531 Hudson Street (between West 10th and Charles Sts.) 212-255-7675 www.swinenyc.com
American. What do potato chip nachos, seared lamb chops, grilled cheese toast with tomato soup, and pinball have in common? They can all be yours at Swine, along with a night you will not soon forget. Yeah, it looks and feels like a joint (comfortable darkness, filament lighting, retro tunes), but every single bite will tell you different. The nachos (five cheese fondue, jalapeño, pork belly) are a nice twist on the conventional and their grilled cheese (four year vintage cheddar, American, brioche) one of the most satisfying I have ever tasted. To not dip it in the tomato soup would be completely criminal. I lucked out with the lamb chops special, thick and delicious as the day is long, the accompanying demi glaze carrots and quinoa only adding to my devotion. The evening ended on molten chocolate cake with salted caramel ice cream, as perfectly prepared as all that had come before it. You don’t need tats or a hog to be happy at Swine, just incredibly high expectations.