Lowlife

One of the best meals I’ve been to in a while… Ambience, service, food… All incredible.

Don’t let the name of this new resto fool you, it’s anything but!
Service — fabulous. I complain often about restos (particularly new ones) that are so hyped but the service falls flat… and by that I mean they’re ambivalent that you’re spending your money in their resto. It’s like they’re doing you the favor rather than the other way around. The folks at Lowlife know how to treat their diners. Here’s an example…
I made a reservation one night and 10 minutes later, the manager called me apologizing up and down that they’re actually closed that night due to a private party and the reservation system didn’t reflect it. As a good will gesture to get me to make another reservation, they’d buy me a bottle of wine. Bottle? Not a round of drinks. Not dessert. But a bottle of wine. Now, that my Unilocal friends, is quite a generous offer and one I was going to take advantage of. They were certainly good on their word and we had a wonderful Cali Syrah… on the house!
The food is delish. It’s an interesting menu… if mainstream is for you, this resto is not. You won’t find typical salads or sides, but rather small plates of things like borscht. Standouts are the fluke, lamb tartar, black cod, guinea hen. But beware… portions are small! And for the prices offered, that’s what’s disappointing. (Same goes for the glasses of wine… a 4 oz pour at the prices charged is a bit off-​putting.)
Atmosphere was a little mellow. The interior is pretty cool and rustic looking, but it was a bit quiet. We did dine shortly after the Jonas blizzard, so that may have kept people away. Or maybe people are looking for a menu that isn’t so adventurous. Or if they like adventure, maybe one where the prices matched the portions.
It’s for this reason that I’m taking off a star… food and service are excellent, but the prices don’t match the portions. We shouldn’t leave a resto still a bit hungry while spending the money we did.

KenScale: 8.0÷10
Lower East Side is probably where you need to head over for a lot of exciting cooking in NYC at the moment. Combine youthful vibe of neighborhood and relatively cheaper rent than other neighborhoods, and LES is really an ideal background for young and aspiring chefs to display their craft. One such restaurant that has been under my radar since its opening was Lowlife, a seasonal new-​American restaurant from young chef Alex Leonard, who spent his time at the critically acclaimed Blanca in Brooklyn. I finally made a visit to the restaurant this past weekend where I saw at the kitchen counter and enjoyed most of the dishes that were coming out while watching the kitchen staff in action.
There are a lot of subtle yet elegant surprises with dishes from the rather concise menu of Lowlife. You would be very pleased with the scoop of borscht, trout roe and raw cream. A combination of cream and beet (for the borscht) with trout roe would do very well to whet your appetite. I was also a fan of herring an sardine that came with pine nut and chimichurri sauce on top, although a stronger hint of chimichurri might’ve done even more wonders. Guinea hen that came with bread sauce, baby carrots and mustards was ground into sausage form, and I was impressed with the silky smooth texture of the meat and the overall balance of flavor. It was more delicate than a typical sausage you would think of, and that wasn’t really a bad thing as I quickly devoured this dish. Chicken yakitori with scallion and smoked cabbage (available in both half and whole portion) was also another winner; it certainly tasted better than most other Japanese yakitori places, with very nicely cooked chicken and the smoky flavor that was right on point. The desserts also more or less delivered but I think even more commitment to simplicity could’ve made them even better. I enjoyed every scoop of raw milk (although I wasn’t sure why they would need cranberry compote underneath when the raw milk itself was already more or less perfect), and apple tart with dulce de leche was also delightful save for the hint of ginger that I thought over-​complicated the dish.
The restaurant has a surprisingly large number of wine, and you would certainly enhance your dining experience with a glass or two. Getting a reservation wasn’t particularly challenging, and it was a fairly quiet night on Sunday (but by no means empty). The restaurant’s dining area was larger than I thought it would be, but the modern trendy vibe would serve any young, hip crowd well. Lowlife is another welcome addition to LES dining scene, and I would really like to see how the kitchen evolves over time.

