The Scene
With its yellow slat walls, nautical art and well-worn oak bar, this onetime fishermen’s lair is now a snug little neighbor to both South Street Seaport and the glass sequoias of nearby Wall Street. The creaky restaurant dates from 1790 and lies just under the massive shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Food
Not surprisingly, seafood is a strong point. Start with fresh mussels in a peppery tomato broth or the crisp and buttery soft-shell crabs, which are a house specialty. The lean-but-flavorful buffalo steak and burgers also put on a good showing. A dessert worth missing the ferry for is a dense fudge-like cake that could anchor a dinghy.
source: CitySearch
http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7192336/new_york_ny/bridge_cafe.html
ZAGATRatings & Review
“Old NY” gets an “updated menu” at this “back-in-time”, circa-1794 tavern near the “foot of the Brooklyn Bridge” serving “well-prepared” New Americana; “accommodating” staffers, “moderate” tabs and a “congenial” crowd make it a great “nontouristy find.”
Nestled under the Brooklyn Bridge lies this Financial District landmark, a “wooden” tavern serving the sauce since 1794 down among the “girders”; “history buffs” may imagine they’re “walking into another century”, though the “government and business types” hanging out here are right “up to date.”
oldest surviving saloon in New York. Now it simply serves imaginatively
prepared food in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge ramp. First-course choices
include salmon-and-corn chowder, herb-breaded calamari, homemade duck cakes
and pumpkin ravioli. Among the main courses are daily pasta and fish specials,
smoked pork chop, roast lobster with lobster mushrooms and country skillet
potatoes, medallions of filet mignon layered with blue cheese, and grilled
buffalo steak. Desserts may include a flourless chocolate cake, lemon tart,
pecan tartlet and Key lime pie. Special dietary requests are accommodated.
From "Good Eating: Far Downtown, Food’s Looking Up," The Times, 11/22/98.
-The New York Times
source:
nycguide.html-detail=restaurants&id=1002207983932
BRIDGE CAFÉ
279 Water Street (corner of Water and Dover), New York,
10038 (Financial District). (212) 227-3344. 4/5/6 to Brooklyn Bridge, the N/R
to Park Place, or the 2/3/A/C/J/M/Z to Fulton.
Food:
Service:
Food coma:
"The Bridge Café does in fact now offer a classic eggs
Benedict," the restaurant’s executive chef, Joseph Kunst, wrote me recently,
inviting me back.
Kunst lied, sort of. The Bridge Café had once offered a light, almost-Benedictish
entrée of poached eggs with a leek cream sauce, served on a potato waffle with
scattered chopped ham. But then it dropped that dish, and so was dropped from
these reviews. Today, Bridge does indeed have eggs Benedict, but it’s no
classic. When I revisited the restaurant I found a couple of its variations
unsettling — till I adjusted to and enjoyed them. After an infinite number
of servings of one dish, it’s great to be challenged.
Bridge, which boasts that its 1794 building is the "oldest drinking
establishment in the city," has a small room but spaces its tables well.
Framed posters, old photos, and engraved certificates dot the
hollandaise-colored, old vertical paneling. Off those walls and the
overpainted tin ceiling bounces the chatter of families and of double-dating
couples, though a few Wall Street men eat silently and alone. Rockabilly and
the Grateful Dead were playing on my recent visit. Despite the looming
Brooklyn Bridge ramps outside, the restaurant’s wide windows, set in deep
casings bent to match the age-warped building, beam a surprising amount of
light into the outer two-thirds of the room. The inner third is shadowy,
befitting its dark old bar.
A Bridge brunch is a prix fixe $16.95, on the pricey side but with lots for
your money. It includes a bloody Mary, mimosa, fresh orange juice, or
grapefruit juice; coffee; one of two appetizers; and one entrée. The mimosa
that came with my brunch was cold with fresh juice, a rarity, though there was
little champagne. The Bloody Mary, garnished with a big celery stalk and
wedges of lime and lemon, was more sweet than spicy, but I liked the slow burn
of its finely ground horseradish and ground pepper. A big bread basket held
good sponge cake, biscuits, and walnut bread, plus butter.
