Bell Book and Candle

For people into the organic food movement, I found your new favorite restaurant: Bell Book and Candle.  NYC has been battered by an early winter but I can promise you that everything about Bell Book and Candle will warm you up.  This West Village spot has a garden on its roof to grow many of its ingredients.  Bell Book and Candle's menu is high end comfort food and each dish we ordered was perfectly executed. 

One of the things I liked the most about the Bell Book and Candle was each staff member's refreshingly friendly attitude.  We showed up a bit late, "no problem", our party size changed, "no problem".  Each staff member (the hostess, server and busboy) was welcoming and engaging, which is somewhat rare in the West Village.  The entire meal was leisurely paced and after we paid our bill, the staff allowed us to linger at our table until we decided it was time to call it a night. 

The patrons in the bar area loudly clamor for the mixologist's attention because Bell Book and Candle features a fun cocktail menu.  That, and the restaurant is located in the basement and suffers from low ceilings. But what Bell Book and Candle lacks in height it more than makes up for in charm, food quality and service.

This is now one of my top 3 favorites in the West Village. I recommend securing a reservation to avoid feeling cramped in the bar area.

What to Eat:

Start with the House-Made Burrata.  Burrata (thankfully) has become more common on NYC menus.  Bell Book and Candle's burrata, however, is exceptional.  The creamy, gooey center of the large burrata "ball" happily explodes when cut in two halves and is surrounded by ripe, blistered tomatoes grown on the roof and picked earlier in the day.  Bell Book and Candle's burratta appetizer rivals any top NYC Italian restaurant's burrata.

For an entree, go with the Striped Bass.  The pan seared bass is placed on a bed of pureed sweet potato, mixed with carrots and peas.  Our server kindly swapped out the spinach for hericot verts which created a "raft" for the bass.  Despite numerous ingredients and spices on the plate, they all complemented each other.  The bass was a nice, lighter compliment to the heavier burrata appetizer (but if you want something heavier, try the short ribs).

Organic, locavore or neither and just in need of great eats?  Check out Bell Book and Candle for a date or a night out with friends,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: if you are a party of 5 or less, ask for the semi-private room behind the bar.  There is a window so you can peer into the bar (and get the bartender's attention when you need it).  Despite being tucked away, the server (Bell Book and Candle's bartender) and the busboy stopped by frequently to check on us.  Also, because the room is somewhat sectioned off, it is a bit quieter than the rest of the restaurant.