roasted Duck Breast cooked to perfection with a crispy skin seasoned ideally and cooked just past rare. This was served in a Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette which was really a broth with Cranberry Beans and was the ideal cold night meal to warm me up and also fill me to just past sated.
I managed to sit for a while finishing my wine before ordering dessert and was glad I did so as Ryan recommended the Lemon Semifreddo served with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkled with crunchy Maldon Sea Salt. The manager recommended a Amarino Nonno to pair with it and I think I have fallen in love with a new dessert wine that I have overlooked for years. Despite the name it is not bitter, but warm and sweet and slightly spicy which worked so well with the tart lemon.
Before I left for midtown hotel I was offered two chunks of delicious dark chocolate to finish off my Amarino with and then enjoyed another glass of the nectar back at the hotel bar!
Prune is a perfect place if you want a meal that is not for lingering, and might be better when it's not really really cold outside, although the food will surely warm you up.I was told my table was booked for 8pm(I arrived just after 630pm about 6 minutes late), but nobody rushed me out until after 830! A really wonderful meal that brought me back to the perfect Paris bistro.
