A.O.C. Bedford, West Village gem

The nightly New York question -- Where do we eat tonight? -- took on new urgency and some complications. A great couple we'd met in Turkey were in town from Melbourne (not Florida, Australia) and we wanted to take them someplace good but unhackneyed.  We thought about the Lower East Side, but there was a taxi strike and the thieving drivers who had broken the strike were charging $15 a person to go down there.  We needed to find a place pretty close to a subway stop.  Anyway, much as we love the restaurants in the LES, most of them are Italian or Italian-ish and Ken said, "I'm so tired of Italian food.  And I can't go back to Barbone yet." 

I suggested some other faves.  Nope.  All Italian.

He got on the phone and asked for advice from a friend who takes her clients to excellent restaurants that are off the beaten path (i.e., not your typical, overpriced, underdelivering expense-account joints).  She recommended A.O.C. Bedford. (By the way, their web site is not operational.)  Good location -- not too far from the E train.  And David and Florence got to walk through the old heart of the beat/gay/now yuppifying west Village.

Ken made a reservation there even though Koeppel and Julie had been there some time ago and found it to be a confused madhouse.  Of course, they went right after a favorable review in the Times, which anyone with any sense --sorry, kids -- would know to avoid till the dust had settled.

Well, the dust has settled, and the dinner was marvelous.

Not only was the food marvelous, so was the service from the lovely Polish waitress and the attentive owner/sommelier. 

The restaurant's name is based on the idea of "appellation d'origine controlee" food and wine of top quality from France, Spain and Italy.  The philosophy of excellent ingredients = excellent results certainly proved a sound one for us.  I ordered a stunningly unusual and savory Octopus In "Carpaccio" extra virgin olive oil, D.O. dry red pepper, A.O.C. fleur de sel ($13).  Both David from Melbourne and I had the Duck Breast with Bosc pear and vanilla potato puree ($26). Ken and Florence shared a huge and rich seafood Paella ($50 for two).  Each dish was outstandingly prepared and presented at the perfect temperature.  Each delivered rich, lasting flavours and interesting textures.

As you can see, the prices weren't cheap.  We did economize a bit by bringing two bottles of our own wine.  Our white was a Fondo Antico Grillo Parlante, a versatile Sicilian white that I've written about a couple of times.  The red was a 2003 Vito Arturo from Le Fonti -- another personal favorite -- which I am happy to say has settled down and smoothed out from a rough patch 6 months ago.  It paired superbly with the Duck.

 

No, this dinner wasn't cheap.  It wrecked our budget.  The bill amounted to about $70/person even though we brown-bagged the wine.  My consolation: a meal this good in Venice, Paris or London would have cost several times more.

AOC Bedford ($$$$$)                          
            American (New), Spanish, French
            
           14 Bedford St,             New York 10014
           Btwn Downing St & 6 Ave           
                     
                         Phone: 212-414-4764
                         Fax: 212-414-4765

Comments

[fredric koeppel]

Hey, it wasn't THAT soon after the review. Of course I'm glad that you and Ken and friends had a great meal.
Good old Arthur!

[Terry Hughes]

Arturo? It took me a while...to translate!

BTW, Tony Sasa et al will be in the States in January...details to come!

[gabrio]

I go to AOC quite often, on Mondays they don't charge you for cork fee, I love the food and the atmosphere. Although we bring our own wine, they have a well thought and eclectic list and the manager (maybe owner) once suggested a great bottle of rose champagne on the list for more or less $ 50 (I can't believe I don't remember the name of it, sign of the times....
I discover it over a year ago and loved it since.
Buona Bevuta e Mangiata a Tutti

[Terry Hughes]

We didn't even look at the wine list...should have. BTW, it was BYOB on Weds. night too -- we called ahead.

I asked the sommelier to open and decant the red as soon as we got there and when we drank it about 1.5 - 2 hours later, it had opened beautifully.