One if by Land, Two if by Sea

One if by Land, Two if by Sea
17 Barrow Street - Map
Between West 4th Street and Bleecker St
New York
American Continental

Another one of New York City's more notable fine dining establishments - One if by Land, Two if by Sea gives you everything you expect to get: decent gourmet cuisine that's not too adventurous, and an impeccable dining environment.

Through my years of eating at dining establishments during Restaurant Week - I've learned a few things. First, if it's a relatively new restaurant, chances are the service and quality of the dishes will still be good. Secondly, make it your business to order some kind of alcohol since the higher-end restaurants generally don't make as much over the prix fixe menu (and consequently, your servers are less likely to give you good service since the tip will be smaller), so the prospect of a higher tip due to the purchase of alcoholic beverages increases your chances of better service.

That said, service at One if by Land could have been MUCH better than it was. First of all, it took them a very very long time to take our orders. In fact, our server took our wine order first, and had it served, and we still waited a while before ordering our meal. In fact, we had finished the bottle of wine between us before any of our dishes arrived. I was also perturbed at the server's attitude when I asked him what he would recommend as a wine pairing to the dishes we were ordering. He seemed annoyed that I would ask him, and he seemed marginally reluctant to help. Either it was because he didn't know crap about wine, or he was just being snooty. If it was the former, then just tell me you don't know and recommend I ask the sommelier, and if it's the latter, then you're not doing much for a good tip. Lastly, even once we placed our orders, it took a particularly long time before any of us received our entrées (hence the fact that we finished the bottle of wine before our food arrived). For an establishment that has such a long-standing and very positive reputation that preceeds it, the experience we had was more than disappointing.

Anyway, on to the cuisine at hand. The restaurant week menu selection was actually quite pleasant with three options for an appetizer, three options for the entrée, and three options for dessert. I ordered their Seared Gulf Prawns, the Thai Marinated Roast Free Range Chicken, and for dessert the Peach Parfait. Of the three, I most thoroughly enjoyed the Seared Gulf Prawns as it was served in a small nest of linguini in a lusciously light tomato broth. I thoroughly enjoyed the married flavors of the prawn and the tomato sauce - distinctly of prawn with the light hint of sweet aroma, then the velvetty acidity of the tomato sauce. I particularly loved the textural play of the linguini.

The following entrée, was also very good. I actually enjoyed the sesame-whipped potatoes and the sweet corn and bok choy more so than the chicken, although that was very good too. The chicken breast was served cooked to perfection; not dry at all, and quite moist. It was crusted nicely with spice rub, of which the most notable flavor was the coriander, which added a really nice kick and texture.

Dessert, not my favorite course, was still a pleasant palate cleanser for the savory dishes that preceeded it, but of no personal particular note. I enjoyed the flavors of the peach parfait, and it's presentation was adequate and on-par for the venue.

I would like, for the moment, to at least discuss One if by Land's strongest quality - its décor and ambiance. One if by Land is most noted as being famous for wedding proposals. Many a gent plan a whole romantic evening to culminate in a fine-dining experience in a locale that fosters a lush and romantic environment (in fact, a couple sitting adjacent to our table had just gotten engaged minutes prior to our arrival). The interior is beautifully decorated with old-style wrought-iron candle-lamps as light fixtures situated above the bar immediately to the left as you enter the restaurant. The low-level lighting and the general low-level lull of talk in the room all the more increase the sense of intimacy and refinery. Upon being seated, the server lights the two candles perched on two tall candle-sticks accompanied by a small rose arrangement in the center. All in all, a very pleasant and pretentious experience.

In conclusion - One if by Land, Two if by Sea was a pleasant enough experience. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have bothered to write a review, but the reputation of the restaurant merited a small write-up. As a foodie, would I go to One if by Land on my own? Probably not, but if you're looking for a nice, intimate dining experience, then One if by Land, Two if by Sea should definitely be at the top of your list!