Ze Cafe
Ze Café is an unassuming restaurant in New York City, and if you didn’t know it was there, you would literally walk right by it.
They have no sign.
For a restaurant that has no sign, it was extremely packed the evening I visited. They say it is packed every night. I was having dinner with Amy and her sister Lisa, both of whom I adore. They selected the dining spot, and when I visited the website I knew I would not be disappointed. Also, it amazed me when I saw their interior design, cozy feeling, and great ambiance; it’s really worth it to stay there. Seeing their aquascaped tank made me feel relaxed while eating a sumptuous dinner. This is highly recommended; it’s a must to visit the place.
Ze Café has a rustic aesthetic with a modern feel. To me it felt like an indoor garden where we all happened to sit and relax. Our server gave us ample time to make our selections, and the chef was great at accommodating our requests.
The food…
Oh, the food!
The meal was incredible and carefully prepared. Ze Café has its own garden and farm in upstate NY, and my meal was so fresh you would assume it was picked from the garden that morning.
We were all twins and started with a simple salad. It came with edible flowers that made the dish a part of the garden. I only ate one little piece of the flower, and it had incredible flavor. It is really hard to explain what an edible flower tastes like- you must go there to see for yourself.
For dinner we all went with the half portions of gnocchi. The gnocchi was served with lump crab meat, corn, and tomatoes. It was summer heaven in a bowl, and the gnocchi (pronounced NYOH-key, by the way) were little pillows so soft and delicate I wanted to sleep in them. They soaked up all of the summery flavors of the dish, and I savored every doughy bite.
We couldn’t stop there.
I really had no room for dessert, but I really wanted to try one of their famous pies. After a bit of discussion- we are all passionate foodies, after all- we went with the peach pie a la mode.
I imagine it tasted like what hot summer days in the South feel like.
The pie was everything you could want in a peach pie… and then one step further. It was as classic as classic can be, which, in my opinion, is the only way a pie should be.
I almost didn’t want to share my experience with you, for fear that I won’t be able to get in next time I visit New York. Especially since it was so busy in the middle of the week. I just loved it too much not to share. I love these girls too.
For other restaurant reviews see my review page!
Ze Café
East 52 Street, just off First Ave
New York, New York
http://www.zecafe.com
Oooh, that peach pie looks delicious:)
That peach pie looks really good! Wish I knew of this place last week when I was in NYC! I’ll try it next time!
What a great NYC restaurant. Sometimes, the place is so good, it doesn’t need a sign. 😉
well maybe i’ll get someone to take me to that restaurant sometime soon 😉
sabrina you look lovely in that photo!
also saw your post about the congress plaza. they have such a great lobby but i imagine the rest of the hotel is pretty hard up- there was a strike there for so long . (maybe still?) in chicago i’m a fan of the executive floors of the Palmer House Hilton. I just love loitering in their lobby, too 🙂
Perfect meal. How amazing is gnocchi? so so good! And that pie looks absolutely gorgeous. Love the perfect ball of deliciousness on top too.
Little off the path places like that often have such amazing food. Looks like a great meal.
I have not had good gnocci in a very long time. I think I need and Italian night. 🙂
that gnocchi looks like heaven…seriously, good gnocchi is hard to find! and that bowl looks perfect 🙂
Everything looks delicious, I really need to visit New York City.
What a beautiful meal. I love when each detail is absolutely attended to. Everything looks absolutely delicious.
This place sounds awesome- especially the gnocchi! I’m adding it to my list of restaurants to try in NYC. There are so many amazing places to eat there!!
Perfect write-up! Please come again soon to discover another hidden gem and chat the night away!
Re cabs: It’s not bad luck it’s a trick they pull to get you to pay cash. Hold your ground and say you dont have any and do not want to be driven to an atm. Remind them that is the law that you have a right to use a credit card and somehow the machine “magically” starts working.
This goes for any city really but it’s very bad in Chicago.
@Erica Dagley, I will do that next time. In the first cab I waited for 15 minutes while he tinkered, and finally I was so disgusted I paid with cash and left. I should have done what you said to do!!
I love best-kept-secret type restaurants! Sounds like fabulous company and a delicious meal!