Prima
58 East 1 St
New York, NY 10003
(646) 559-4823
Official Site
*This venue is now closed.
There are some chefs today that tend to be over indulgent, especially with fish. They tend to utilize too many components in one dish. It’s a damn shame that the savory taste of a beautiful piece of tuna or salmon becomes lost within the purees, sauces, and caviars. Sometimes all it requires is simplicity, in which a small seafood restaurant in the East Village called Prima and its talented chef David Malbequi has perfected.
Chef Malbequi, a veteran of Daniel Boulud and Lourent Tourendel restaurant group, has mastered the art of cooking fish with very little ingredients. Using salt, pepper, and fresh herbs as a compliment, he allows the natural flavor to be the main attraction. His precision and execution are flawless.
The entrées at Prima consist of mainly fish, while the appetizers are divided in cooked and raw plates. For the oyster purist, you will be delighted to know that they offer five kinds of this delicacy.
Entrée’s that I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy at this restaurant are the delightful Red Snapper and Durade. Seasoned and cooked perfectly, the skin sides had a crispy texture while the inside of both fish were soft and moist. After devouring the entrée’s, an aphrodisiac moment kicks in asking myself “how can a simple dish be so delicious?”
The Tempura Hake that was named by Time Out NY as one of the best seafood dishes in New York City 2012 was their rendition to fish and chips. Two pieces of hake made with a special tempura batter that provided a different kind of crunch. The Sea Scallops, the only non-fish entrée in the menu were another simple, but titillating dish. The server suggested squeezing the lemon over the scallops; this bought out the sweetness and enhanced the taste magnificently.
Although there are homemade sauces that are paired with each entrée but I suggest staying away from them and have the dishes as is.
The appetizers are just as good as the entrées starting with the Octopus. Its tender meat with olives and lemon has a wonderful flavor that’s balanced by the feta cheese. Then there is Sardines Rillettes, a Portuguese sardine served in a can with olive oil and bread. Quality canned sardines that the Iberian Peninsula is known for and not your typical ones that are on the shelf at Gristedes.
In one of my visits to Prima, I ordered the Crab Cakes just to do a comparison of those that I’ve had in New York City. This was way better than many of the restaurants here.
Other than the excellent food that comes out the kitchen, Prima also has an outstanding cocktail program by Greg Sieder of The Summit Bar. This is the only restaurant where I bother not to look the wine list and just go with cocktails with my meal.
Each drink creation is well thought out and the numerous mixtures blend well together. There are sweet concoctions like the GP Spritz and The Last Cocktail, as well as potent manly drinks like The Mancini and their own version of Negroni called Lion In London. There are also aromatic and refreshing drinks like The Street .
Situated along East 1st, Prima has a casual neighborhood vibe. It’s a café in the morning where locals get their caffeine fix while working on their laptops. At night, the place morphs into a full service restaurant with a charming atmosphere and always welcoming, unpretentious staff.
This small space is dominated by marble top bar tables that are spaced evenly and paired with steel high chairs that lead to a small bar in the back with a semi open kitchen where the Chef and his crew can be seen hard at work. The exposed brick walls and painted concrete flooring completes the industrial chic interior of the restaurant.
Having visited Prima multiple times in the past few months they have stayed consistent with their food, drinks, and service. Impeccable all across the board is all that I can say.
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