Gato, NoHo
Fun cocktails, good wine, cool vibes, unique
eats and celeb sights AKA all things Gato. Oh, and Bobby Flay. Gato is a restaurant with a lot of hype, and
while a lot of it could be attributed to Bobby, I think it deserves every bit
of it.
I was lucky enough to snag a reservation at Gato a few weeks ago with one of my
best girlfriends. She had actually already been to Gato. She loved it and was
dying to go back and try more of the menu.
I’ll get more into said menu later, but it really is an amazing thing –
extremely diverse, creative, and truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
Let me start with first impressions – Gato has a
downtown, funky, modern, fun, and casual setting. There’s an awesome big bar in
the center of the restaurant which sets the energy for the whole restaurant
(which is a pretty big space). The bar
also serves the whole menu and has great lounge seating so it’s definitely
worth trying this option sans reservation. We were there on a Wednesday around
7:30 and there was still some space at the bar to drink and/or eat.
While we waited for our table we started with a cocktail at the bar. Well, the
first cocktail on the menu, the PACO, is Ketel One Vodka, Blood Orange Juice,
and Cava. This couldn’t have been more
of a shoe-in for me and I LOVED it. It didn’t hurt that Bobby Flay walked right
past me while I sipped on it. Something pretty terrible was going to need to
happen for me to dislike this place.
We were seated after a few minutes. When the server came over, he immediately
recognized my friend. Like I said, she had been to Gato 3 weeks prior, and I thought it was pretty impressive that he remembered her. He was obviously a gem. Our table
location was ideal because we had a direct view into the kitchen so we could watch
Bobby work his magic during our entire meal.
We ordered wine after our cocktails – We asked the sommelier for a
medium-bodied red in the $40/50 range, and he sold us on a $60 2012 Moreson. It
was delish and worth the extra $10. And
to top it off, the sommelier brought over complimentary glasses of champagne to
apologize for the unintentional upsell. Good job with your servers, Bobby.
Now onto the food. The menu is full of
crazy flavors, combinations, and creative dishes, so it’s a good restaurant to
go with a big group to try as many things as possible. There were only 2 of us,
but we were able to cover a good amount of the menu and not end the meal
feeling horrible about ourselves.
We started with the bar plates which are a must order to try lots of flavors.
I loved the 3 we ordered and need to come back and try the entire bar menu. Each
one is the perfect size to split between 2 people. We got:
1. Piquillo filled with Raw Tuna and Saffron Sauce (left) – This had a spicy and roasted kick to it and balanced well with the tuna.
2. Eggplant with Manchego, Oregano, Balsamic (middle) – Melt in your mouth mini Eggplant Parmesan. The Balsamic is tangy and compliments the Manchego perfectly.
3. Beef Crudo with Pickled Fresno Chiles (right) – This tasted like a smooth and spicy salsa with tender beef...So yes, very good.
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| Bar Plates |
Next we ordered 3 appetizers, again with a goal
to try as many different things as possible.
First, we had the Scrambled Egg Appetizer – They’re served with Almond Romesco,
Boucheron Cheese, and Tomato Confit toast.
If you like cheese, order this. It is a glorified cheese dip with some
great toast. It's hard to go wrong with some melted cheese but it did not blow me away.
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| Scrambled Eggs |
Second, we got the Soft Shell Crab Crostini with
Tomato, Basil and Smoked Paprika – I was a big fan of this. I thought it was a unique
way of serving both crab and crostini.
The crab had tons of flavor.
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| Crab Crostini |
Our last appetizer was the Roasted Octopus with
Sour Orange, Bacon, and Oregano. Delicious -- So many flavors and a big chunk
of tender and perfectly charred octopus.
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| Roasted Octopus |
For our main, we split an entrée and a vegetable.
Our entrée was the much raved about Kale and Wild Mushroom Paella with Crispy
Artichokes and Egg. This seems to be
Gato’s signature dish and for good reason. I love anything with some yolk porn
and vegetables. They mix it up for you right at the table. Each bite is a
little different -- creamy, salty, and served over crunchy rice to balance it
all out. Order this.
For our vegetable, we got the Charred Carrots with Parsnips Chips, Harissa,
Mint and Yogurt – I’ve never had carrots like this before. Crispy, sweet, and
the sauce is pretty incredible. The only issue was that they were served next
to the Paella which I couldn't stop eating.
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| Paella and Carrots |
To top the meal off, they gave us some complimentary
Sherry (yum) and excellent biscotti. We
also ordered the Espresso Soaked Bread Budding with Mascrapone crema, and
cocoa. This tasted just like Tiramisu.
It was good but probably not worth ordering (unless you're really into Tiramisu).
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| Espresso Soaked Bread Pudding |
I rarely want to go back to a restaurant as
badly as I want (need) to get back to Gato.
Everything you eat there really just makes you want to try more of the
menu. It’s a great spot for a girls dinner, date night, or special occasion. Also, it’s good for celeb sightings – We saw Chrissy Teigen, too. Bobby knows what he's doing and it doesn't hurt that he's there every night. Our waiter told us he's only missed 2 nights since the restaurant's March opening -- impressive. Gato is a great addition to the
neighborhood – It’s a lively atmosphere, bumping bar scene, excellent service, and
a fun menu.
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| Bobby's Butt ;) |
