Elettaria

This was a GEM –sultry drinks that kicked you into oblivion.
Sorry Elettaria: You where located in the weirdest spot.

Sad this is closed. Guess this review is more of a eulogy and an obnoxious…“oh, there was this great place in NY but it closed” place that I can mention to anyone who’s never been.
There were the best olde-​fashioned ginger martinis called «Ginger Rogers», a bartender with a fantastic handlebar mustache and no sense of humor about it, and a good-​looking Indian chef that all my female friends used to oggle.
To beef up the fairy tale myth of a NY restaurant no longer with us, I think it’s safe to add that they had the best food in the history of mankind served by women ten times hotter than Salma Hayek, that everyone who went there on a date was guaranteed to go onto a long-​term loving and healthy relationship, and that the dessert was made behind a glass viewing area by Oompa Loompas that put on a knife-​fight at 11pm every nite. And oh how I miss the Martini fountain…

Closed? *gasp*
I had a great RW meal here. The skate and skirt steak were both fantastic… We had to wait a bit past our reservation, but service was generally good. The place was PACKED too, I can’t believe it’s no longer with us. Sniff.

Went with a friend last night for dinner and drinks. We sat at the bar even thought the place was dismally empty at 8pm on Wednesday evening.
The food had it’s good points, particularly the Indian spice influence in each dish. Granted we did only order from the bar snacks and appetizers portion of the menu, so no entrees were consumed at this visit. I was impressed with the Crab Meat Resala (With little gnocci and the fact that the crab is butter braised, you can’t really go wrong) and the Pork Ribs (With garam masala spice and a sugar snap pea salad) and even the house made Hot Dog. The meatballs were eh and come with some kind of sauce that I didn’t inquire about. The bread served is Naan with a delicious tasty sauce for dipping.
The cocktail list has a few offerings, I got a Witchy Woman with rye, mint and lime and some other ingredient. It was quite good, but I ordered another one and I think the bartender completely got the drink wrong the second time. But it was so hot out last night that the wrong drink actually wound up being really refreshing.
Will have to go back and try the entrees at some point.

I had dinner here on a Friday night. I ordered a fish (can’t remember which one but they were very accommodating towards my gluten allergy. — The chef had my fish prepared with no flower and it was very tasty.
The place seemed to be packed with young groups of friends and a few couples. Before we left (around 10pm) there was a huge party of kids that seemed to be straight out of a Connecticut prep school, so yes, it was a little young but perhaps it was that Friday.
The food and service were very good and I’d come back.

I went here to meet a couple of friends last night. They just had drinks, but I was starving, so I ordered food.
There was only *ONE* vegetarian thing on the menu, so for me 2 stars is generous. The food was tasty. I had the zucchini risotto. I’d go back for that if (a) the portion was 4 times bigger and (b) the price was a little more reasonable.
My friends seemed to enjoy their drinks, so maybe I’ll give this place a second try. It’s in an interesting no-​mans-​land of west 8^th street where there are a few restaurants, but it also seems rather desolate.
I also noticed 8^th street wine cellar which I really wanna try now, across the street.

Telling me a restaurant is Asian Fusion is the best way to get me to stay away from a place, but this is one of those times where it works because Elettaria actually knows what it is and can produce decent food.
As my friend suggested, restaraunt week is not really a fair barometer for a restaurant, as I am not getting the dishes that they normally serve. Having said that, enough people told me about this place that I needed to try it and I have to admit that I am pretty impressed (even with the restaurant week menu). I had meatballs and my friend had the scallops as our appetizer course, both of which were delicious. The cavatelli with sausage that I had was decent and my friend enjoyed her skirt steak enough. The chai ice cream that we got with our donuts were amazing, although the donuts themselves were a bit on the greasy side.
Overall, I think I need to come back for a regular meal to see if it’s actually 3 or 4 stars — I’d give it 3 ½ now. I like the décor in that it’s casual, but sophisticated. The bench I sat on was a bit odd, as the table had legs that made it hard for me to sit comfortably and the bench was a bit too low for me in comparison to the table. The temperature of the restaurant is also a bit off, as we were close enough to the kitchen to be warm, but we also had the unpleasant breeze of the AC on top of us at the same time.
Overall, decent service, decent food, I think we just got a weird table… so maybe 3 ¾ stars.