One appetizer was a "mixed greens and baby spinach salad" with bosc pear,
gorgonzola cheese, and walnuts in a citrus vinaigrette. That seemed entirely
too healthful. Instead I got the "corn and red-onion fritters with jalapeno
cheddar sauce," a colorful, crunchy dish that might motivate even kids to eat
vegetables. The capsaicin heat seemed to come from the fritters themselves,
not from their bed of cheese sauce, which was brightened by raw scallions,
chopped sweet red pepper, and more corn.
And then came the main course. The fresh English muffin halves were slightly
toasted. Thick, fatty little slabs of delicious ham were improvements on
Canadian bacon. Eggs sprinkled with chopped chives were poached till nearly
solid, possibly by design to achieve their high profile . . . and so that they
might not drown their sauce, which, surprisingly, was lemony melted butter,
pooled next to the muffin halves rather than topping the entire ensemble.
Classic hollandaise’s yolky creaminess disguises the caloric, cholesterol-rich
butter, but Bridge’s variation lays that out in the open. Soon I would leave
the restaurant woozily content with maximum food coma — but I can’t blame
just the sauce for that, after all that good bread and what would turn out to
be my second surprise, the bacon.
The kitchen has a thing for chopped chives, which dressed not only the eggs
but the home fries — quartered small red potatoes with a generous ration of
soft onion. And chives were also on my side dish of bacon ($3), which
glistened. The four or five slices had been cooked to chewy perfection . . .
and then glazed with honey or sugar syrup. Candied bacon! That was a
novelty even to me, despite my interest in sweet-savory Asian treats like
strawberry-flavored dried beef.
Service was cheery and efficient. The waiters urged two patrons and even one
to sit at tables for four, rather than insisting on the smallest corner
spaces. On my visit, a kitchen kerfluffle at a much larger party’s table led
to contrite apologies from a manager as well as the waiter, and offers to comp
some of the bill.
There is a full dessert menu including the usual tasty suspects like crème
brulee, cheesecake, pie, and pudding. But after glazed bacon, who needs more
sweets?
Rest rooms: Two clean single-seaters, pointlessly
labeled Men and Women.
Handicapped accessibility: The entrance is awkward. Rest rooms are
reached through a narrow hall a step down from the dining room; the "women’s"
room is a little roomier, but both have narrow doors.
source: bridge Cafe / echonyc.com
Blasts from the Past
By the late 19th-century, ten thousand taverns had popped up
across New York City. Some of them are still serving today. Who deserves to be
called “New York’s Oldest Drinking Establishment”? Many bars have laid claim
to that title and we’re not going to quibble. All five of these watering holes
do New York’s venerable drinking history proud.
 |
|
(Photo: Courtesy of Bridge Café )
|
Bridge Café
(1794)
THEN
• Clientele: Dock workers, prostitutes, johns
• Popular drinks: Rum, “applejack”, strong beer (6% alcohol), Madeira
wine
• Bar talk: New-found freedom from Great Britain
NOW
• Clientele: Locals, financial types, politicians, tourists
• Popular drinks: Single malt scotch, wine
• Bar talk: New freedom-limiting Patriot Act
When the Brooklyn Bridge first blocked Water Street from sunlight in 1883,
this bar/restaurant had already been serving the local population for almost a
century—in more ways than one: An 1860 NYC census lists 279 Water St. as the
home of six Irish prostitutes. According to a Times article, the Bridge
Café has been a “drinking establishment” since 1847, thus making it the oldest
continually running bar in NYC. Only a few blocks from the South Street
Seaport, it’s decidedly not a tourist trap. After all, Ed Koch held court here
twice a week at his private table during his mayorship, and city politicians
still take advantage of its communal but easygoing air to conduct business
here over a couple of cold ones. That, and the Bridge Café’s
specialties—soft-shell crabs ($15 appetizer/$28 entrée) and whiskey (65
single-malt and small-batch bourbons to choose from, $7.25-$33/glass). For the
pence-pinchers, “tastes” of these whiskeys are also available, for roughly
one-third the price; beer, wine and mixed drinks start at $5.
