All Columns in Alphabetical Order


Friday, April 5, 2019

#TerrificTakeout #PeachysPicks #PeachyDeegan #DistrictTapHouse #SeanMarr #BennettPage #AidenStenson #MichaelGeddes #PhilipSmith #WhomYouKnow #Manhattan @ManhattanPeachy A Peachy's Pick Since 2017, District Tap House @DistrictTap Spring 2019 #FashionDistrict

Spring is here!  Meet the newest incarnation of Tuna Tartare.
Peachy's favorite Truffle Burrata!
The phenomenal Braised Lamb Shank!
Owner Sean Marr with the superlatively delicious Lamb Sliders!
 It's never who you know.  It's WHOM YOU KNOW and we know Sean Marr, owner and head drinking consultant of all drinking consultants at District Tap House, a Peachy's Pick Since 2017.  
Sean Marr co-owns District Tap House with Bennett Page, Aiden Stenson, Michael Geddes, and Philip Smith.  District Tap House was first featured in early 2017 after our first visit, for the first time:
It has earned a spot in Peachy's Picks, and was the second restaurant to achieve this in 2017.
It was most recently featured last summer:
This is our eleventh consecutive year of reviewing restaurants, and what continues to strike us about District Tap House is their sincere, qualified commitment to the culinary arts in both presentation and taste that far supersedes their competition.  This is no ordinary bar: it accentuates the finer points of gastronomy.
The Italians have us loving risotto in general; here is a new way to eat risotto: meet Risotto Arancini.
Delicious little morsels of risotto are elevated with spec, gruyere, mozzarella, piquillo peppers, tomatillo jalapeno relish and drum roll please, black garlic aioli, which is absolutely to die for. The symphony of warm, comforting flavors will make any drink taste better!  And, they are an easy dish to share.
Spring has sprung with the newest incarnation of Tuna Tartare, which is just stunning.  It's reinvented and presented just like this with jalapenos, green apples - our favorite component along with of course the tuna itself, cilantro, yuzu and wasabi aioli to give it a kick.
The Wonton Crisp lends a floral shape that is quite festive and attractive to the eye as well as the tastebuds.  A glamour shot:
The lamb sliders are among the best in Manhattan, and they terrifically hit the spot with their pickled cabbage slaw, mint, and aji amarillo aioli.  Our next ambition here is to eat them with cheese!  Peachy is a cheeseburger monster.
That's lamb, not beef...!  You can't say where's the beef or where's the lamb because it is stacked high and obvious, making it quite the big bite!
Another small plate that we tried was the Bacon Wrapped Dates with cashews, which boast a contrast between sweet, carnivorously salty and crunchy.  It's a flavor extravaganza neatly rolled and punctuated with a toothpick, making it a festive, fun treat.
If you are a total fan of bacon, you won't want to miss the spectacular Bacon Wrapped Shishito Peppers with goat cheese and balsamic, which have quite the kick to be adored.
Of all the small plates, and there is quite an extensive list, Peachy Deegan's favorite is the Truffle Burrata, which happens to be best this time of year because of its complete freshness and burst of ultimate burrata, which we worship.  Local prosciutto and roasted peppers team up with this cheesy delight along with a brilliant balsamic reduction and basil oil.  This one picture alone directly above tells you all you need to know about how District Tap House is Not An Ordinary Bar.
DISTRICT TAP HOUSE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY BAR.
Also, a few years ago they were a newcomer and are now joining the ranks of overall historic favorites, which is most notable of all.
Yes, we do like salads.
And even if we didn't, we are going to now because it is bathing suit season!  
One of the biggest mistakes bars in Manhattan make is ignoring the Wide World of Produce and not excelling in salads.
They excel in salads at District Tap House for both the creativity and the quality.  They are the right mix embodying both trendiness and delicious, without making your dinner taste like a science experiment by those who go overboard.
The Spinach and Baby Kale Salad is a beautiful mix of these greens accentuated with kashkaval, hazelnut, avocado, red onion, fried butternut squash, and red wine vinegar.
The Roasted Beet Salad with sundried apricots, garrotxa (a lovely cheese that Sean rightfully recommends) and walnuts team up with balsamic vinegar to give this dish an authentic spring crunch!
Though personally Peachy is obsessed with Burrata, the real star of the show on this menu is the Braised Lamb Shank, a new menu item since last November.  It is as delicious as it looks and note that this is coming from someone that normally abhors lamb.  Granny Smith apples, carrots, spinach, red onions, tomatoes, garbanzo beans and of course the lamb are embellished wonderfully in an outstanding cider reduction that will truly wow you.
The next burst of brilliance emanates from the Grilled Salmon with Membrillo Glaze: this is a quince fruit.  It sings a song of springtime with haricot vert and yellow wax beans, and scallions which we applaud.  No other bar environment restaurant in New York does salmon this well.
The final culinary firework of dinner is the Roasted Octopus which is tender perfection.  The pictures do not lie, and if you are a new reader, know they are never edited and if someone asked us to edit them, they would not be published on.  The truth is this octopus is the same superior quality you would expect from a white tablecloth restaurant.  We loved the cherry tomatoes, peperoncino aioli and aleppo citrus dressing, which make this super springy as well to get you in the season!
You will not believe how knockout the Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich is-and with blueberries, it is hardly plain vanilla.  CoCo Nibs, Yuzu and the Blueberry Compote make this sweet wonder a winner.  The Panna Cotta is also superb.
District Tap House continues to be Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
We can't wait to tell you about what these drinking professionals do next!  We believe a trick is up their sleeve...




Back to TOP