NYCReview
photo credit: The Noortwyck
The Noortwyck
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Considering just how many restaurants are in the West Village, it can be shockingly difficult to find one that you’ll actually want to go back to. Most fall somewhere on the spectrum of aggressively mediocre to overpriced and boring. The Noortwyck, a “seasonally-driven” spot opened by two EMP alumni, is a refreshing diversion. It’s the kind of place where you can eat flawless food in a stylish-yet-low-key setting.
A lot of places with menus this extensive have some dead weight. Here, that’s not the case. The menu is divided into five sections: snack-y things, raw bar things, salad-y things, pastas, and mains. Even seemingly uninspired dishes like oysters have some surprises like sweet-and-sour stone fruits in lieu of mignonette, and the pasta here is better than the pasta at most places that specialize in the stuff. Then there’s the dessert menu, a triumph unto itself, and arguably our favorite course. If you’re coming with just one other person, choose one dish from each section, then double up on dessert.
photo credit: The Noortwyck
The food is elevated, for sure, but the feeling of the space is distinctly chill. You could have a special occasion meal here, but it’s almost better suited to after work catch-ups at the bar and low-key date nights with someone you’ve lived with for years. The room strikes a delicate balance between minimalism and warmth, with rich details like leather and velvet banquettes and a chic black-and-white tiled floor that make you feel like you’re hanging out in someone’s extremely well-appointed pied-à-terre.
This relaxed atmosphere paired with food that tastes like it has a graduate degree in haute cuisine is what makes The Noortwyck give us warm, cozy feelings. It’s rare to find a plate of truffle-covered pasta that renews our faith in truffles at a place where you can show up in your comfiest T-shirt. Since the menu changes so often, you’ll want to become a regular. We recommend doing just that.
Food Rundown
photo credit: The Noortwyck
Oysters
Seeded Parker House Roll with Cultured Butter
photo credit: The Noortwyck
Crudo
photo credit: The Noortwyck
Salad
photo credit: The Noortwyck
Pasta
photo credit: The Noortwyck
Mains
photo credit: The Noortwyck
Desserts