Advertisements

This Just In: Budget Travel's Blog

You can always trust us—because we never take freebies or accept any travel discounts.
Recent Posts
  • All Recent Posts
People Are Talking…
Popular Authors
Sean O'Neill
Blog Editor
View author page
Kate Appleton
Editor Online
View author page
Brad Tuttle
Contributing Editor
View author page
AddThis Feed Button
NYC: The Ace Hotel opens The Breslin restaurant
Posted by: The Sensible Aesthete, Monday, Nov 2, 2009, 5:20 PM

Ace Hotel

Today, The Sensible Aesthete dropped by The Breslin, an edgy bar and restaurant that debuted at The Ace Hotel in Manhattan's Flatiron district this past weekend.

Bloggers have been salivating to try out the brunch, and have already weighed in on it at Eater and HotelChatter.

Early reports are good: The stylish Ace Hotel boutique chain does right by foodies with The Breslin.

Helmed by the owners of the West Village gastropub Spotted Pig—which was famously invested in by Mario Batali, Jay-Z, and Bono—the new restaurant is open off of the Ace's lobby for breakfast, lunch, and (the aforementioned) brunch.

Who could resist trying out this vintage-inspired, hipster hangout? Named after the hotel that used to be at the site, The Breslin fetishizes comfortable, centuries-old British pubs. Think dark wood paneling and flooring. Keeping with the theme, food is served on planks of wood.

Lobbyists from the beef and pork industry ought to hold meetings here. The decor runs to miniature carved pigs and cows—and wall-mounted pastoral prints of pigs and cows.

What to eat? Try the beef tongue baguette sandwich with a cup of lentil soup ($16).

A hotel guest dining beside me was thrilled with her ham-and-three-cheese sandwich, for $16. We agreed that we'd each return for fatty slabs of terrine: guinea hen with morels/"rustic pork"/rabbit and prune/head cheese, served with pickles, piccalilli and mustard (from $25 for a small shared plate).

Traveling solo? Belly up to the bar, a preferred spot for dining because it increases your chance of rubbing shoulders with the locals. Two cask beers are available, plus five more brews on tap, including an $8 pint of Defiant Muddy Creek.

Be patient, though. My meal took 22 minutes to arrive. Yet who's eying the clock while on vacation?

The Breslin, 20 W. 29th St.; reservations are recommended, given that the bar and restaurant can fit a maximum of 180 persons total.

Where—or what—should The Sensible Aesthete review next?

EARLIER
Alex Calderwood, a music impresario and partner in the Ace Hotel Group, reveals the best new design discoveries, in Cool Hunting 2009: New York City

New York City: The stylish Ace Hotel opens, from $169

MORE
Budget Travel's picks for affordable, stylish hotels in New York City

MORE USEFUL CLICKABLES
BT's editor-in-chief, Nina Willdorf, swears by TabletHotels as a source for picking where she should stay, from high to low.

Leave a Comment


(This is a moderated blog. Your comment will need to be approved by the site owner before it will appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


We encourage users to analyze, comment on, and even challenge the articles, blogs, reviews, and multimedia features of BudgetTravel.com.

User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.