The Nobility of Peasant

Year after year, without fail, I am amazed at how quickly and reliably we all seem to focus on celebrating New Year’s Eve. How can being pinned against an out-of-order Golden Tee in the corner of a jam-packed Village dive, be someone’s idea of a good time? Is it the Schlitz-quaffing hipsters in their androgynous American Apparel outfits that interest you, or does the wolf-pack of trench coat toting Wall Street wannabes poking away at their Blackberry’s better suit your fancy?

Despite my lukewarm opinions on the boorish bacchanalia of New Year’s Eve, I actually believe all is not lost amidst the coming and going of this pseudo-holiday. In fact, for every drunken dimwit drooling over a sloppy-faced sorority girl, there are those few good men who believe a tremendous meal enjoyed in the company of an incredible woman is the only way to ring in the New Year. This past New Year’s Eve, that man was me, the company of course, was Meghan, and the meal, a proud product of none other than Peasant.

Hiding out on a poorly lit stretch of Elizabeth Street just north of Mott Street, Peasant is a stones throw away from constantly buzzing Spring Street in Nolita. Reminiscent of the inconspicuous eateries of the nearby Lower East Side, its minimalist, almost intentionally mysterious façade tells me this luminary of lower Manhattan lets its food speak for itself.

Beyond its rather morose entrance, Peasant’s loft-like, commodious dining room is Italian countryside-meets-industrial chic, boasting exposed brick (painted white) and sleek monotone furniture. Dried florals, simple wall art, and an open view into the kitchen, make this expansive, effervescent room feel surprisingly cozy and intimate.

The menu is classic, and not overly ambitious, offering an ample selection of starters including a soup of the day and a handful of salads. As you would expect, the various Secondi (main courses) feature to-the-point seafood and meat preparations designed to fully take advantage of the tireless wood-burning oven. The Zuppa di Ceci Neri was a killer combination of Ceci Neri (black garbanzo beans), wilted turnip greens, and parmesan cheese, slowly simmered in a rich veal broth that was of another world. Profound in flavor, well-mannered, and full of muscle, this was black bean soup with an Ivy League education.

Still “ga ga” for garbanzos, we turned our attention to the Barbabietola which was thinly sliced red and yellow beets, dressed with a tart vinaigrette and topped with Gorgonzola. Despite the rather skimpy amount of the moldy cheese, this was a nice, clean start to the meal. Still hungry, we moved on to the Mozzarella Burrata. Literally “Buttered Mozzarella”, Burrata falls somewhere between fresh ricotta and tangy cottage cheese, while remaining spreadable and smooth like cream cheese. Perishable, slightly sour, and of course buttery soft, this is a tremendous treat for even the tetchiest of turophiles.

Buttered up from the Burrata, it was time for the much anticipated Secondi. Meghan’s roasted chicken was exactly as you’d want it: crispy and peppery on the outside; moist and tender on the inside. The sizable half-bird was accompanied by a generous dollop of mashed parsnips, a healthy alternative to the perfunctory pile of cream-laden, buttered-soaked mashies we’re all used to. While Meghan defended her parsnips from my pesky fork, I focused my efforts on tackling my Porchetta Arrosto, which arrived as juicy thumb-sized morsels of suckling pig torn right from the bone and onto my plate. The succulent meat was perfectly seasoned, packing a smoky, wood-fired flavor that was a not-so subtle reminder that pork may no longer be the “other” white meat, but simply “the” white meat.

Chic, svelte, and mindful of its own potential, eating here is as relieving as it is invigorating. As your notion of another "bohemian-chic" bust below Houston Street fades away with each whiff of freshly burning wood, remember that while you may be dining at Peasant, you certainly won’t be eating like one.


Peasant
194 Elizabeth St # A
New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-9511

Food: A- Simple, to the point, and dead on
Ambiance: A- Trendy without being nervous and presumptuous
Service A: Attentive, alert, and willing to humor me with light raillery (always points for that)

**I apologize for the lack of pictures, however we gave the camera the night off.