Nix May Be NYC's Best New Vegetarian Restaurant
March 4, 2016, 3:27 p.m.
Though the chef's not skimping on the butter and cheese where applicable, a substantial portion of the menu is, in fact, vegan.
You may think of meat when you see carpaccio and stir fry on a menu, but at Nix there's not a single animal on the ingredient list. Chef John Fraser—who also helms Narcissa in the Standard East and Dovetail—debuted the latest of the city's vegetarian eateries this week, part of a trend towards embracing vegetable-forward and vegan dining. Other than being vegetarian, the restaurant is pleasingly idiosyncratic, drawing from global inspirations to produce an eclectic menu of veggie friendly dishes. Though he's not skimping on the butter and cheese where applicable, a substantial portion of the menu is, in fact, vegan.
Tandoor bread, puffed, golden and herb-scattered, is a utensil for dips like creamy hummus sprinkled with zaatar and house-made cottage cheese topped with jewel-toned broccoli leaf pesto. That aforementioned Carpaccio ($14) is made with Russet potatoes spiced with habanero cream and topped with chopped eggs and crispy potato threads. Pull back the endive and dandelion leaf curtain on the Spinach Pie ($15) to reveal a beautiful olive branch of spinach pastry studded with salty feta and nuts.
You'll be hearing a lot about the Yukon Potato Fry Bread ($14), to be sure; the deep fried but airy creation is like gourmet county fair food for vegetarians. It's topped pizza-style with cheddar cheese, sour cream and some veggies for crunch. It's just as decadent as it sounds, same with the Shiitake "Cacio e Pepe" ($18), tender mushrooms in soupy polenta with salsify. Everyone waddled out stuffed and satisfied after a recent press preview, that's for certain.
It's early, to be sure, but Nix seems poised to be one of the best openings of 2016 so far. In fact, on our way out the door, my dining companion made a reservation to come back for dinner a few days later. Do with that information what you will.
72 University Place, (212) 498-9393
