RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: New from chef Flynn McGarry of Gem Home, Cove brings California aesthetics and sophisticated treatments of local produce to a sterile 1990s office building nearly as far west as you can go on Houston St.
The Vibe: Dramatic, without an ounce of chaos. In what’s otherwise a no man’s land for dining and most other forms of city life, Cove is a refuge, with polished wood-cladded walls, high ceilings, and oversized canvases with floral illustrations. The open kitchen is the restaurant’s focal point, with at least a dozen chefs neatly playing their part in near silence, including McGarry, who moves gracefully from station to station.
The tabletop details transcend the ordinary high-end restaurant experience, especially modern David Mellor silverware and sleek water glasses by Copenhagen-based Service Projects. Per the Cali-Scandi aesthetic, Louise Polsen lamps hang from the ceiling, and chairs are neatly under polished wooden tables, as if on display in a furniture showroom.
The Food: The à la carte menu is mostly small, appetizer-sized portions, with only two larger proteins, a duck and a lobster. A FOUND colleague rightfully described this selection as “challenging.” He meant it as a compliment, but some diners may find the lack of choice unsatisfying. Similarly prescriptive touches appear throughout the meal — a single slice of bread is served per person, and the porcini mushroom, leek, and pear tart is cut into slices instead of arriving as a whole.
Compounding the challenge is that very little of the food appears as expected (or described). Golden beets with turmeric and yogurt arrived as tiny almost-raviolis made of thinly sliced beets with the yogurt tucked inside. The homemade sourdough comes with marmite butter, an umami flavor that’s unfamiliar but addictive.
Still, Cove excels in these subtle sensory surprises. In the expansive and airy setting, Cove’s most impressive moments are the smallest, like the gummy-texture of a fluke cured with cherry leaves, presented in the shape of an octopus with Half Moon Bay-grown wasabi. Cheese pumpkin schnitzel was made meaty with hazelnuts and porcini mushrooms, topped with a sauce that mimicked the gravy one might typically serve with a traditional pork version of this dish.
The eight-course tasting menu is $210 per and served in the 30-seat “kitchen room.” We were told there’s some — but not a ton — of crossover between the à la carte and prix fixe menus. (If you’ve been for the tasting menu, by all means, send us your report.)
The Drink: Served in perfect, thin glassware from LSA, layered cocktails take the same cues from local farm ingredients as the food. A fig leaf gin martini was perfectly balanced and cold. A mezcal cocktail with beet, habanada, and mango and chile liqueur was a burnt orangey-red I’d nominate for Pantone color of the year. A selection of non-alcoholic drinks follow the herbaceous and savory approach of the alcoholic cocktails, like an apple shiso coriander tonic. The wine list unsurprisingly highlights biodynamic and organic varieties.
The Verdict: While there’s no escaping the echoes of the corporate vessel in which it exists, Cove feels like an oasis in its corner of the city. Portions are restrained and the options limited, but the flavors are complex and, ultimately, rewarding. Challenge accepted. –Sylvie Florman
→ Cove (Hudson Square) • 285 W Houston St • Tue-Sat 5-10p • Reserve.