My New Yorker sister picked out the fabulous place.
It is an unpretentious, nicely decorated restaurant.
The waiters were helpful and the wine recommended by the sommelier was exquisite.
Definitely want to come back here.
I ordered the special soft shell crab and the lab ordered by my friend was awesome.
Two thumbs up and a 5~~!!!

3.5
At this point, New Yorkers are no strangers to double-​digit cocktail prices — so much so that we’ve been conditioned to believe $ 9 drinks are a deal («but they ARE,» I hear myself rationalizing ;-)… So when Dr. Becca recommended trying Elettaria’s $ 6 happy hour cocktails (until 7:00 p.m.), my liver did a little happy dance, I finished work promptly and trotted the mister down there so we could score prime seats at the bar. A very stylish bar, I should point out, and one inhabited by a cool crowd, in spite of its NYU neighborhood.
Cocktails were all very good. I found the Rita Hayworth (pineapple, sage-​infused tequila, lime and honey) tasty, but a bit overpowered by pineapple. Another round (I followed what the Dr. had just ordered… I mean, that’s always a good idea, right?) yielded two different drinks in both color and flavor. After commenting on this, the bartender explained that he’d been a bit heavy-​handed with the bitters in one and not the other. Odd, but to be honest, it was fun to compare /​contrast the variations. Don’t get me wrong — they were all well above average, made with fresh ingredients, and remember: they were friggin’ $ 6!!! :-)
Adding to the fun of their «Violet Hour» deals is a little snack menu, from which we ordered a corn dog and crab rangoon to split. Novelty factor or not, I’m not a huge corn dog fan, but the rangoon was creamy and crunchy, and paired nicely with our mild dipping sauce. Both were $ 5 or $ 6 as well — not bad!
My only other minor complaint is pretty nitpicky. But the bartenders seemed a little… morose! Guys, I get that it’s serious work to mix me an awesome drink, and I appreciate your concentration… but come on. Y’all know I prefer my barmen a bit more smiley (and Irish), and they could at least work on the former. No matter, after three rounds (and several sips from the Dr. and the mister), I was smiling enough for everyone in the bar. $ 6 fancy drinks — you’ll be smiling, too.

Elettaria is no speakeasy. Situated on a strange stretch of 8^th street that was once a bustling shoppers’ thoroughfare but now houses more out-​of– than in-​business shoe stores, it in fact stands out as easily the nicest storefront on the block. Its giant southern-​facing windows allow tons of late-​spring evening light to stream in, making it feel casual and welcoming instead of clandestine and exclusive.
And hoo boy! How about that happy hour? Half-​off the entire cocktail menu from 5 – 7 pm, making every custom-​made drink (aside from the Zombie Punch) a wee $ 6. Who can say no to that? Certainly not yours truly, espesh when her cocktail companion is the ever lovely Kathleen R.
Now, the last time I did a post-​gym/​pre-​dinner «happy hour» it turned into a happy FIVE HOURS at Death & Co, and the dénouement was not pretty. But we live and learn, no? When drinking like a fish is a possibility, EAT SOMETHING. The crab rangoon and corn dog (apparently corn dogs are a new burgeoning trend???) were nothing to write home about, but provided just the greasy, salty buffer my body needed.
The cocktails were, as KRey said, very good. My Rose of Sharon was a nicely balanced floral-​y Sidecar, with a tiny, perfect rosebud garnish floating on top. When I went off the menu and asked for a gin drink I was given a White Knight (or Night? Damn you, homophones), which was a spicy number made with pear brandy. When J arrived he of course wanted something the bartenders had never heard of, but they listened to him describe it, and were able to pull off a satisfactory approximation.
Overall, I’d say that while all very tasty, the drinks relied a little too heavily on citrus juices and not enough on bitters and spirits. And what is this about not having any cucumber? Finally, like K mentioned, the bartenders were a little serious – though we were trying to chat them up and show them how knowledgeable we are in the ways of their craft, they simply didn’t engage. Talk to us, dammit!!! Why won’t you talk to us?

