Photo: Jenny Miller
Eastern Alley, the former Thailand Café space at 6 Clinton, is opening this snow-filled evening. Sean Scotese, Michael Bao Huynh's former right hand, partnered with Krit Dangruenrat, whose family owns the space (as well the Thailand Café on Second Avenue). The pan-Asian Eastern Alley shares an address with the new DessertTruck Works), but Scotese is offering three desserts of his own. The restaurant is serving dinner from 6 p.m. to midnight on Tuesdays through Sundays, but the kitchen will stay open till 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The 40-seat restaurant looks raw: Tables and a back bar are fashioned from 150-year-old wood, and copper piping snakes along the brick walls. During renovations, the team uncovered four bricked-over windows and now illuminates them with light fixtures resembling old-fashioned streetlamps. "We're trying to expose the things people normally keep hidden," Scotese explained, adding that the partners wanted to "reinvent" the space and assert their project as something new. With some unusual ingredients and matchups, the menu, below, may prove such a departure as well.
First
Papaya and Jerky Salad-grilled pork jerky, chili vinaigrette, dried shrimp, pickled onion, cashews 8
Crispy scallion pancakes-chicken livers, shitake, watercress, red vinegar syrup 7
Pho Summer Rolls-marrow broth, black rice vermicelli, sprouted beans, brisket, hoisin 8
Taro shoot hot&sour soup-smoked tofu, pineapple, buckwheat noodles 7
Twice cooked wings-curry spices, cilantro, crispy garlic, passion fruit raita 8
Greens salad-marinated beans, herbs, crispy shallots, black vinegar dressing 6Next
Wok seared mackerel-fermented black bean, young ginger, fennel, water chestnuts 15
Calamansi pork loin-shallot, adobo potatoes, pea shoots 14
Crispy chicken thighs-green curry lentils, cabbage, cilantro, smoked pork 14
Soy braised oxtails-crispy yucca cake, radish, scallion 15
Half duck noodles-eggplant, egg noodles, crispy egg, salted egg yolk 20
Ginger brisket-taro, miso-mustard, apple salad 16
Stir-fried lamb noodles-chili, spring onion, mustard greens, peanut 18
Pork claypot pie-anchovy coconut sauce, lime leaves, smoked peppers, tea-egg 17
Toasted jasmine rice or seared rice cake or steamed buns (4) to share 2.5Last
Salted ice cream & black pepper marshmallows-cookies 5
Pan de sal bread pudding-dates, smoked almonds, sweet soy 5
Yuzu tart- poached green papaya, tamarind-coconut jam 5
Inside Eastern AlleyPhoto: Collin Scotese
Eastern Alley, 6 Clinton St., nr. Houston St.; 212-228-8249
