Restaurant Review: Dovetail

This past Sunday marked one year since Andrew and I started dating, so it was of course the perfect excuse to visit a restaurant I've been wanting to try for a while: Dovetail. Dovetail is especially interesting to me because it has not been slammed by a single major critic, which is almost unheard of; there is almost always that one guy who doesn't approve. I was eager to see whether this Upper West Side newcomer would live up to its reputation, or whether Platt, Freeman and the rest (Franktastic had not yet filed on Dovetail when we went) had been a little misleading with their overwhelmingly positive reviews.

I had a feeling when we first walked in that dining at Dovetail was going to be a special experience. And I must say, that feeling stayed with me from the first bite of homemade white cheddar cornbread all the way through to the final champagne chocolate truffle petit-four.

As soon as we slipped out of the rain into the somewhat inconspicuous glass door of the restaurant, I was impressed with the bi-level space. The hostess station is just up a few stairs, uniquely arranged with a large central counter space. You can see the bar area just behind, but otherwise nothing about the dining experience is revealed; the main dining room and the smaller, bright white space downstairs aren't visible until you are led there.

To start, I had the clam chowder and Andrew chose the Idaho potato gnocchi. I was a little nervous when my appetizer, a small pile of finely chopped veggies, plump clams, smoked potatoes and chorizo (where is the soup?!), arrived, but before I could think twice the waiter was pouring the creamy broth over the top. Accompanied by a delicate, buttery black pepper croissant, the chowder was was full of rich flavor, especially accented by the chorizo. Andrew's gnocchi, sitting atop a veal short ribs and foie gras butter, was a true lesson in decadence.

For main courses, I decided to diverge from my usual seafood and poultry selections, and went with the parsley-crusted lamb shank with polenta. The meat may have been the most tender piece of lamb I've tried yet, and the crust atop lent a spicy kick of Dijon. The cubes of polenta were deliciously reminiscent of the chickpea fries at Pamplona. Andrew chose the duck, another full-bodied dish replete with tender meat and pasta, topped off with a hen's egg.

There was no difficulty in choosing dessert, as Andrew went with the chocolate mousse, which I liked for it's tendency towards a cake-like consistency and caramel center. I had the carrot cake (sorry, still not better than Mom's) and was most impressed by it's tasty accompaniments: the airy frosting, crunchy slices atop the cake, the golden raisin and fennel puree.

Certainly as impressive as the food, if not more so, was the quality of service at the restaurant. Timing between courses was impeccable. A water glass was never less than half-empty. We never felt the slightest pressure to order anything more than tap water. Servers knew the second you were ready for your plate to be taken. When deciding between two entrees, our server actually recommended the less pricey of the two. And while these service standards really shouldn't be too hard to find, the truth is they are.

Dovetail's inventive, rich cuisine is enough to stand on it's own. But when such culinary exceptionalism is coupled with humble service, the experience is that much more enjoyable. Andrew and I said it when we left the restaurant, and a few days later, the Bruni corroborated our assessment: "Definitely three stars."