Living a low life in this small dive can be a really interesting event. Open yourself to the possibilities and you could be rewarded.
Lowlife is a heartier take on Modern food. Overtones of Mediterranean, Japanese and New American all come through, paired with an interesting (small producers, cool grapes) wine list.
This is a small plates place with the ability for you to do some sharing. I was full splitting 4 dishes with bread and 3 glasses of wine, but YMMV.
On to the food… Borscht-​one of the signature dishes, madelines of reduced beet, crème fraîche and roe were a taste bud treat and did approximate the favors of that great Russian beet soup. The Hokkaido Pumpkin was a wonderful cold weather dish. If you wondered what it would be like to toss a pumpkin fall salad, this is it. Blended with Japanese mushrooms and a few endive leaves. Lamb tartare-​made me a believer. Don’t be sheepish about this one, it’s delish. Fluke showed the kitchen’s prep ability to do a delicate fish morsel and not ruin it.
Come here for the great service, knowledgeable staff, and stellar preparation. Stay for the amazing flavors and interesting presentation in a non-​stuffy room. If you were lucky enough to have gone to WD50, this is it’s son by way of a trip to Japan and Williamsburg.

Extremely overpriced for mediocre food! The unassuming space and laid back service did not prepare us for such ridiculous pricing.
I was very excited about the opening of Lowlife and booked it for a birthday dinner. The space is self has a modern cabin charm. Everything from the wood paneling to the silverware is cute. We ordered the deconstructed borscht per our waiter’s recommendation. Lamb tartar, day boat scallops and the ever so popular yakitori chicken for 2.
The pricing in relation to the dish is out of proportion.
The deconstructed borscht that was $ 12 came in a spoon, with pureed beets, cream and trout roe that was completely over powered by the beets.
The lamb tartar while being small has a balanced flavor profile. The lamb meat wasn’t gamey and the herbs used in the dish actually compliments each other well.
Then comes the scallop, which was sitting in the «plates» section which our waitress said are entrée size. There were 3 scallops resting on a bed of extremely gingerly mush. The $ 30 plate looks like it should belong in a 8 course tasting menu where every plate is tiny but you end up full. The plate was very bare to be consider an «entrée», there’s nothing substantial other than the 3 scallops sitting on the corner of the dinner plate. The flavor has a heavy asian lean, I am not a big fan of ginger + lemongrass flavor but with nothing else on the plate, I took a few scoop with the scallops, the result was unmemorable.
Finally, the yakitori chicken for 2. This is the only plate that looks like an entrée. At $ 60, we are given an over sauced teriyaki chicken that’s extremely salty and overly sweet. The chicken itself was quite juicy but could probably benefit from being marinated a little so the flavor sinks in the meat instead of being all over the skin. Tho in all honestly, skip the chicken, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by getting an order of sweet teriyaki wings at places like Bön Chon.
At this point of dinner, our party decided to skip dessert as nothing amazing has came with the price we’re paying.

The space is lovely.
The food is excellent.
(We had the Sardines, Guinea hem, Scallops, Teryaki chicken).
But…
The wine list is beyond overpriced
The food is farrrrr too expensive.
At this price point go for dinner at the Clocktower, or Cosme, or have lunch at Jean-​George (with wine and dessert !) or Gabriel Kreuther.

Cozy little spot in the LES. Went with a few friends. Small plates which are good for sharing — be warned of the small portion sizes though. We ordered the borsch as a sampler, the lamb tartare which was excellent, 2 lamb garganelli’s (yummy and hearty, for me it was the highlight of the meal) and half a yakitori glazed chicken. Finished off with the raw milk and panna cotta dessert which was light and fluffy. It was enough for the four of us but might be light for those with larger appetites. The homemade sourdough bread and homemade butter were a nice start to the meal. Not the most amazing food I have ever had but the presentation was nice and the interior/​décor added to the overall positive vibe for me.

