Dinner at: Out East

If I’m being 100% honest, this might be the first time I actually liked the space as much (if not slightly more) than I liked the food.

Don’t get me wrong, the food was very good, but the space. THE SPACE. It’s a bilevel restaurant, with two completely different vibes. Up top is sleek, with banquettes and vintage wallpaper from the 1940’s. As you walk back, you feel like you’re stepping outside (or Out East), complete with white-picket railing that overlooks a beautiful downstairs dining area (which has it’s own bar).

Onto the food. I really liked everything I tried, but some things I wanted to like more. For instance, the clam cacio e pepe was great in theory, but way too salty. And I am someone who would eat the salt crust on a salt-baked fish. Nahmsayin? The Lazy Lasagna was wonderful, packed with veggies, sauce, and copious amounts of cheese. If you’re going to measure cheese on a lasagna dish, make it “copious”.

Dinner: Out East

  1. End of The World Plateau. This is not my area of expertise since I hate oysters, but it’s a raw bar tower. The shrimp were delicious, and the little bottles of sauce on top were a nice touch. 
  2. Ceasar Salad. I love a caesar salad. Some say it’s boring, but I suppose what is boring to some is classic to others. It’s simple and it’s wonderful when it’s done right. This one was perfectly dressed, with big croutons and anchovies on top. I used to hate anchovies, so if that’s not your deal, just tell them to pick em off. Pro tip: chop them up small one day and mix in with the salad. Trust me. 
  3. Lobster Roll with “New Bae” Fries. These fries were dusted with vinegar powder and that is one of my favorite things in the world. 
  4. Clam Cacio e Pepe. As you heard me say before, I didn’t love this because it was just a touch too salty and briny from the clams. If they take that down a notch, it would be great. 
  5. Lazy Lasagna. YES. A thousand times YES. This was my favorite dish, clearly. I guess you could say it’s more closely related to a baked ziti than a lasagna, but honestly, with this pasta:cheese ratio, who gives a shit about tradition?
  6. Roasted Chicken. This was solid, and I loved the super crisp skin. That said, I wouldn’t say it was the reason to visit. There are other plates here that are much more deserving of your time. 
  7. Seared Scallops. A delightful dish that reminded me of dining oceanside in Montauk. The scallops are seared beautifully in brown butter and served over corn succotash. Mmmm.
  8. Carrots. I know this is just a side dish, but I love a good carrot. These are roasted and seasoned with za’atar spice and carrot romesco sauce. 

 

Out East

509 East 6th Street

Website: Out East

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