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An approximation of sticky-toffee pudding is available at this gastropublike establishment. You can procure a tepid, not very crispy rendition of a crispy pig’s trotter, too, plus a tough Berkshire-pork chop that requires a hacksaw to disassemble, and a grizzly Quebecois specialty called poutine, which consists of melted cheese and gravy (also pork belly, if you like, or braised beef) dribbled over little mountains of greasy French fries. These grim delicacies are not enlivened any by the restaurant’s location, which is smack in the middle of meatpacking-district hell. On our first visit, my guests and I showed up a few minutes late, on a Friday night, to find that our table had been given away, even though the telephone reservationist had aggressively demanded my credit-card number in order to keep it. We wound up seated by the freezing doorway, in a zone attended only sporadically by waiters and busboys, amid a crowd of random poseurs, all yammering at the bar.

The theme of this particular gastropub seems to be the Canadian outdoors—there’s a maple-leaf crest on the menu, and lots of rustic camp-scene paintings affixed to the walls. As with many establishments in the meatpacking district, the quality of the food tends to vary with the level of hysteria in the room. On that first chaotic evening, my helping of pan-fried cod appeared to have been boiled instead of fried, and the “Guinness braised” beef was sludgy brown and devoid of all beefiness. On another, more placid night, the Idaho trout seemed fresh enough (it’s elegantly smothered in a rich smoked-trout velouté), and the crisp organic chicken tasted nicely of lemons. The roster of fresh salads (one with strips of salmon confit, and another with chicory, apple, and beets tossed with walnuts) provide some relief from this parade of inconsistent grub, although nothing can help you when the poutines hit the table. Your best bet for dessert? The sticky-toffee pudding, of course. — Adam Platt

Reservations

Reservations are taken for same-day only.

Ideal Meal

Chicory salad with apple and beets, roast chicken, sticky-toffee pudding.

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