403 East 12th St. (corner of 1st Ave.) 646-602-1300 www.restauranthearth.com
American. I’ve passed by many times wondering how they chose their name. Then I dined there. The decor, the service and, above all, the food, evoke a feeling of home in the best possible sense. Cherished guest from start to finish, you can revel in the likes of marinated calamari salad with sprouted grains, cippolini onions, pickled carrot and cilantro.
Or perhaps their pesto-crusted striped bass, prepared with little neck clams, calabrian chili, pine nuts and squid ink gnocchi. It is clear from the marriage of ingredients how much thought is put into every fresh and innovative creation. The effect is simplicity. Even the ice cream, a trio of pistachio, strawberry swirl and mint chocolate chip is so ridiculously delicious, you would swear it was churned just minutes ago. Nourishing and nurturing. Not easy to explain. But once you’ve been, you’ll know.