Take it from us, it’s best to know if someone shares your love of foie gras butter and lamb salami before things get too serious.
Don’t think about that too much/at all, just take it from us.
And so as of today, your next first date’s happening at Charc: Chef Danny Brown’s hyper-focused slice of the UES, now open.
It’s Brown’s follow-up to Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen, aka the first Queens restaurant to get a Michelin star—and while both establishments have killer wine lists (Brown’s a former sommelier, after all), this one’s much less bistro and much more French-leaning casual wine spot.
You’re in a nice little pocket of the UES, and it feels like it. The space is supremely narrow, with an intimate, classy New York vibe: a brick wall to the right, a sizeable Chris Morris photo of the subway in ’81 to the left, a low-hanging chandelier above a polished wooden bar.
Now, let’s say you and your hypothetical first date stroll in on a Thursday evening, say, eight-ish. Today’s Thursday, just saying. You’re thirsty, and your date is thirsty, and you’re into doing hypothetical first date things, so first on your agenda is the Scorpion Bowl—that’s a charming porcelain goblet full of rum, vodka, gin, pineapple and cherry, with a straw for each of you. What a good start.
We assume you’re also here to eat, so let’s get some food in front of you. Poof. Now you’re seated in front of tuna crudo with fennel and clementine. Beets with hazelnut and black olive-caraway yogurt. A generous platter of meat and cheese is also in order, obviously. So go with what moves you: house-made pork and fig paté, foie gras mousse, Bonne Bouche goat cheese, smoked prosciutto, a nutty slice of Pyrénées Brebis. Some pear jam, tiny pickles. You know, meat platter things.
You can trust us on all of the above, or you can check out some visuals right here.