The happy hour, $ 6 for reasonably well thought out cocktails and $ 4 or $ 5 wines and sangrias, is very very reasonable.
The interior is quite pretty and I love the lighting.
The bartender was a little attitude-​y. The drinks got points for being made with fresh juices, etc, but were not mind-​blowing (I felt many were too tart). In spite of that, I was very happy about the setting and price.

What an exceptional meal in a great atmosphere with solid service.
I came here on the recommendation of a business partner and it certainly did not disappoint.
The open kitchen in the back, the low key crowd and the KICKASS music — lots of mellow jazz and blues with just enough beat and volume to get you moving a bit in your seat. The smooth grooves went well with the smooth food throughout the meal.
We grabbed a bottle of red Austrian wine also recommended by my business colleague who sent me here. The wine was solid and a great piece to the entire meal.
The starters all looked so appetizing, I couldn’t decide what to get or where to start. I ended up taking the waiters top 2 recommendations to begin with, the Crab Meat Resala and the Pork Ribs.
Both were fantastic, but the Crab Meat Resala was absolutely delicious and the sauce was divine.
With the first two apps being total knockouts, I went ahead and got two more apps that caught my eye the first time around.
The risotto with sweetbreads and the fried quail.
And again both were out of this world good, and in this round the risotto with sweetbreads was the standout.
I would go back to this place in an instance and get the exact same meal from start to finish.

This was so so so close to a 5, I can’t even tell you. This was Valentine’s Day dinner, and normally those days you get crappy service (we did) and mediocre heart-​shaped food (we didn’t). The food was gooooodddd.
Food:
It’s funny, you wait to review a place and suddenly it’s doubled in reviews. Oh well, seeing as it’s a month since I’ve been and I’m still looking for a reason to go back, it’s a good place. A damn good place. Off the bat, I love the menu. It’s set up in chapters, 1, 2 and 3. Too sweet.
For appetizers, we went with the rice cakes and scallops. Unfortunately, the rice cakes have something in them, a nut/​bean of some sort, that didn’t sit well with my allergic date. I devoured it, and the scallops were shared. Both were delicious, with so many components, so intricate that even three helpings wouldn’t have been enough to decipher. Every bit of ever element melded so completely as a whole that it was like chemistry on a plate, as difficult as analyzing air with the naked eye.
For the main course, we bavette and the duck. My duck was better, as complex as the periodic table and as organized in flavor as the nobel gases (I’m on a science kick, shush). Suffice it to say, it was goooooddd. Like, I only got to eat half because my boy stole most of it. If I could have that fowl every night for the rest of my life I’d be okay with that. Not to say the bavette with it’s mushrooms wasn’t equally good, but the scents and melding tastes of the duck were like fireworks, blasting off together to create as pattern in the sky.
We didn’t get any dessert, or any of the specialty cocktails, but both menus looked carefully crafted. I’m so glad to have some place near campus that I can retreat too and know undergrads are too cheap to afford. It’ll be my bit of solace, my quite time between glasses – I mean, classes – to pass some time and eat real, quality, fulfilling food and be overly satisfied.
Venue:
When I was taken here, I was surprised. Last timed I’d walked along W 4^th, I was damn sure this place had been just another shoe shop along Shoe Shop Row. The steps down, into the semi-​underground bar and restaurant. Oh yes, I’d shopped here before. But as a restaurant? The décor was MUCH better.
The contrast between dark wood and like painting is a nice tough. The open kitchen in the back shows of mastery, while the bar shows off playfulness. The shabby chic choices for settee and chair at the large window at street level adds an interesting comfort that people avoided, until a couple decided to sit there; then all were clamoring for the seats.
White table cloths and trendy china, the atmosphere goes with the mood. Swanky, sexy and sleek. Despite the 60ish reviews, less than 30 when I went, this place still feels off the radar for the most part. Maybe it’s the vibe, or the bad service that still offers up the we-haven’t-worked-out-the-kinks-yet feel; whatever it is, Elettaria demands you come back. And trust me, you’ll cave. You will.

