NYCReview
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Raf’s is a fantasy, in more than one sense. The dining room has an eternal sunset glow, and the ceiling is painted with the sort of billowy clouds that 16th-century fresco enthusiasts used to signify heaven. It’s a charming place, but it’s a bit of an illusion. The iron chandeliers, stiff white tablecloths, and other atmospheric touches help mask the fact that the food, while often delicious, isn’t all that interesting.
Whether or not you dive headfirst into the fantasy of this little Noho restaurant will depend on two things. How exciting do you find roast chicken? And how often do you look at Hamptons Zillow?
photo credit: Gentl & Hyers
photo credit: Gentl & Hyers
photo credit: Raf's_Tables
From the team behind the Musket Room, Raf’s looks like a tiny Italian villa owned by someone of distant royal lineage, and serves the kind of food that Ina Garten would try to feed you if you fell asleep on her front lawn. With its breads, pastas, and whole roasted fish, the menu isn’t trying to do anything experimental—and there’s nothing wrong with that. Raf’s is one of the most pleasant restaurants in NYC, and it’s at its best when it keeps things simple.
The food here is ostensibly French and Italian, but that’s just a roundabout way of saying “New American.” If you serve fluke crudo and little gem salad, there’s really nothing else we can call you. Raf’s does both of those things, and their versions are straightforward and flawless. They also have some interesting takes on escargot and leeks vinaigrette—although, counterintuitively, you should focus on the boring-sounding dishes. Try the juicy roast chicken that comes topped with a pile of fresh herbs. It fits the upscale-dinner-party mood perfectly.
photo credit: Kate Previte
Lined with crown molding and distressed mirrors, Raf’s is the ideal place to eat with a publicist, a socialite, or someone who watches a Nancy Meyers movie and thinks, “What a modest home.” It also works for a charming date night or a dinner with a friend who’s willing to spend around $75 per person. It might seem impractical to spend that much on a meal that isn’t especially novel, but Raf’s isn’t a practical place. You can always roast your own chicken at home, but it’ll taste a lot better under a mural of clouds and blue sky.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Kate Previte
Carta Di Musica
photo credit: Kate Previte
Little Gem
photo credit: Gentl & Hyers
Fluke Crudo
Cast Iron Sfincione
photo credit: Gentl & Hyers
Escargot
photo credit: Kate Previte