Beets and Butt?

November 29, 2008 6:25 pm

The day before Thanksgiving, NYC is dead. It's a day to flee from the city and get started spending your holidays with loved ones. It is also a day to enjoy great food from a chef who hasn't run home to his family.

It was freezing outside, but it was warm and homey inside Joe Doe in the East Village. Decorated with items from their childhoods and homes, the 30-seater restaurant has some good personality infused from its owners, boyfriend and girlfriend team Joe Dobias and Jill Schulster. Joe reigns from my alma mater, Cornell University, and has refined his style at restaurants such as Blue Ginger, owned by Ming Tsai, Blue Grotto, Tupelo Grill and others. The result is a seasonal American menu with unusual flavor combinations.

We started off with some batter-fried chickpeas and moved on to the beets & butt. Who knew pork butt could be so flavorful and juicy? Each bite melted in my mouth. I didn't get a chance to eat the beets, although I'm sure they were good, as my friend Alba has already inhaled them by the time I reached over to taste her plate. I did, however, enjoy the last few bites of her English muffin.

The Maine hardshell lobster was succulent and well-seasoned although it was crying for a bit of citrus. Our entrées had high points and low points. The Cabrito was inventive, and had unsuspecting ingredients. The portions were generous, which was convenient as we were a hungry bunch. The Cod Irish Style was flaky and tender, but a bit under-seasoned. My butternut gnocchi was above average, but not memorable. Desserts were a highlight with a new interpretation of banana bread that left us feeling warm and fuzzy inside. The Turkish flatbread with wildflower honey custard was smooth and creamy with a crunch. The pecan sandies in the Maple Syrup Tapioca were also a crowd pleaser.

Beet and pork? English muffin appetizer? Turkish flatbread for dessert? Clearly, this young and talented chef has been thinking out of the box. His menu displays his rebelion of not being allowed to share his creativity with his diners given his role of a chef being supervised at other restaurants. Now that he's on his own, he's left to his own devices. We think his imagination is spot on at times and a bit far-reached at others.

Divya Gugnani

Joe Doe
45 East 1st Street
New York, NY 10003
212.780.0262