This review is for the drinks.
I came here one night in the summer, surrounded by my boys — well, my brothers and my «adopted» brothers. We were 5 and after trekking around with some questionable folk, the fanciest brother I have (Kris G.) decided to bring us here because, well, he’s fancy!
It was late and midweek so the bar was quiet, which was fine because we were loud. The bartender was knowledgeable and friendly without being overbearing. And I have to say, I fell in love with the Electric Ladyland because it was a) fabulous b) had pisco in it and c) it tasted like it said it would. One of the brothers had a Zombie Punch, which is like a long island iced tea on crack. Needless to say, he was incredibly entertaining after imbibing that brew.
I want to come back and try the food and they are currently participating in the Open Table appetite stimulus plan so maybe I will!
I am a fan! Yay!

The bf and I went to Elettaria on a random whim after a discussion of needing to try «new» cuisines. He is Filipino and was intrigued by the idea of an Indian/​Filipino influenced American restaurant — I had heard great things so we (excitedly) made a reservation.
We went on a Sunday night at 6:30 and the place was pretty empty. The waitress was very helpful since we were the only seated table in our area. The open kitchen in the back was pretty unique in that we saw the interactions between chefs/​owners/​waiters — everyone was nice and all smiles. We were a little bit disappointed to hear that there were no «filipino inspired» items on the menu (we’re told the menu is constantly changing with the seasons and so we missed the lugaw) but the owner generously offered to whip up a special dish for us with filipino flavors due to our request. We ultimately passed due to the high price — but it was so thoughtful and generous of them to think up a dish for us on the spot!
We were 100% satisfied with all of the food and drinks ordered:
Appetizer: Smoked Duck — this was a well flavored salad with amazing texture due to the figs and almonds that adorned the dish. The duck is thinly sliced and so satisfying — we polished this off in a few seconds.
Entrée 1: Veal — well prepared, with a thoughtful presentation of spaghetti squash. This meat dish was exceedingly flavorful and juicy. The only complaint would be that there was not enough spaghetti squash. Still, for a meat fan like my bf, he was satisfied with the portion size and loved the flavor.
Entrée 2: Striped Bass — Amazing! The presentation of this dish is great, from a tableside presentation of adding a broth to the dish to the way the fish is placed at the end of a presentation of curry/​miso paste. It was so scrumptious! The skin was on the bass and crisp — giving the dish amazing texture. Did I mention that there were also potatoes that melted in my mouth and wrapped in proscuitto on the plate??? I cannot wait to go back to eat this again. One of the best dishes I have ever had at a restaurant. Yummm…
Dessert: Chocolate Financier — completely amazing. Rich chocolate cake with a side of coffee pudding (? or something like it) in a coffee cup — whatever it was. So delicious and satisfying. I’m usually not a dessert eater at all (lack of sweet tooth, i know, i’m strange)… but this dessert wasn’t too sweet and was the perfect end of meal.
I want to go back again and try the entire menu. First time I’ve been excited about a menu in a LONG while… yum.

The 9 of us went here for a birthday dinner on a sunday evening and had the whole restaurant to ourselves. The food was really good and the service was wonderful. Our waitress was very attentive and made us feel at home. The restaurant and its open kitchen had a very comfortable feeling to it. It helped that we had the restaurant to ourselves because it definitely felt like we were eating at one of our friends’ apartments, except with exponentially better food!
The menu seems to constantly change, but is consistently good.
We made reservations at 5:30pm on a Sunday, and stayed till about 7:30, 8pm, and still had the place to ourselves at the end. The birthday girl had a great time!

