Location: 430 2nd Avenue New York, NY
Cuisine: Eastern European (Russian)
Items: A tasting of numerous dishes on the menu, over 10 Items!
Best Dish: The wings were amazing we love a well sauced wing, but the star was the stuffed cabbage. It was meaty and rich, a decadent combination.
Overall: A charming eatery that will grab you from the entrance. Margarita is a phenomenal cook with a warm heart that welcomes you into her restaurant with the ease of an old friend inviting you for dinner. A warm cozy place for great food and family oriented atmosphere.
On a warm summer night we happened upon the delightful Love Cafe and Bar, a small unassuming eatery on the east side of Manhattan. The newly open space is home to some of the best home style Russian cuisine in the city. From the outside it’s not clear what to expect the unfortunate scaffolding covering the building’s façade hides this little gem from plain sight. Once inside the space is open and lively. The decor reminds me of someone’s home. Small tables litter the dining space covered in a floral table cloth. The walls are adorned with shelves holding a wide assortment of collectibles and a large television is mounted on the rear wall playing Russian concerts. We stepped down into the dining area and were immediately seated by the owner and chef’s beautiful daughter, who wasted no time in assuring us that we were in great hands. We started with a round of beverages, my companion had a tall glass of one of their flavored ice teas and I could not resist the lure of an iced espresso topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel.
Ordinarily we begin with a cocktail but; Love Café does not serve hard liquor at this time, just beer and wine. So we gave our livers a break and enjoyed their non-alcoholic options.
Speaking of livers we started our food journey with Chicken liver pate, a delicacy that is served with Russian black bread tomato slices and fresh raw onion. The best way to enjoy this dish is by smearing the bread with the pate and topping that with the tomato and onion. Despite my usual aversion to innards I gave it a try and it was absolutely delicious. The pate was rich and creamy and the raw veggies added a layer of freshness and crunch.
After the first appetizer we surrendered our palates to the chef and allowed Margarita to present and prepare her favorite dishes. While she worked on an assortment of items we enjoyed a platter of blini with caviar. A blini is like a crepe, it was soft and light enough to eat on its own but we filled it with caviar and sour cream for an amazing taste explosion. For those who have never tried caviar, it is an acquired taste and the texture is similar to the tapioca pearls in bubble tea and the flavor if fishy, briny and just a little salty like fresh ocean water.
After the caviar we were treated to two traditional salad the Olivier salad and the vinaigrette salad. The Olivier is a potato salad with diced carrots, peas mayo and fresh dill. The vinaigrette is a Russian beet salad made of cooked beets, sauerkraut, scallions, pickles and wine vinegar.
In addition to the salads we were also presented with a selection of wings. The wings are offered in several flavors. For our tasting we sampled the Thai sweet Chili, Garlic Parmesan, Lemon Pepper and mango barbecue. The Wings were all juicy and tender with just enough sauce. Our favorite of the sauces was the mango barbecue, it was sweet with just the right amount of kick.
Just as we licked the last bit of wing sauce from our finger tips we were presented with a beautiful dish of Chilean Sea Bass known as the ”Knight Daniel”. For this dish the fish is baked with seasoning and served in a sherry cream sauce with Yukon gold soufflé. The fish was well prepared and far from dry. The sauce was a delicious blend of tart and sweet with enough acidity to liven up the tasty fish.
After the fish we had two of the most well-known Russian dishes, the Goulash and the stuffed cabbage. The goulash arrived in a decadent bread bowl. The edible bowl was as delicious as the warm stew inside.
The stuffed cabbage is cooked cabbage leaves filled with chicken and pork topped with sour cream and served with a side of basmati rice. The stuffed cabbage was outstanding, a real hearty meal with the home made feeling. It is the kind of dish that inspires warm and happy memories , it is that good. The stuffing is rich and flavorful, with a generous amount of succulent ground meat. The rice was amazing as well, it was fluffy and buttery. I have made and eaten all types of rice but this was the first time I had baked rice and it was delicious. I am not sure how she did it, but Chef Margarita has me stumped.
Despite our protesting bellies we could not even think of leaving Chef Margarita’s table without sampling her desserts. She presented us with the Crepe Pomme Caramel a light fluffy crepe topped with powdered sugar and filled with warm cinnamon apples and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Lastly, we enjoyed the mixed berry torte a pie of sorts with a tasty buttery crust, smooth creamy filling topped with a generous helping of fresh mixed berries.
The Love Cafe is a quaint relaxed space where friends and family can gather for a well prepared meal that is bursting with flavor and overflowing with love. Chef Margarita takes pride in her kitchen and the nourishment it provides. Though the space has been open just two short months they already have a band of regulars who frequent the space and can be found enjoying a meal amid laughter and pleasant conversation. In addition to the warm atmosphere every night the space also hosts a weekly poker game that is gaining in popularity so rapidly that they are thinking of adding a second night. Whenever you have the chance feel free to drop on in at one of our favorite places, leave all your troubles at home but remember to bring a hearty appetite.
For more information, visit http://lovecafeandbar.com