Tartinery, NoLita
This bright, bi-level café recently opened in my hood, and I’ve been dying to try it. The French tartine sandwiches (an open sandwich on thin, crispy bread) made the perfect late lunch/snack before an early dinner. Four of us split two tartines, the Crottin (goat cheese, frizée, fresh thyme, honey, olive oil) and the Poulet Rôti (roast farm chicken, homemade herbed mayo, shaved fennel, olive oil).
Both were delicious, although I can’t imagine having a filling meal here if you’re starving. The four-piece sandwiches (with a house salad) average around $15, and if you really want a complete meal, you’d have to accompany it with soup or a dessert. That’s starting to get pretty expensive for what you’re actually getting. Maybe this is part of the “French women never get fat” phenomenon.
My favorite part about the restaurant is just its airy atmosphere. The upstairs area has large floor to ceiling windows that open on to Mulberry Street, and it’s a great spot for people watching. I’ll return at some point, but definitely on a day that I’m not ravenous (which is rare).