I couldn’t agree more with other reviewers — this place is very confused about its concept and feels very out of place in LES — especially located as far east as Clinton. It aims to be high end (particularly in its pricing and portion sizing — even the glasses are schott zwiesel) but the décor (exposed wood slats, Vermont feel) lends itself to a more mid-​tier level. As well, even though there is an open kitchen with seating, it didn’t really seem like that much was being cooked there.
The food while overall good, wasn’t particularly inspiring. The whole chicken was flavored well but the breast was left too dry. The borscht — as others have stated, is particularly small and has already been done by Little Park’s beetroot tartare. The herring & sardine and the garganelli were highlights of the meal. And the lamb tartare was well made.
Others have made mention of the service — I found the service to be exceptional. The waitress was very upfront regarding portion sizes and did a wonderful job of guiding us through the menu and ordering enough food for our table of four. Unfortunately, the lack of cohesion in the menu, pricing, and ambiance — we won’t be coming back. And while they claim to be «aggressively local», they definitely don’t fit into the LES vibe.

This restaurant seems very confused about its concept. To start off, the décor was very cozy and woody and I was expecting to find upscale comfort food on the menu but the menu is really all over the place, borscht as an appetizer and chicken teriyaki for the entrée. Second, the portions are TINY for the price (see $ 12 «borscht» below). Third (and I don’t think this is their fault) the waitress and her gang came to our table way to many times and took our plates before we were done. If you do go here, I’d absolutely get the steak tartare because that was fantastic!

I was thinking of stopping my Unilocal reviews because so many people working in the industry are against it, but I think it’s ok if I have nice things to say, right?
Lowlife definitely lived up to my expectations (seeing as the chef used to work at Blanca, and I think Blanca is one of the best high end restaurants in NYC). I was a little skeptical at first because the menu is so small, but you can tell that a lot of care and thought has been put into each dish.
I had the borscht– yes, it’s a very small portion, but it’s actually the right amount that will leave you wanting maybe another spoonful. Great texture and flavors.
The guinea hen ballotine/​roulade was awesome. Some of it was a liiiiitle salty for my taste, but it was an unexpected execution, and even the vegetables (carrots and onions) were cooked perfectly. I would definitely order this dish again!
The scales of the tilefish were crispy (I’ve had it cooked like this in Japan but not here) and overall it was cooked perfectly. I wasn’t too keen about the mussels and I didn’t taste the matsutake too much in the sauce, but I still thought it was an enjoyable dish.
We only tried one dessert and it was a bit hard to eat (apple tart) and it was not as great as the savory dishes.
One thing to note is that they have a great wine selection. I didn’t drink too much cause I recently had a knee injury, but I would love to go back and try more of their wines.
We left a little hungry, but as we say in Japan, we should only eat until we are 80% full! I’m sure there will be a lot of people who complain about the price compared to the portions, but take a closer look at all the work that goes into crafting each dish and hopefully you can appreciate it. The space is beautiful too and I can’t wait to go back and try more of their food!

Most memorable meal in a long time. Literally everything was excellent. Very cool space as well.
Just go.
Enough said

Great ambiance, it’s bigger than alot of the spots nearbye, but still feels warm. Our server was very friendly and helpful.
Food was very good. Super fresh, not overly sauced, so you could really taste the ingredients. We really enjoyed the chicken, lamb pasta and lamb tartare.
We’ll definitely be going back.

This place feels out of place in LES, and while it calls itself a wine bar, I feel it’s my duty as a wino to tell others to avoid this place. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and the food was tasty, but the prices are outrageous and the wine pour is tiny. It’s 4 OUNCES. At $ 11-​$ 16 a glass! I asked the bartender about the dainty pour and he sheepishly told me that they keep it a 4 ounces to «encourage you to try more wines.» Uh huh.
On the plus side, everyone was incredibly nice, although somewhat stiff. They automatically give you sparkling water and bring out warm sourdough rolls, with homemade butter, both a nice touch.
The food we had was also good, but teeny tiny portions. The borscht appetizer is not a soup, but rather three small spoonfuls of salmon caviar, crème fraîche, and some kind of whipped beetiness. Delicious but it’s $ 15 for three tablespoons in a bowl.
We also had the lamb pasta, which is definitely more satisfying, but it’s maybe 1.5 cups for $ 20. I really can’t understand how they’re justifying the pricing versus quantity, especially in that neighborhood. Expect to leave hungry.