So I was very happily enjoying my beer at the Belgian beer garden when my friend turned and asked me if I wanted a cocktail.
Trick question? I assumed, shaking my head no vigorously and grabbing my beer closer and probably looking petulant.
«It’s close; you’ll like this place,» he insisted.
I decided to take him at his word and less than five minutes later, we were at Elettaria. My first thought: I’m way underdressed. My second thought: this place is awesome.
First off, they had my much-​adored Radeberger beer on tap. I love that stuff mightily. (I also tried the Ginger Rogers drink — really, really good, and I’m normally not even a cocktails kind of gal.) We also had the chocolate financier dessert, which is aptly named in that it’s as rich as fuck. But amazing nonetheless.
I’ve yet to come back for dinner, but if you’re looking to impress peeps — or hell, even yourself — definitely check it out for cocktails and dessert. Demand they make a Fred Astaire cocktail to go with the Ginger Rogers. Chat up the sweet and very outgoing chef while you’re at it. Just go.

I was all posed to like Elettaria. I mean really — saag paneer gnocchi? They were on my mind from when I read about them until the time I sat down at our table. How could you go wrong? But alas, it did.
It was probably a month after they had opened. I came here with friends that cook for a living. As such, we picked a few must tries and requested that the kitchen prepare their best dishes for the rest. What we got:
Appetizers:
Our Pick — Lugaw aka Filipino Congee
This was pretty good. My friend Eric picked it because he adores congee. He had to have it. I make congee at home, so spending more than $ 4 for congee is a bit ludricrous for me…
Their Picks — Cured Kanpachi and Sweetbreads
The kanpachi was a bit bland. Could have used a bit of acid to brighten up the dish, but otherwise it was just eh for me. The sweetbreads on the other hand were phenomenol! They had a nice crispy exterior, but were not overcooked inside. The three of us all enjoyed them. These have been the best sweetbreads I’ve tried anywhere.
Entrees:
Our Pick — Muttar Paneer Gnocchi
They had already changed their menu a month in and instead of saag paneer gnocchi (which was the entire reason we came to Elettaria…), we got these instead. They were so disappointing. They seemed like they were fried and were heavy. I didn’t taste peas at all. Bummer…
Their Picks — Bavette and Snapper
The problem with these entrees, as well as the gnocchi, were that they were all bland. The bavette was cooked well, but could have used a bit more salt. The kohlrabi purée was good. The snapper was unappealing to me. Not because of taste, but because of plating. Anyways, it was unmemorable dish that you could’ve had anywhere.
About plating and presentation — they do a lot for me. I’ve always loved seeing the new ways that chefs come up with to plate a dish. These entrees all looked like they were squished onto a plate that was much too small for an entrée.
After the lackluster showing on entrees, I nixed the idea of dessert here. We went for Dessert Truck afterwards instead…
So, like I said, I really wanted to like this place, but it fell short for me. I’d go back for the sweetbreads alone though. These brought the review up from a two star to a three. If I did go back, hopefully the rest of the meal will have gotten better with the time it’s had to work out any kinks rather than in the other direction.

