New York - March 07, 2008

Go East

Broadway East Opens

Manhattan’s greener pastures, it turns out, lie east.

Broadway East.

The emerging hood-with-no-name south of Chinatown (SoChi?) is home to Broadway East, a stunning mostly vegetarian restaurant opening today.

Let’s talk food. Lots of Japanese ingredients, smoked shallot and hijiki puree, mushroom paté, and a veggie burger so good the construction guys asked for seconds. A touch of chicken and fish on the menu makes everyone feel welcome, but the focus is low-food-chain sustainability.

Let’s talk design. A near obscene use of space: high ceilings, room between tables, and a vertical garden the likes of which we’ve see in Paris but never here. Beautiful mahogany, walnut, and recycled redwood. Cafe in front (breakfast and lunch coming soon). A sky-lit, downstairs bar accessible through the dining room or a separate front entrance and mischief-inspiring hallway.

Let’s talk history. The building used to house a bottle factory and a Jewish vegetarian resto (coincidence!).

Let’s talk future. These are lovely new roots.

Broadway East, 171 East Broadway, between Jefferson and Rutgers Streets (212-228-3100).