Did you know: When it was built, before massive land-fill projects
dramatically expanded the surface area of Lower Manhattan, the East River
actually came up to the structure’s foundation.
 |
|
(Photo: Courtesy of Ear Inn)
|
Ear Inn
(1817)
THEN
• Clientele: Wharf rats, sailors, the unemployed
• Popular drinks: Corn whiskey, home-made beer
• Bar talk: “Is the city really going to build a subway?”
NOW
• Clientele: Artists, bikers, professionals
• Popular drinks: Beer, wine
• Bar talk: “Is the city ever going to build the Second Avenue line?”
Only two decades younger but much funkier than the Bridge Café is the Ear
Inn (the blacked-out right side of the “B” in the neon “Bar” sign outside
gives this establishment its memorable name). To be accurate, the Ear didn’t
start serving drinks until the 1890s, when an Irishman named Tom Cloke bought
the place from a guy who rented rooms to local craftsmen and their familes.
Cloke then turned the place into a rough-and-tumble watering hole for Spring
Street’s longshoremen waiting for ships to dock. Nowadays, you’re more likely
to run into an artist waiting for work and bellied up to a $5.50 pint and a
Moroccan salad—hummus, tabouli, yogurt, and fruit ($7). The wide-planked floor
is so old and worn it feels soft under your feet, and the walls and shelves
are completely cluttered with art and tchotchkes. Cozy, warm and comfortable,
you can spend countless hours eating and drinking here like those longshoremen
did a century and a half ago.
Did you know: Charred and axe-marked timber discovered in the Ear Inn’s
attic has led some historians to believe the dwelling was constructed partly
out of left-over lumber from the great fire of 1776, which wiped out one-third
of the city.
 |
|
(Photo: Sandra Nygaard)
|
Chumley’s
(1830s)
THEN
• Clientele: Neighborhood, literary giants
• Popular drinks: Whatever was available
• Bar talk: Prohibition infringing on personal liberty
NOW
• Clientele: Neighborhood, Eurotrash, Engine 24/Ladder 5 firefighters,
tourists
• Popular drink: Beer from Chelsea Piers Brewery, wine
• Bar talk: No-smoking laws infringing on personal liberty
The space is about 175 years old, but Chumley’s is best known for its glory
days as a speakeasy during Prohibition. Nowadays cops aren’t trying to shut
the place down, but it still retains an element of drama: There’s no sign
outside, you have to walk through a curtain to enter, photos of famous writers
of the past adorn the walls, and the "secret back exit" that patrons would run
through when the coppers used to bust the joint, is still there. Simply put,
Chumley’s layout is “really cool.” Multileveled (four different levels to be
exact) with booths in the middle, and more booths hidden in the back, you can
eat center-stage (portobello burger, $9.50; roast duck, $17); mill about in
the bar area’s open space and sample the impressive beer selection ($6 pints);
or cozy up in a back booth for some romantic time. Better go on a weekday for
the latter, though. Weekends are loud.
Did you know: To “86” someone traditionally means to eject them from a
bar or restaurant. Given Chumley’s address of 86 Barrow St., along with its
fame as a speakeasy, some etymologists believe the phrase originated here
during Prohibition, as a code to customers warning that cops were snooping
around.
McSorley’s
(1854)
THEN
• Clientele: Men only!
• Popular drink: McSorley’s Ale
• Bar talk: Men only!
NOW
• Clientele: Lots of men
• Popular drink: McSorley’s Ale
• Bar talk: Men only!