A trip to NYC to visit my friends always means two things… food and drinks.
As the point person of the group in terms of general foodieness, I finally settles on Elettaria. Mostly, my requirements for choosing a place include that no one in the group has been there, it is relatively new and features an eclectic menu in sweet, savory and cocktails.
After reading this week’s issues of NY Magazine (which, upon the very minute of its arrival, I flip right to the food section and devour every last morsel of information) I read about Elettaria and was intrigued. Was it the critic’s approval that won me over? Or was it the establishment’s already infamous Zombie Cocktail that lured me in? Whatever the case may be, our experience at Elettaria was everything that I have been looking for in a restaurant…
The décor is shabby chic, more chic than shabby, but accented with dividers made from wooden-​framed doors with glass handles, woody floral arrangements and velvety, romantic colors. I loved the open kitchen design, the intimacy of the table arrangements and the low, but not claustrophobic, ceilings. The vibe is fine dining laced with a relaxed atmosphere, topped off with a sultry sophistication.
The drinks are expertly made, following in the recent movement of the classic cocktail, utilizing precise measurements, rare ingredients and ambitious combinations you won’t find at your local lounge. I went for the Zombie, which was STRONG (and it is true, they only allow one per person, per night… and with good reason!) but DELICIOUS, made with three rums, a scotch and the illusive absinthe. A must-​try cocktail! The wine list was less impressive but with cocktails like these, forgiveness on that point isn’t to hard to dole out.
In terms of food, I am not sure what what leads others to complain about, in terms of price, portion size and taste. Pardon me for saying so, but it’s a very American thing to stuff yourself stupid on giant portion sizes, only to wolf them down and feel gluttonous afterward without ever enjoying the moment-​to-​moment bites in a slow, savory manner. I began with the sweetbreads appetizer, which was plated in a beautiful yet unpretentious way, in a portion that was a perfect starter size. The textures were well-​balanced, pairing the salty-​crisp outside and soft inside of the sweetbread with tiny diced, super-​sweet pineapples, dotted with the earthy-​sweet pink peppercorns.
For my main course, I chose the bavette, a juicy tender cut of beef placed atop kohlrabi (pureed, with a flavor of turnip) and oyster mushrooms. Perfectly cooked and not over seasoned, the steak itself was exquisite in its simplicity and not over matched by its accompaniments.
My friends tried the chicken dish and the halibut. The ravioli paired with the chicken had a surprising, if all together odd, BBQ flavor that reminded me of Lay’s BBQ chips and the halibut itself was a bit bland, but saved by the curry sauce and confit fingerlings. Although a pleasant surprise for me, my friend was not pleased with the appearance of curry in the halibut dish, as she does not like the flavor, and it was not listed in the menu.
Dessert mirrored dinner, in that it was well-​portioned and absolutely delicious. I would love to just have a plate full of that chocolate brittle and dip it into fresh whipped cream! In a word (or in more than a few words, as this IS Unilocal), this is not a dessert menu to be skipped!
The only complaint I have is associated with the hostess. One of our friends was running late. We informed the hostess, who offered to seat right away us regardless, but coolly let us know that our table, reserved for 6:30pm, was to be reseated at 8:15…and would we mind ordering for our friend to «move things along.» I was definitely non-​plussed by that interaction, but soon forgot about it as the drinks and food started flowing.
By the way, we didn’t leave until nearly nine.

Hmmm, unfortunately, as much as it pains me, I have to agree with the reviews below. For the price I paid, and the buzz I heard, I was really underwhelmed.
I made reservations here for Kath’s b-​day and during the process, they were really kind in accommodating all my last minute scheduling as we had a group going. We showed up at 6:30 and were seated in a cozy, round booth. And thank golly we were because at the back of the restaurant, what I actually thought was a long table set up for a really, really big party, was actually separate tables wedged closely together. When I ducked back there later to use the bathroom, you couldn’t tell which party was with whom and I think about 8 people had to slide their chairs in so I could squeak by.
Anyhow, back to the food. It was hit or miss — and a lot of plates were cold — unintentionally. They brought out a Naan bread to start, but no dipping sauce which we all felt made it a bit too plain. The apps were just OK — we tried the crab gnocchi and the lamb sausage. Nothing really mind blowing. When the mains came it was also disappointing, as I mentioned above, all the plates were lukewarm and they forgot to bring the clams with my snapper (I did send it back to have those guys thrown on!). However, I will say the flavors were good — as was the presentation. We all just wish it had been a bit warmer so we could enjoy it more!
Anyhow, and on to the last bit which I have to say I was really disappointed by. We got Kath a cake — obvi — and had told them beforehand we were bringing one and they kindly took it when we arrived and then brought it out at the end. When we got the bill — which was pretty hefty — they had slapped on a $ 25 charge for cutting the cake — something they never said to me in all the times I had spoken with them. I have no problem paying that — especially for a dear friend’s b-​day — but I think it’s tacky not to have told us beforehand of the policy.
I’m giving them some slack because they are so new (3 weeks old!), the ambiance is absolutely gorgeous and I love the long bar they have up front (which I plan on hitting up for a drink as they’re in my hood), but for the price people are paying the service AND the food should be impeccable — right now, it’s not.