Peachy Picks District Social #DistrictSocial @district37st #WhomYouKnow #PeachysPicks @ManhattanPeachy #PeachyDeegan
Owner Sean Marr, Leader of Culinary and Imbibing Excellence at the Extraordinary District Social, with some phenomenal Scotch he selected
Sean and Edgar, spectacular Chef de Cuisine!
Baked Cod, the embodiment of springtime!
You absolutely have to have the Flatbreads, especially the Shrimp!
Peachy is not picking a lot that is new. After nine and a half years of doing this, not many newcomers can compete with the extraordinary levels of excellence reached by those that are on top of their game and have been for years and in some cases, generations (we're talking about you, Sal.) In 2009, a lot of people did not have our vision of what the internet could do and there was no such thing as social media. However, in 2018 there is so we do like when you have your act together in this realm as well and District Social nicely confirmed us for the digital age prior to our arrival:
Reservation confirmed
Name: Peachy Deegan
(212) 994-9599
Owner Sean Marr, a native of Glasgow, personally creates the cocktails and drinks menu and this is just as impressive as the edible menu! It is superior to its competition and we started with the Red Sangria, top, which combines Silver Rum, Orange Liqueur and Fresh Juice to inaugurate your season of good weather in a glass, and an entirely refreshing Villa Maria Bubbly 2016, directly above, straight from New Zealand boasting Melon, Green Apple and Citrus notes. Its understated bubbliness is evocative of the class and style exuded by District Social overall, especially because it is in the Fashion District. District Social was first featured in June 2017:
This is its second feature.
District Social is the newest of this team's endeavors, open since December 2015 and is owned by Sean Marr, Bennett Page (present at review with ears lowered!), Michael Geddes, Philip Smith and Aiden Stenson.
On Whom You Know, District Tap House, also owned by this group, was originally featured:
and it graduated to Peachy's Picks:
Bedford Falls also earned an inaugural feature:
District Social has a bar and grill feel to it that's welcoming and just delicious. Do not miss the croquettes: we tried both the Risotto Truffle Lebne, an essential bite, and Cauliflower Pistachio with parsley emulsion, a beautiful flavor as well. They are just perfect to ignite your appetite and commence your gorgeous District Social experience, where 200 could be seated and should be at all times. We like the traditional sequence of a meal followed at District Social and absolutely prefer this. Corporate groups and social bunches both gather at District Social alike and is level of versatility is to be applauded.
The appetizer section is both deep and diverse and the Lamb Skewers luxuriate in a eggplant ragu and grape molasses, making them impossible to ignore. District Social knows how to achieve phenomenal flavors without going overboard and being overly trendy and overdoing it.
A hallmark of a restaurant that knows what it is doing is perfect octopus. At District Social, it is brilliantly charred to tender succulence rarely achieved in a bar and grill atmosphere. This was created by Chef de Cuisine Edgar and the nice char on the eight-legged wonder is accompanied by potato confit and chimichurri.
Peachy's favorite during this course was the Calamari Fritters that put many other calamari dishes to shame. Six days a week seafood is delivered to District Social and it's evident in this dish in particular. They are incredibly moist, really bringing out the flavor of the calamari with shredded kombu and joined by marinara and balsamic vinaigrette. They are lightly breaded and perfectly crisp. Extraordinary and essential, you must order these to start.
We are making an extra effort to be healthy especially as bathing suit season is practically (finally) upon us in New York, and District Social hits the high notes with their interesting and nutritious salads. The Spinach Salad is super fresh and bursting with red peppers, kataifi, parmesan and shallots and you are in the drivers seat with the embellishments which are presented at your attention all lined up. Peachy likes being in the drivers seat as you know from Cruising Peachy and likes to control some aspects of her eating.
Another creative salad is the Baby Beet Salad, which combines tender beets, walnuts, micro shiso, raisins and horseradish creme. You'll revel in the classy crunchiness and contrasting textures.
Drumroll please.
Flatbreads rule at District Social.
Pork belly was suggested to us and is the top seller.
This will be clear to you at first bite.
The outrageously delicious oinker teams up with red onion, honey and manchego in ideal proportion, perfectly crisp.
The roasted mushroom is absolutely exquisite and does a dance with creative sunchoke puree, aged balsamic and gruyere.
These combinations that District Social comes up with are new, exciting and will wake up your spring especially in this rainy weather.
Because she is a shrimp and because this is the most delicious combination according to her DNA and genetics, Peachy Deegan adored the Shrimp Flatbread the most. She'd eat it every time a goal was scored during the Stanley Cup Playoffs if this was feasible. If you haven't met Charred Scallion Pesto Gruyere with Shrimp yet, clearly this is what is missing from your life.
They will not last long! Only share them with very good friends.
The sides are ridiculously amazing! There are six choices and if you like Fried Yuca, a dish you don't see too often, you will be delighted with its combination with red onion and habanero aioli!
We love potatoes but you know that cauliflower is probably better for you. Meet Cauliflower Gratin, enhanced beautifully by fontina. Charred Broccoli is a winner from the green vegetable group and it's made even better with garlic which we love, basil and mustard seed.
Presented authentically in cast iron, the Brussels Sprouts waltzing in pistachio and absolutely fabulous creme fraiche will make their mark in your edible memory as the way you want to eat your vegetables!
We adore seafood, and the Baked Cod sourced from the Atlantic is beautiful and delicious. Its gorgeous seafood aura is enhanced by the lobster broth and nicely rounded out by parsnip puree and broccoli, and is a natural advocate of edible springtime. District Social also has smashing Steel Head Trout:
which is gracefully arranged by satisfying Yukon Gold, and succulent sunchoke cream.
Often, we wouldn't dream of ordering gnocchi at a non-Italian venue, but you can be confident of its incarnation at District Social.
This is the best gnocci we have seen outside of an Italian venue and the asparagus, broccolini and quail eggs exude an extraordinary air of sophistication. And then, even better, charred onion broth is added:
Again, ideal delicious creativity is achieved without going overboard and overdoing it.
The sit down dinner atmosphere is elevated casual at District Social and you'd be just as comfortable in a cocktail dress as you would jeans. The taste is uber-upscale throughout the menu, and District Social said we were not done with their entree section, so we also tried the braised short rib extravaganza, which would be perfect on a rainy day about now, and is resting upon a fine cushion of polenta and sundried tomato ragout. The grilled pork chops, a favorite of Sean's, completely outrank their competition confirming their singular excellence with peruvian corn and apricot glaze.
It would be a tragedy if you did not leave room for dessert, as they rock that course too at District Social, where we discovered zero weaknesses overall. Green apple, PEACH (winning it a double feature in our PEACHY column!) and apricot sorbet trio concluded the District Social experience to perfection! The flavor and consistency were superlative.
They also achieve a lovely Creme Brulee with fig compote, fromage blanc sorbet and parmesean manchego.
And we celebrated our sincere commitment to chocoholism with no plans for recovery with their decadent Chocolate Molten Cake with Chocolate Rum de Creme, Cocoa Nid Tuile and Caramelized Honey Ice Cream.
Peachy Picks District Social!
District Social is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
