New York Magazine

RATED #25 IN NEW YORK MAGAZINE'S JULY 2006 "THE 101 BEST CHEAP EATS":

This perpetually under-the-radar Village sleeper is a civilized oasis in the boozy Bleecker–West 4th corridor. The cooking is seasonal American, which these days can mean almost anything, but here translates to sturdy wheels of fried green tomatoes with a thick, tangy Green Goddess dressing, crisp-skinned roast chicken on a bed of buttery spaetzle, and perhaps New York’s most fiendish snack: almond-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, coated in some presumably controlled substance, and baked to a crisp.

RATED #1 IN NEW YORK MAGAZINE'S JULY 2006 "TOP 5 BRUNCH SPOTS ":

There’s much to love about Charleen Badman’s seasonal comfort-food menu, not least the signature matzo brei owner Anne Rosenzweig brought downtown with her from Lobster Club.

...MORE NEW YORK MAGAZINE:

"Charleen Badman used to cook at the Lobster Club, but she always wanted her own place. Now, with the help of Anne Rosenzweig, her former boss and current partner, she's got one. Badman's style of cooking is influenced by her working vacations in places like Italy, where she learned to make ravioli, and Chez Panisse, where she immersed herself in the sort of hyper-seasonal cooking she's brought to this casually elegant dining room, with nothing breaking the $20 barrier. There's a small, appealing wine list, weekend brunch, and for inveterate nibblers unwilling to commit to a full meal, a bar menu offering mussels and Welsh rabbit (providing the gratis papadums and fried plantains won't hold you over)."

 

The New Yorker

". . . an ideal neighborhood spot for people who love to eat but don't feel like a trip to the Flatiron district - where ambitious chefs knock your socks off for a price."

" . . . food is decidedly fresh. Rosenzweig and her co-owner and chef, Charleen Badman, specialize in green market driven cuisine, so the focus is on seasonal ingredients - put together in a way that lets them assert their most vibrant qualities."

- Emily Nunn

 

The New York Observer

"A cursed west village space is finally blessed by Inside."

" The food, summed up as post-modern home cooking is exactly what people seem to be in the mood for these days . . . Ms. Badman comes up with unusual combinations that are spot-on."

 

Food & Wine

"Taking advantage of the best seasonal ingredients, Anne Rosenzweig and Charleen Badman change the menu weekly at their friendly west village restaurant."

 

The Rough Guide to NYC Restaurants

"The value is astonishing . . . the garlic fries must sit at the table whether or not they fit with your entrees."

- Daniel Young