Keith McNally isn’t the only Beard-nominated restaurateur who just opened a place. Jean-Georges Vongerichten quietly opened his much-anticipated farm-to-table restaurant ABC Kitchen last week. As Vongo mentions in a blog post, ABC Carpet and Home’s Paulette Cole gave the spot a farmhouse vibe via “local, artisan indigenous, handmade & reclaimed offerings.” The coasters are made from cardboard from shipping boxes, dishes were purchased on eBay, and front-of-house uniforms were scored from thrift stores. And it doesn’t stop there: A “menu of standards / our commitments” posted on the restaurant’s site reveals that the bread baskets are handcrafted by the indigenous Mapuche people of Patagonia and the soy-based candles are free of pesticides, GMOs, and additives.
As for the kitchen, the mantra is “market-driven dishes made with the freshest organic and local ingredients possible.” To that end, chef Dan Kluger (previously of Tabla and Gramercy Tavern) will prepare a daily changing menu using cruelty-free organic meat from local small farms, complemented by fair-trade coffees, teas, and organic wines. True to rumors of artisanal pizza, Vongerichten’s partner in Co., Jim Lahey, will be offering a monthly pie, the first of which is clam with mint, parsley, and chiles. Check out the menus below, and see several of the dishes in our slideshow.
ABC Kitchen Main Menu
ABC Kitchen Dessert Menu
ABC Kitchen Cocktail Menu
ABC Kitchen Wine List
ABC Kitchen, 35 E. 18th St., nr. Broadway; 212-475-5829