Wonderful first meal and experience at Lowlife!
Went there on a Friday night. I’ll get the one negative out of the way — they’re in their first two weeks and were overwhelmed after some great press, so we waited a long time for our table for 5. But I’m really forgiving as new restaurants work out the kinks.
On to the good… The food! The design! The service!
We tried the entire menu (actually the perfect amount for 5 people) plus we had some bar snacks while we waited. The highlights for me:
Potatoes Confit (bar menu) — Potato skin texture comes out amazing and the dipping sauce is a great complement.
Borscht — Yes. I grew up with this beet soup and it never tasted like this.
Celeriac Roumelade — Again feels almost like something I grew up with, but so much better… like a sophisticated, more nuanced cole slaw.
Lamb Tartare — Admittedly I didn’t try it but everyone else raved, and I did love the crisps that came with it.
Guinea Hen — Apparently the most labor intensive dish on the menu and so worth it.
Garganelli — I would come for a more casual meal any day of the week and just eat this… sooooo good. More ‘comforty’ than anything else on the menu, like I just want to snuggle up with a bowl of it.
Chicken Yakatori — Perfectly seasoned, worth ‘splurging’ (if you consider it that) and eating up all the skin with the meat.
We skipped dessert after a very long and wine-​filled meal, but I’ll be back to try it soon.

My friend and I found this place on the Eater’s hot list and while it seemed promising at first with the trendy dim-​lifted ambience and wooden detailing around the restaurant, the food and service were lackluster and unimpressive.
The restaurant is pretty understaffed – they all seemed to be running around and everything took a while to reach our table. After the waitress took down our orders, the bread and butter, which was delicious, came 20 minutes after which in my opinion is just a bit too long.
The food was underwhelming at well. I thought since they had very few options on their menu, there would be higher quality across all the dishes. We tried the «medium» sized dish of the Guinea hen and this was the best dish of the night. While it was just 2 pieces of meat with shallots and carrots, the Guinea hem was well-​cooked, savory, and very yummy.
For our main dishes, which came about 30 minutes after our starter, my friend ordered the chicken yakitori (which the waitress said would be a popular choice) and she asked about the dish, wondering if it’d be the traditional yakitori style, with meat on the stick. The waitress fumbled providing little detail to how it’d be served and said that it was «traditional.» It ended up being a large plate of chicken over cabbage that was mediocre at best. I ordered the black bass with mussels which was the better entrée out of the two, but it didn’t leave me wanting more at the end.
We looked at the dessert menu, hoping to be wowed due to our subpar meal, and we got the apple tart with a side of ginger ice cream. It was alright, the apple tart wasn’t warm and not as soft as I imagined. Also we ordered a coffee that never came as well so we just cancelled the order.
All in all, the bill came right under $ 100 which is expected at a chicer restaurant, however I feel like this place is all about the atmosphere and hype, the food and service won’t have me coming back.

Fantastic experience and meal. As described, a casual– fine dining atmosphere. The service was impeccable. The sommelier was very knowledgable to the extensive selection.
We started with the borscht, which is a must. The garganelli with lamb bolognese– I would go back for alone. We tried the herring/​sardine dish which was unique/​interesting. The chicken was perfect– best I’ve had in a while.
I would highly recommend it– equals Blanca.

