I need to have patience when I go to the wee French restaurant Tartine. This West Village hot spot doesn't take reservations (or credit cards, FYI), so it operates on a first-come-first-served basis. On nights when people come out in droves, it may be quite some time until you are seated, let alone served.
There is no room inside the restaurant for patrons to wait for a table. They are therefore relegated to the sidewalk where the line extends down West 11th Street and often wraps around to West 4th. On my patient nights, part of the Tartine fun is in the waiting. You make friends with others standing on line, you decide whether or not you'll order what those dining outside are eating, and you catch up with your friend, because hey, that's why you guys came out tonight anyway, right?
On other nights, I'm cranky. No promise of reasonably priced delectable French food nor memories of past positive experiences here is enough to keep me waiting for upwards of half an hour. On those nights, I'm grateful I live in Manhattan where myriad dining options are only steps away (Corner Bistro, Smorgas Chef, Tea & Sympathy, The Spotted Pig, and dell'anima to name but a few. More on those in subsequent posts).
Alright, so on the busy nights (and they're not ALL this busy, by the way), you've waited, and you're told your table is ready. Now what? Well, upon entering, you probably already stubbed your toe on the base of the first table in your path. Excepting the display case of desserts to the right of the doorway, the room is dedicated to tables and seating. Diners sit on wooden chairs, in window sills, and basically in each others' laps. In warmer weather, a string of tables hugs the outer perimeter of the restaurant.
The restaurant's draw is one part food (because yes, the classic French fare - salads, entrees, and pastries included - is prepared well), one part ambiance (because despite the clamor for seats, the atmosphere is pleasantly lively, and the nautical touches lining the walls are charming), and one part BYOB. With no liquor license or corkage fee, every party comes packing with their own. The waitresses deftly remove your plastic bag from the wine store (Manley's Wine & Spirits is located three blocks north on 8th Avenue at Jane Street) and supply the necessary glasses in its place. On one particularly entertaining night, a pair of dudes (and I use the term endearingly for these fratty backward-baseball-cap-wearing types) came equipped not with a bottle of wine but with a case of beer. They plowed through it, stacking the empties on the edge of their table, while they nibbled the quiche du jour, grilled saucisson, salmon with a side of julienned vegetables, and a tarte tatin for dessert. It was incongruous, yet most impressive. Nobody batted an eye.
This restaurant is probably best for small parties - small patient parties with wine and a good attitude. If your children are the screamy, throwy, tantrumy type, it's probably best to leave them home with a babysitter - a patient babysitter with wine and a good attitude.
Tartine - 253 West 11th Street, at the corner of West 4th Street
There is no room inside the restaurant for patrons to wait for a table. They are therefore relegated to the sidewalk where the line extends down West 11th Street and often wraps around to West 4th. On my patient nights, part of the Tartine fun is in the waiting. You make friends with others standing on line, you decide whether or not you'll order what those dining outside are eating, and you catch up with your friend, because hey, that's why you guys came out tonight anyway, right?
On other nights, I'm cranky. No promise of reasonably priced delectable French food nor memories of past positive experiences here is enough to keep me waiting for upwards of half an hour. On those nights, I'm grateful I live in Manhattan where myriad dining options are only steps away (Corner Bistro, Smorgas Chef, Tea & Sympathy, The Spotted Pig, and dell'anima to name but a few. More on those in subsequent posts).
Alright, so on the busy nights (and they're not ALL this busy, by the way), you've waited, and you're told your table is ready. Now what? Well, upon entering, you probably already stubbed your toe on the base of the first table in your path. Excepting the display case of desserts to the right of the doorway, the room is dedicated to tables and seating. Diners sit on wooden chairs, in window sills, and basically in each others' laps. In warmer weather, a string of tables hugs the outer perimeter of the restaurant.
The restaurant's draw is one part food (because yes, the classic French fare - salads, entrees, and pastries included - is prepared well), one part ambiance (because despite the clamor for seats, the atmosphere is pleasantly lively, and the nautical touches lining the walls are charming), and one part BYOB. With no liquor license or corkage fee, every party comes packing with their own. The waitresses deftly remove your plastic bag from the wine store (Manley's Wine & Spirits is located three blocks north on 8th Avenue at Jane Street) and supply the necessary glasses in its place. On one particularly entertaining night, a pair of dudes (and I use the term endearingly for these fratty backward-baseball-cap-wearing types) came equipped not with a bottle of wine but with a case of beer. They plowed through it, stacking the empties on the edge of their table, while they nibbled the quiche du jour, grilled saucisson, salmon with a side of julienned vegetables, and a tarte tatin for dessert. It was incongruous, yet most impressive. Nobody batted an eye.
This restaurant is probably best for small parties - small patient parties with wine and a good attitude. If your children are the screamy, throwy, tantrumy type, it's probably best to leave them home with a babysitter - a patient babysitter with wine and a good attitude.
Tartine - 253 West 11th Street, at the corner of West 4th Street
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