Though McSorley’s claims it opened its doors in 1854, NYC historian Richard
McDermott used public records to prove it really opened in 1862. But
McSorley’s is most famous for what happened in 1970 when kicking and screaming
it was forced to open its doors to women. This Village mainstay is the last
bastion of the liverwurst sandwich ($3), but if gray, pasty meat by-product
slathered in mayonnaise isn’t your bag, you can get a cup of soup ($3) or
burger ($4.75) and wash it down with light or dark beer. The beers famously
come in pairs (i.e., order one, you get two; ask for two, you get four),
served in small mugs with almost as much foam in them as the good stuff. The
slightest display of confusion will surely betray you as a McSorley’s virgin.
“Be good or be gone” is the motto here, although after 26 or 28 of those
frothy mugs of beer, it’s a little hard to heed the signs that say as much.
Did you know: The famous poet e.e. cummings penned a poem entitled “i
was sitting in mcsorley’s.” In it, he describes the bar as “snugandevil.”
 |
|
(Photo: Courtesy of P.J. Hanley’s)
|
P.J. Hanley’s
(1874)
THEN
• Clientele: longshoremen
• Popular drinks: locally brewed beer
• Bar talk: 1873 Wall Street collapse and Depression
NOW
• Clientele: locals, sports fans
• Popular drinks: martinis, beer
• Bar talk: Skyrocketing NYC real estate market forcing locals out of
the neighborhood
P.J. Hanley’s is where Carroll Gardens’ residents come to drink, watch the
Yankees, and debate about when the meatballs go in the sauce. During the 131
years of its existence, the bar has had only four owners, making it not only
one of Brooklyn’s oldest bars, but one of the most genuine “neighborhood bars”
in the borough. It’s beloved by regulars for its burgers ($6.75), and by big
spenders for its T-bone steaks ($23.95). Guinness pints are cheap for NYC
($4); martinis and mixed drinks start at $7. Important note for those in the
armed forces: The first drink is on the house for anyone wearing a military
uniform. “If Uncle John [the previous owner and WWII vet] ever saw us charge a
serviceman,” says co-owner Deborah Hanley, “he’d turn over in his grave.” As
for the rest of us, it’s dollar domestic drafts (8 oz.), all night every
night. Not bad at all.
Did you know: Red Hook-born Al Capone met his Irish bride in the
basement of a speakeasy on Carroll Street and tied the knot a few hundred feet
from P.J. Hanley’s, which was formerly a speakeasy called Ryan’s. Could it be
that the Godfather of all Godfathers downed some anisettes within these very
walls?
Friday, November 9, 2007
To get you in the mood for the weekend, every Friday we’ll be
celebrating ‘FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER’, featuring an old New York nightlife haunt,
from the dance halls of 19th Century Bowery, to the massive warehouse spaces of
the mid-90s. Past entries can be found
HERE.
The Bridge Cafe, a quiet bar and brunch destination underneath the Brooklyn
Bridge at the corner of Water and Dover streets, has a storied legacy as the
oldest tavern in New York City. Although it takes a bit of imagination to
envision the red wooden building as former home to the most despicable, most
vile and — let’s face it — most fabulous characters in our fair city’s
history.
The legend of the Hole In The Wall derives mostly from one place — Herbert
Asbury’s infamous ‘Gangs of New York’, a dastardly inspection of New York’s 19th
century criminal lowlifes and squalor. As such, given the books fanciful and
exagerrated nature, you can’t exactly use it as faithful reference. When
journalist
Richard McDermott began doing research on the Bridge’s background, he didn’t
even find the Hole In The Wall.
What he did discover was a tradition of booze swilling that began with a ‘wine
and porter bottler’ in 1794. It was followed by a grocery — one that I guess
technically sold liquor, thus keeping the ‘oldest tavern’ title precariously
intact. But the date 1826 is most significant as the establishment fell into the
hands of Charles G. Ferris, an attorney who leased the property to a host of
saloons.
