ACME

Great place.

On my first visit here I wondered around the upstairs bar, looking a little lost amongst the tables of diners, and a little surprised that my partner in crime was uncharacteristically late and also that this was his favourite NY drinking spot. I walked downstairs to see if there was something I was missing, only to be greeted by a dark corridor with doors that looked like they possibly lead to bathrooms and then back upstairs before finally deciding that there is no shame in asking one of the hosts where this mysterious other bar might be found, even if it might mean admitting I am not a native New Yorker. Turns out you have to walk downstairs, all the way to the end and open the last door, which doesn't even have a proper handle, in order to find yourself in a secret tucked away bar and in another era. As soon as I opened the door and stepped into the speakeasy vibe I understood my friend's fascination with the place. Even though these tucked away bars are popping up all over the place at the moment, there is still something great about stepping into a place that feels so hidden in a busy city like NY and that can transport you to another time. Upon stepping inside and I also realised that my friend was not late as I previously thought and was waiting for me looking and laughing at my hopeless inability to open a door at the end of a dark corridor. The cocktails here are great, and you can also get nibbles downstairs. There is a bit of dancing, however for me this bar is all about just pulling a stool up to the bar, dressed in a trench coat and fedora and drinking a great whisky and chatting the night away whilst feeling like you are in a 1930's movie.

Since i am a native dane like The very Star Chef himself ,Mads Refslund at ACME, i will of course be delighted to review this wonderful restaurant and open the eyes of Americans , to Scandinavian food for thought, i have learned by now that Americans have a thing for Scandinavian . By now, you know that Mads Refslund, co-founder of the world famous restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, is at the helm of this very chic NoHo bistro. His Nordic style of cooking along with the hip bar and basement, has attracted everyone from A-list celebrities and foodies to hipsters and locals to ACME ever since the opening, and reservations are hard to come by. Even if much of the press behind the restaurant has been about Mads’ involvement in the startup of Noma, this review won’t mention the “World’s Best Restaurant” again. Because Mads Refslund has much more to offer than just a good story. And even if ACME is much more of a bistro than he has ever worked at before, anyone who sits down at one of the tables at this restaurant will reap the benefits of being in the hands of one of the most talented chefs in the world. The food at ACME is not Nordic. It is local. But there is evidence of Mads’ geographic and cultural background in almost every dish. Anyone who has ever been to the Nordic region will taste hints of the archipelago, of the fields, the mountains and coasts of the North throughout the meal. And the combinations are gutsy, sometimes even provocative. There are no obvious crowd pleasing bistro dishes served at ACME, and while some might be put off by the lack of burgers, steak frites and crème brûlées here – this food writer applauds a chef with the integrity to stick to his style of cooking no matter what. And luckily for ACME, they have such a chef in Mads Refslund. He might just have created 2013 most interesting bistro menu. His sweet shrimp and bison tartare, served with bitter lettuce and green almonds looks great and tastes of wilderness and open plains. The foie gras with raw langoustine and white walnuts is a take on one of chef Refslund’s signature dishes, and it never fails to surprise. The farmer’s eggs, whipped with cauliflower and parmiggiano, are fun, and a wonder of creaminess. The salmon confit, served in a jar with shaved fennel, is a successful Nordic take on ceviche. Heirloom tomatoes, served with marinated water melon and seasonal herbs, are sensational in all their simplicity. Throughout, the dishes impress with unexpected combinations that usually work perfectly. It is certainly not fine dining, and it doesn’t have those ambitions – but it is both creative, fun and delicious.

The biggest disappointment about Acme was the hostess. My party arrived on time for our reservation, and yet we still waited about 2 hours to be seated. It was ridiculous, but we were in good spirits and passed some time in the underground lounge. We had to order quickly since the kitchen was taking last call by the time we were seated. We ended up with some great selections, which goes to show that just about everything on the menu is tasty. I can't say anything was extraordinary or memorable, but definitely delicious and well executed. We were the last diners that night and didn't feel pressured to pick up and leave. I'd recommend you try it, but don't let that hostess push you aside.

I went right after they reopened and redid the old Acme. My partner in crime and I were trying to settle on a place between our neighborhoods: east and west village. We settled on ACME originally to just get cocktails before choosing a dinner place, but after we got there and saw what patrons were ordering, we wanted more than just a bar stool. After waiting about an hour, they finally sat us at a table and it was totally worth the wait. My friend sampled more of the cocktails than I did. I stuck to one which I cannot recall the name at the moment, but it had brown sugar and tequila in it, so I was a happy girl. Acme has two levels: the bar downstairs, which is actually a ton of fun to hang out in at night and the upstairs for dining. it is a good space for maybe a creative, holiday office party or a late20s-early30s birthday party. The menu for dinner is intriguing. They have such random combinations, but somehow it works. We split a bunch of different things among which we tried celery soup and goose with lobster. If the food items are not your thing, definitely come here for the downstairs bar. Try a Wednesday around midnight. You'll be very pleased to find some of the interesting characters lurking in the murky, speakeasy-feel light downstairs.

My roommate and I went for brunch this summer and it was absolutely amazing. ACME is in a great location and has truly interesting food. We absolutely adored everything we ordered and it definitely cured our hangovers... The benedict and arctic char were definitely our favorite dishes! Enjoy!