Carmellini’s Farmellini… to table… Restaurant
Little Park is Andrew Carmellini’s latest, nestled in the Smyth hotel. This restaurant stands out from his others with its insistence on local and seasonal fare, which is on the lighter, healthier side than many of his other restaurants (Locanda Verde, The Dutch, Bar Primi, Lafayette). Meaning: there are a lot of vegetables.
Don’t get us wrong: This is not a health food joint. The menu starts with small, sharable dishes and then progresses to larger dishes, including a “Fire Roasted Meats” section.
Our waitress suggested that we order two to four dishes a person. We ordered five in all for two of us, which was plenty.
Our oysters were finished with some sort of grapefruit zest that rocked our world, and almost inspired us to order another round. We moved onto an endive salad and crispy brussels sprouts next, which were just as crispy as advertised, and then devoured the duck kebab and steamed black bass.
The food was fantastic. Really fantastic.
As for the vibe, it wasn’t the dimly lit downtown den we’re usually attracted to. The space is big, but filled with circular banquettes that make the room feel cozy. Hanging plants in around the periphery also lend a folksy feel to the place.
All in all, we were into it.
Who will we bring to this restaurant? People who like to share, and to try inventive takes on familiar foods. We could see a really fun group dinner at the larger tables, with everyone playing musical dishes, forks flying everywhere. Who will we not bring? People who cringe when they hear that the food is local, seasonal, sustainable, grass-fed. They should probably stay home.