And there were patrons aplenty, for this was New York’s dangerous Fourth
Ward; in particular, Water Street was festooned with brothels, boarding houses,
dance halls and watering holes. In 1866, writer
Bayard Taylor referred to it as "the only rival of the Sixth in its triple
distinction of filth, poverty, and vice." (The Sixth being the Five Points slum,
about a half mile away.) ‘On The Town in New York’ by Michael Batterberry says,
"Generally speaking, Water Street was a thoroughfare of vice and iniquity to
challenge the imagination of the most graphic Victorian preacher."
So although little evidence remains of a Hole In The Wall in the precise
vicinity of the Bridge Cafe, it’s extremely likely such a place existed.
(The picture below is not of Hole In The Wall, or of any particular Water Street
saloon, but a print of a New York ‘lager-beer saloon’ from 1870. Sorry, there
aren’t a lot of photographic options from this period of time!)
proprietor ‘One-Armed’ Charley Monell. We’re assuming that sobriquet wasn’t
just a cute nickname. For security, he relied on two lovely ladies by the
names of Kate Flannery and scrappy Gallus Mag. No ordinary bouncer, Mag kept a
pistol at her waist, a club at her side and for good measure sharpened her
teeth like a rodent. This was not just a fashion statement; she would need
such sharpened incisors for when she would bite off the ears of unruly
patrons, spraying blood with delight as she deposited the ear into a gigantic
jar behind the bar. (Mag is immortalized in the film version of ‘Gangs of New
York’ as well as virtually tributed in every horror movie from ‘Texas Chainsaw
Massacre’ onward.)
Gallus (a word for men’s suspenders, which she would frequently wear) wasnt
always so cruel. After chewing off the ear of a female rival named Patsy the
Goat, she later gave the body part back after the two mended ways. It’s a plot
right out of ‘Sex And The City’, I tells ya.
Sex,
sinful dancing and swill — sometimes drank right out of the spout for a small
price — were orders of the day on Water Street, as was murder. The most
famous brawl in perhaps all of Water Street occurred here between two thugs
named Patsy the Barber and Slobbery Jim, both probably teenagers or in their
early 20s. They were members of the gang the Daybreak Boys (ahem, I’m sure
they were no match for the Bowery Boys), responsible for dozens of deaths in
downtown Manhattan in the 1850s.
One day, Patsy and Slobbery casually robbed and killed a German and threw him
into the East River. Settling down at Hole In The Wall with their booty (all
of twelve cent), the pair fought over the amount, with Jim thinking he
deserved more as he DID single-handedly throw him into the river. Soon the
boys were brawling, Mag and Charley stepping back to watch it play out. Patsy
had a knife and stuck it into Jim; the knife changed hands and was soon lodged
into Patsy’s throat. Patsy passed out from blood loss, and Jim finished the
performance by stomping into his partner until he expired. Ten years later
Slobbery would enlist in the Confederate Army.
According to Asbury, the Hole In The Wall was permanently closed after a
string of seven murders were committed there in less than two months. However,
if Bridge Cafe is indeed the former home of Hole In The Wall, it clearly
didn’t stay closed for long. It passed through the hands of several saloon
owners, including a city alderman Jeremiah J. Cronin in 1898. Even Prohibition
couldn’t dry it out; a restaurant in the 20s served beer on the down low from
bootlegger Charlie Brennan.
The current incarnation opened in 1979 and was a favorite of former mayor Ed
Koch. Today you can have a good brunch there and just stare down at the floor,
picturing Patsy the Barber, pools of blood and a few loose ears lying around.
