Slightly Oliver NYC Restaurant Review

Slightly Oliver - 511 Amsterdam btw 84th and 85th Streets

OK, so this post is very over due, but I took my best friend here for her birthday in October of 2011.  She always expects something is up so I didn't decide where we were going until 3 hrs before dinner.  At the time, Slightly Oliver was brand spankin' new.  I mean, still Similac-behind-the-ears new.

Act like you know.

I went on Thrillist.com to see what had opened up and this place popped up first, so we rolled (never mind that she was an hour late) through.  The spot was dimly lit, providing an intimate vibe.  Perfect for helping her celebrate her 7th 21st birthday.

I chose the spot because they make ill drinks

We started off with Colorado Lamb Carpaccio, which was OFF THE CHAIN. 

My iPhone notes read as follows:  Made me "mean mug" my best friend and made my best friend pause mid sentence as she was talking about the most important man in her world - her dad.  Carpaccio was amazing.

House made mac and cheese w/ duck confit, truffle bechamel, and garlic bread crumbs

If you've never had bechamel before, you need to be about that life.  Bechamel is over 300 years old, and is such a key element of traditional French cuisine that it actually serves as the base for many other sauces. The white sauce begins with a roux (a mixture of fat (butter, oil) and flour gently cooked together), and then scalded milk is gradually added, until the consistency is smooth and thick.  Sauce is heavenly.  Real talk. 

The mac and cheese was slammin', but the bechamel didn't reach the bottom of the dish.  I'm splitting hairs, really.

Braised short ribs, celery root puree, braised leeks, apple gastrique

To be honest, I don't know what apple gastrique is...but I'm about to Google it....

According to Wikipedia, gastrique is caramelized sugar, deglazed with vinegar, and used as a flavoring for sauces.  Braised short ribs were tender and on point. We devoured like those dogs in Hunger Games.

Wild Boar Ragout, Black Papardelle, Autum Vegetables, Oregano.

Boar might be my favorite type of red meat. I could cut into it with a butter knife.  To give you non-boar eaters a sense, the consistency of the meat was a cross between braised short ribs and oxtail. And you could definitely tell that the papardelle was house made. It had some thickness to it.  By far the illest dish of the evening.

Overall, I give Slightly Oliver an A.  The strength of the menu, the dimly-lit environment, and close quarters make it unpretentious.  It's very chill and you won't be disappointed by anything.  There's also a maitre d that is knowledgeable of food in general (dark-skinned fella).  Go to Slightly Oliver in confidence, and get a little Oliver while you're at it (pause).

-Maven Out!

 A