We miss Pastis. How could we not? But the New York real estate development situation being as merciless as
it is, we’ll continue to live without it for the foreseeable future. That said, we bring tidings of great
joy for you, the like-minded enjoyer of spacious French brasseries.
Tidings of Boucherie, a meat-centric French indulgence with 2.5 floors of Belle Époque–era appreciation
and a desire for you to drink absinthe. A Pastis chef now plies his trade in this West Village spot, which
is open now.
The main reason to be here will be second dates (less casual than the first, less formal than the third)
with carnivores. In the grand Pastis tradition, brunch will also be a time to stop in.
Allow us to explain the “carnivore” advice: there are nine separate substantial beef dishes here, including a côte de boeuf for two. And just
for good measure, they’ve tossed in an herb-crusted rack of venison. Which isn’t to say you can’t go
lighter with a mushroom ravioli or cavatelli with braised rabbit. Guess “lighter” is a relative
term.
We’d recommend sticking with wine with dinner, but arriving early to sample one of the absinthe cocktails
they’ve lovingly developed, if only for the opportunity to take a seat at a bar that would have inspired
Manet.
As for the seating arrangement, you’ve got the main dining floor with its towering ceilings, the dais with
the same ceilings—which you’ll be slightly closer to, since it’s a dais—and the mezzanine, a more
secluded spot with the kind of burgundy carpet you don’t see much anymore.