Labels:
Five Points,
Fourth Ward,
Friday Night Fever,
Gallus Mag,
Gangs of New York
More Reviews:
Bridge Café
- Address: 279 Water St., at Dover St., Lower Manhattan, New York, NY, 10038
- Phone: 212/227–3344
- www.eatgoodinny.com
- Category:
Bars - Location:
Lower Manhattan
Fodor’s Review:
A hop away from South Street Seaport, this busy little restaurant flanking
the Brooklyn Bridge is a world apart from the surrounding touristy district. The
bar, dating from 1794, is one of the oldest in Manhattan. Though the space is
small, the selection is huge: choose from more than 100 domestic wines and 85
single-malt scotches.
- Metro: A, C, 2, 3, 4, 5, J, M, Z to Fulton St./Broadway–Nassau
Find more nightlife in New York City
Bridge Café is a small quaint restaurant
featuring an all American wine list, extensive
single
malt and scotch list and a menu focuses on American modern
with global influences including seafood, steaks,
pastas
, buffalo etc.
| Address: |
279 Water Street New York, NY 10038 |
|---|---|
| Telephone: | 212-227-3344 |
| Fax: | 212-639-2368 |
| Reader Rating: |  |
 |
“Bridge Cafe” - Member, Hampton Beach “Very Good” - "Richard ", New York City NY “Simply Delightful!” - "John", NY NY |
| Open/Close: | MON 11:45 am-10:00 pm TUE-THU 11:45 am-11:00 pm FRI 11:45 am-12:00 am SAT 5:00 pm-12:00 am SUN 11:45 am-10:00 pm |
| Category: |
American |
| Staff: | Joseph Kunst, Chef |
| Meals Served: | Brunch. Lunch. Dinner. |
| Max. Capacity: | 65 |
| Cost: | Expensive |
| Dress Code: | Casual |
| Other Info: | Take Out. Free Delivery. Reservations Accepted. Reservations Recommended. Full Bar on Site. Children’s Menu Available. No Smoking. |
|
Credit Cards
: |
    |
Some sleuthing in the late 90s by journalist Richard McDermott gave the
Bridge Cafe a stunning come from behind late round victory as the "oldest
drinking establishment in New York City." Located in the shadow of its namesake,
the cafe is housed in a building that dates back to 1794 – when there was no
Brooklyn Bridge to be named after. McDermott managed to show that the same
address has housed a drinking establishment of one form or another since 1847.
This eclipses McSorley’s Old Ale House which for decades had claimed the title
as New York City’s oldest bar.
But the Bridge Cafe is not only an interesting bit of bar trivia. The unique
location and warm atmosphere, combined with imaginatively prepared food, make
the Bridge Cafe well worth a visit. And the restaurants location near City Hall
and the downtown courts may mean you get to overhear some interesting gossip.
If you’re not really in the mood for grub, the Bridge Cafe hasn’t lost touch
with its roots either. They offer an impressive selection of American wines and
over 60 single-malt and small-batch bourbons to choose from.
Expert Review by Gayot
This cozy pub-café in a circa-1800 building is a
stone’s throw from the Brooklyn Bridge, and is one of the oldest
restaurants in the city. But don’t expect a captivating view—it’s like
looking at the bridge’s ankles. Once the haunt of longshoremen and
ladies-of-the-night, Bridge Café is now the watering hole of Wall Street
executives. In season, soft-shell crabs in shallot butter is the
best-selling dish, and for good reason. Other options include the lamb
chops in a Cabernet and fresh herb reduction and the Buffalo steak with lingonberry sauce and homemade potato gnocchi.
Try the warmed Maytag blue cheese soufflé with fruit and grapes in a port
syrup to start, and end with the old-fashioned butterscotch pudding. The
all-American wine list has a range of good choices, and Monday through
Wednesday bottles are 30 percent off. A large selection of single malts is
also available.
