Black Barn by John Doherty Fall 2016 Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
The superlative Picked & Roasted Heirloom Carrots of Black Barn
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Peachy Deegan and John Doherty
"What has surprised me the most and delights me is how much fun people have when they come here. People notice the details from the utensil rests to the butter plate to the candle covers: each had significant thought behind the design."
-Executive Chef and Owner John Doherty
...and the hits keep coming from this restaurant that we first visited a year ago! It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we are thrilled to know John Doherty and you should know him too. And you definitely want to know those amazing BBQ Beef Ribs but we are going to be interesting and talk about their other talents this time! This visit, we will concentrate on everything else and we did not eat the ribs at all for the first time. We do really miss them and you have to try them.
Black Barn was first featured in early 2016- we were actually physically there in December 2015:
It advanced to Peachy's Picks with amazing alacrity:
Black Barn earned a review in Peachy Dines Al Fresco this summer:
There is NO OTHER NEW RESTAURANT in ALL OF MANHATTAN that has been featured four times this year! (so far...) Not that many restaurants have been featured more than three times this year, even the amazing veterans of these reviews. Actions speak louder than words and we are not yelling at you in caps; we are using them for emphasis. John Doherty is brilliant and therefore so is Black Barn and anything you will ever eat there. Though he may be descended from the great County Donegal and was the Executive Chef of the Waldorf=Astoria for THREE DECADES, John Doherty is not a laurel-sitter. Every season, Black Barn accentuates the splendors of their menu updating it across the board with seasonal fresh vegetables and garnishes that will simply wow you. So, here's what they do for FALL! They keep getting better and better.
First pictured at the top, the picked and roasted heirloom carrots will delight all, not only those that love rabbits as much as someone here. As you know from past reviews, Black Barn has an entire section of their menu for vegetarian entrees, should you not be a carnivorous coveter of the BBQ Beef Ribs. There are four kinds of carrots joining this party on a plate and they are marinated and roasted to perfection. Black Barn elevates vegetables to levels of deliciousness you were not previously aware of. Even better here is our most favorite vegetable, burrata.
Though the Kale salad parties the summer away with corn, you will find in the fall that instead of corn, roasted acorn squash, radicchio, apple cider and buttermilk make this an autumn salad to remember. All items are off-the-charts fresh and Black Barn often frequents the Union Square greenmarket. In case you are looking for more opinions than ours, you should know that John Doherty was picked by the New York Produce Show to showcase his talents which further evidences his expertise in this discipline.
We are firmly of the opinion that pizza should have its own food group, and this is the first time we think we've tried pizza at Black Barn. The white pizza is amazing from the mozzarella parmesean fontina which is divine to the perfectly crisp crust and mangalitsa spicy coppa, all dotted with truffle oil and embellished with arugula. This item was the most short-lived from this review and is a top-notch gourmet style endeavor for pizza. All pizza venue owners should be scared if John ever opens a pizzeria.
The compelling selections under the Slow-Cooked and Wood-Grilled sections of the Black Barn menu will be the pure delight of all meat lovers, and note there are 6 items other than the ribs. The Dry-Aged Angus Rib-Eye is of premium quality and every juicy bite is going to make your day, even you Clint Eastwood. Certified Angus Beef once cut and resting upon your fork will delicately dive into a pool of chimichurri sauce and they even have a popover, a rare star that is not often found on menus (we reviewed a Popover cafe on the Upper West side many years ago before they closed...) and this one is no ordinary popover, it is a Parmesean-Cayenne Popover. The longer we work with anyone of course we know them better and we feel that ordinary is probably not in the personal dictionary of John Doherty. That is a compliment and if you are an ordinary-seeker, this website is probably not your cup of tea.
If fish is more your dish, the Grilled Swordfish is the dinner for you. Roasted eggplant, white raisins, garlic, tomato and evoo along with sicilian caponata and spinach salad embellish this steak of the sea bringing your tastebuds to poisson heights not often achieved by competitors of Black Barn.
The sides, found in the bottom right hand corner of the menu, are sensational options to add to your meal. We suggest the roasted acorn squash, a wonderful highlight of the fall season, and the brussels sprouts, perfectly halved below. If you haven't ventured to 26th street to dine well at Black Barn yet, it should be your top priority to celebrate the upcoming holiday season!
Black Barn continues to be Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
