Restaurant 10 Downing Opens in West Village (Not Whitehall)

For anyone out there who still has money to spend at restaurants (congratulations one person; need arm candy?), here's 10 Downing, which officially opened last night in the West Village after a long delay. (It was originally scheduled to open over a year ago.) Chef Katy Sparks, who has developed quite the following at the Upper West Side restaurant Compass—and Soho's Quilty's—is teaming up here with Jason Neroni, whose pedigree includes Porchetta and the Tasting Room. Their menu emphasizes (surprise, surprise) "seasonal ingredients" with a Mediterranean influence; one appetizer, the pickled mustard seed chorizo quail egg, is a veteran of Neroni's Tasting Room menu.

Other items include a grass-fed Bison hanger steak with a potato, leek and date gratin with olives and daube jus ($26), and a saffron paella stocked with morcilla sausage, mussels ($23 for one, $43 for two). Co-owner Joel Michel has filled the 70 seat space (plus room for ten at the marble topped bar and 30 more in the sidewalk cafe) with work by artists including Shamus Clisset and Alex Katz, and the room is ringed by comfy leather cushioned banquettes. Eater checked it out last night, and Strong Buzz says the owners will open a cafe and reading lounge next door "in the coming months"—i.e. summer of 2010, ha ha? Menu after the jump.

10 Downing Street at Sixth Avenue, (212) 255-0300.

For Sharing

Baked Sheep’s Cheese

red pepper relish & toasted bread 10

Selection of Smoked and Cured Meats

Seasonal vegetable pickles and grilled bread

mortadella, porkbelly terrine, duck prosciutto, morcilla, chicken liver mousse

Each 6 / Platter 25

Appetizers & Salads

10 Downing Salad

chicories, piperade relish & Manchego vinaigrette 10

Braised Beets

ruby red grapefruit & Picon blue cheese 11

Ocean Trout Tartar

pickled mustard, chorizo oil, pine nuts & quail egg 13

Duck Meatball Cassoulet

flageolet beans & toasted spices 12

White Bean Soup

homemade bacalao, tomato confit & gremolata 9

Blue Spot Prawns a la Plancha

toasted garlic, arbequino olives & valencia orange 12

Marinated Brussels Sprouts

anchovy vinaigrette, soft-poached egg & parmesan 9

Squid Ink Agnolotti

peekytoe crab, piquillo peppers & lemon butter 14

Entrees

Atlantic Cod

fingerling potatoes, torpedo shallots, olives & béarnaise 25.00

Montauk Fluke

en papillote, seckle pear, parsley root & chanterelles 23.00

Homemade Gnocchi with Braised Porcini

butternut squash, mustard greens & Sardinian cheese 18.00

Arctic Char

herbed -mussel broth, bacon & artichokes 25.00

Bison Hanger Steak

salsa verde, grilled leeks, romesco & patatas bravas 26.00

Colorado Lamb Chops

provencal herbs, panisses & marinated feta 31

Herb Roasted Chicken

Panzanella salad with almonds, currants and preserved lemon 23/43

Sides

6.00

brussels sprouts with guanciale

fennel gratinee

papas bravas with aioli

swiss chard & roasted garlic

aligot puree