I had the pleasure of dining at lowlife last night and I’ll have to give them two thumbs way up. The restaurant is really beautiful and the service was impeccable. I was a bit early so I waited at the bar, unfortunately they only have beer and wine and I always like a cocktail before dinner but I chose a lovely sparkler from Touraine. My friends showed up a few minutes later and we were seated promptly. I was a bit concerned for them as when I arrived close to 7:00 the place was pretty empty but I was very happy to see that by the time we left the place was full. We ordered 3 things to share. The portions are not large but they do pack a lot of flavor and fresh ingredients into every dish. We started with the scallops with romanesco and lemongrass. Now I’m not a huge scallop fan but these were so tasty and perfectly cooked. The plating is beautiful as well as. The scallops sat on a bed of nutty grains with the lemongrass poured over table side. We then moved onto the garganelli with lamb bolognese and this is a must order. The noodles were homemade and perfectly al dente and the lamb ragu was flavorful without being gamey. The portion on this dish was sizable, much larger that the 3 scallops in the first dish. We then moved on to the chicken yakitori with scallion and cabbage and this was the moistest most flavorful chicken I’ve had in a restaurant. I would have liked maybe a side or two to come with this but we actually couldn’t even finish the dish. We ordered two bottles of the 2013 Clos Fantine, Cuvee Tradition which is not only the least expensive bottle on the list but one of my favorites with a mark-​up of only about $ 13 from retail. We finished the meal with a lovely apple tart with some darn good ice cream tinged with ginger. Again, I have to stress the excellent, professional service as they allowed us 3 girls to sit and catch up at the table long past the usual 2 hours and you’re out of NYC restaurants. Great new spot!

I want to give Lowlife the benefit of the doubt, especially since I was there on opening night, so for now, 3-​stars it is.
My impression of the space is a bit confused, which is indicative of the space itself. It seems, at first blush, well designed, but closer inspection reveals so many thoughtless details, slight inconsistencies, and an over all sense of incompleteness. Almost as if three different restaurants just happened to share one venue.
This carried over to the food and the service. The standout of the night, the borscht, was fun and well paired; bright pops of color and flavor to meld together on the spoon. If there is one thing to try, this is it! Yet, the guinea hen was aggressively salty (unrelentingly so and my dining companion agreed), which almost entirely erased any other flavor of the sausage and its accompaniments, and the halibut, while milder and more reserved, came surprising cool given how hot the plate was.
Service was perfunctory and at times cold, but once again — I’ll chalk it up to first night jitters.

Everything is right here. The wine guy understood the kind of Alsatian Pinot that would make the night: interesting, funky, dirty. The temperature of the wine was carefully managed. A little bubbly was provided gratis while the proper temperature was achieved.
The amuse — radish with gremolata — brightened the palate. The borscht stunned us. The fluke had salinity from the caviar — and popped.
The guinea hen is the lightest sausage you have ever tasted, with a sauce that should be licked clean. The bitter greens, perfectly taught, cut any richness that the last bit of sauce leaves in your mouth.
The lamb pasta bites back at you: the lamb is lamby and the noodles are stiff. But one is grateful for a little bit of pasta so you don’t go running for a burrito later. This lamb pasta is not as perfect as the one at Blanca. But neither it is priced obscenely: there are more than three strands of noodle here. And you get to stay in Manhattan.
Honestly, the chicken was just fine. But at a price point that makes you feel well cared for and warm inside. Can every course really maintain inventiveness and perfect execution? I have only seen that once at JG. JG is not a place to have a casual dinner with a very close friend in a very unpretentious but exciting restaurant. So I am very grateful Lowlife exists for all the other 364 nights a year when JG is inappropriate.
You can hear yourself talk and think in this beautiful space. The ginger ice cream is spectacular and you leave on a high note, wondering how it is even possible that such lovely experiences are still within reach financially on this island.

LES’s Low Life is quite an experience. From the savory menu to the ambiance and the well trained staff, Low Life stands out. It is nothing short of impressive: great date spot and yet, also a solid choice for a group of friends or colleagues.
Oh, don’t hesitate to ask your server for the food and wine pairings!
#lowlife