More
Gayot Rating : 11/20
Yelp.com User Review
The location is really great. Away from the crowds
and right at the Brooklyn Bridge’s footstep makes for a very nice
atmosphere.The waitresses only add to the experience by providing
excellent……
Read More
Sunday, January 28, 2007 -Alex A. at
Yelp.com
Report Abuse
Fantastic Food, casual setting
The modest, yet inviting, look of the place belies
the high end ingredients and fantastic cooking. All four of us ordered
fish and each dish was excellent, but the meat dishes we saw coming out of
the kitchen looked equally good. Desserts were great as well. There’s
obviously a very talented chef here and despite the out of the way
location I plan on going back to what is now on my top ten list in NYC,
you should make the trip too!…
Read More
Thursday, August 14, 2008 -willis69 at
Citysearch.com
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Yelp.com User Review
I was at Bridge for Easter and was quite impressed.
The pork chops were absolutely amazing, and the ambience was great as
well. A former mayor of NY used to trek down to the Bridge Cafe for
lunch.……
Read More
Wednesday, May 03, 2006 -Zach S. at
Yelp.com
Report Abuse
Best Potato Gnocchi ever!!
A friend recommended this place as they have visited
numerous times before. I consider it a diamond in the rough. The
appetizers and buffalo steak entree where to die for. The food was very
originally done and I would rate very high. I can’t wait to go back. The
service was helpful and the menu had a lot of choices. The prices are also
affordable….
Read More
Sunday, May 27, 2007
-superrajraj at
Citysearch.com
Report Abuse
Yelp.com User Review
A hidden gem tucked away under the brooklyn bridge
on the Manhattan side. Steeped in history, the food is amazing and a
varied menu something for everyone. They have a wonderful wine list with
the……
Read More
Saturday, October 21, 2006 -Cara C. at
Yelp.com
Report Abuse
View Source & read more reviews
BRIDGE CAFÉ
279 Water St., at Dover St. (212-227-3344)
by Andrea Thompson
November 27, 2006
This restaurant, housed in a red painted wooden building in the shadow of the
Brooklyn Bridge, has a lively history: the structure dates from as early as
1794, five prostitutes registered their occupancy of the third floor during the
census of 1855, and the bar has served beer to fishmongers, pirates, snitches,
and newspapermen, even through Prohibition. Adam Weprin, whose family owns the
restaurant, says the place also plays host to poltergeists: disembodied
footsteps treading the floors, impertinent spectral presences felt in both the
men’s and the ladies’ rooms, and spooky whispers in one’s ear. According to
exhaustive research conducted by Richard McDermott, a retired science teacher
and freelance historian, the Bridge Café should be considered the city’s oldest
drinking establishment. (McDermott, unsurprisingly, is not entirely welcome at
McSorley’s Old Ale House.)
When the Weprin family took over, in 1979, they renovated the restaurant but
retained the dining room’s nineteen-twenties lineaments—a low, pressed-tin
ceiling, white wainscot walls, and a wooden bar running its length. The Wep-rins
also tried to keep some of the local color by charging the bookies, who had long
been regulars, pre-upgrade prices. The illicit company never seemed to bother
another frequent visitor, Ed Koch, who ate there at least twice a week during his mayoralty.
It’s easy to see what kept them all coming back. The food here is given
haute-cuisine billing (the lamb chops come in a “cabernet and fresh herb
reduction”), but what arrives on the plate is pure heartland, from the generous
portions to the profligate use of butter. A crab-artichoke-and-spinach fondue
was meaty and rich. Goat cheese somewhat overwhelmed the autumn-vegetable
strata, but the smoked-gouda-and-pine-nut crust on the chicken was nicely
understated. Pounded flat and fried, the fowl was juicy and crisp, though nearly
outshone by its side dish of creamy mashed potatoes. Fortunately, you probably
won’t have room for dessert: a wedge of pumpkin pie looked and tasted rather
wan, with a pallid crust. A glass of Muscat De Frontignan might be a better
choice for those waiting around for the ghosts to emerge. (Open Mondays through
Saturdays for lunch and dinner, Sundays for brunch and dinner. Entrées $20-$30.)
