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Aix
Denver, CO |
Los Danzantes
Oaxaca, Mexico |
Asia de Cuba
West Hollywood, CA |
The Sanctuary
New York, NY |
Ghenet
New York, NY |
Moustache
New York, NY |
Lemongrass Grill
New York, NY |
Steak Frites
New York, NY |
Caffe Taci
New York, NY |
Sammy’s Noodle Shop & Grill
New York, NY |
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| Moustache |
265 East 10th Street
New York, NY
212.228.2022 |
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We entered Moustache's East Village location, my companion expecting nothing more than some tasty and reasonably priced Middle Eastern food, while I was planning for something a little more dramatic. I had decided not to set up this particular dinner with a "we need to talk" warning, not wanting to detract from the appetizers, which I had been looking forward to. In any event, the hostess greeted us and we headed to our table.
Moustache offers a large patio section out back, most of it (at least on the night I attended) was fully enclosed, giving it the same feel as indoor seating, though it is a bit less cramped. The back row of the patio, however, is open to the sky, with the apartments of 10th Street in view, and it is here where we sat on the night in question. I would recommend sitting in this row, as the surrounding sky and buildings offer something other than your soon-to-be-ex's tearful eyes during any awkward moments in the conversation.
As for the food, you should probably pass on Moustache's plates of hummus, babaganoug, and other salads. While these may be excellent (especially with one of the oven-fresh thin pitas), they'll encourage a degree of sharing and interaction that you'll probably want to be avoiding by that point in the meal. You'll be better off ordering one of the larger house specialties and saving the hummus for your next visit, possibly with a first date. With each of us isolated on our own order, it was far easier to deliver the painful, necessary messages I had carefully rehearsed. The meal progressed quickly and tastily.
A rare negative is the service, especially the amount of time it took to settle the check. At a time when I wanted nothing more than to rush out the door and run to the nearest subway station (The L, at 14th and 1st Ave.), our waitress was acting as though she had never seen a credit card before, leading to a delay that felt like hours. Though I have to assume that this was an isolated incident, it did put a damper on what had been to that point a rather seamless dumping.
It's a rare restaurant that can be recommended for both a first date and a last, and despite my difficulties after the meal, I would place Moustache in this category. |
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| Ken Goldstein |
| October 17, 2002 |
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