New York City's Anisette Brings French Provencal Cuisine To The East Side
This newly opened eatery will fill your longing for rustic French fare and regional wines.
If you want a charming and delicious dining experience, look no further than Anisette, a "country fresh" wine bar, café, and bistro that features innovative French Provencal cuisine.
Located on the corner of Third Avenue and East 19th Street, this lovely spot stands out against the bustling New York City backdrop thanks to its bright blue patio awnings, rustic décor, creamy white accents, and dainty hanging flower pots that adorn the restaurant.
The owners of La Follia, the sister restaurant to Anisette that will reopen soon, have put together a diverse menu with offerings that include small plates, salads, and market vegetables; charcuterie and fromage boards; as well as rich pastas and heavier entrées. I started my meal with a flakey, buttery, and warm goat cheese tart filled with zucchini tomato and caramelized onion; tuna tartare with fennel, citrus, and avocado; and a creamy, indulgent truffled burrata.
We also received a steamy pot of fresh PEI mussels bathing in a flavorful saffron-tomato broth and a side of herbed French fries. Excellent.
Though the menus includes entrées such as duck leg with lamb sausage, mushroom, and lentils; steak au poivre, a dry-aged shell steak with spinach and potato purée; and short ribs with summer vegetables, we opted for the carbo-loaded pasta dishes.
I devoured the meaty, decadent pappardelle with lamb ragù, artichokes, and Parmesan, and ate a hefty portion of my friend's mushroom and ricotta agnolotti, which came covered in a fabulous, slightly sweet, brown butter and sage sauce.
The wine list, curated by chef, owner, and sommelier Suzanne Letulle Riva, is stacked with regional French wines and refreshing rosés. We paired our courses with rosés that complemented the warm weather and French cuisine.
"The menu is inspired by the many bistros and homes where I have savored some of the most deliciously prepared and beautifully presented dishes," Riva says. "When people ask me about the menu I tell them... Think olive oil, herbs de Provence, shellfish, saffron, ratatouille, and a great steak au poivre, and there you have my Anisette."
The restaurant serves dinner seven days a week, 5 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Next month, the restaurant will begin serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week.