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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: East Village1st Ave-14th St (L)
Astor Place (6)
Tue-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"This place was just straight up amazing. Most impressive thing on my plate? Tasmanian Red Crab Risotto. Rich thick risotto with delicious…" read more »
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What do you get when you want to upgrade a dish like chicken and waffles? You get Aloe.
Aloe is an interesting take on food in the East Village. It combines simple, main ingredients with down-to-earth passion and an upgraded flair to get recipes that are tastebud-friendly. I had the duck and waffles dish with lavender maple, and it was surprisingly good. They also provided our party with some amuse-bouches that were a spin on tater tots. It reminded me that I was a grown up who still liked dishes with a childhood flavor.
I just wanted to let everyone know that I went to Aloe last night, during their regular business hours, and it was closed. According to their website, they plan to close April 18th for renovations, but it appears they might have closed prior to that.
Hope this saves somebody else the disappointment/hassle.
I'll update when I find out more.
I have to write a review for Aloe because it concerns me it was empty when I went on a late Fri night, despite the good food, and the chef is Indian, so I gotta support :)
Aloe seems kind of out of place in a neighborhood known for its young residents and cheap eats- entrees are around $20. But the food is good, and the ambience matches the price. The food has a modern twist, and the interior is cute, clean, and homey (dim, woodsy feel).
I started with a butternut squash soup topped with foam, which was very good . I detected an Indian spice (cumin powder maybe?) in it. For my main I had the lasagna, which was good (vegetarian), but at this point I was full from the huge bowl of soup. My dining partner enjoyed his duck salad starter and duck with gingerbread waffles entree (of course I snuck a few bites of the delicious waffles).
Nothing was mindblowing, but everything was solid- large portions, quality food, great service. I'd recommend this if you're looking for a nice, yet laid back place for a large group that's close to the LES bars. It shouldn't be hard to get a reservation, which is always a plus in NY.
p.s. you can buy discounted gift certificates at http://restaurant.com.
After reading up on the great Yelp reviews, I was really excited to try this place out. I came with my bf and our standard double-dater couple; we requested to sit next to each other but not WITH each other so both couples could use our http://restaurant.com gift certs.
Service was okay, not great (maybe because of the gift certs?). We started with the warm duck confit salad and calamari, both were so-so. The duck was a little tough, and the calamari was soggy and over-flavored. I had the crispy duck breast, which people here RAVED about. This was a huge disappointment: dry, the waffle was cold and the antithesis of light 'n fluffy. Porkchop had something I don't remember, but I think it was an appetizer, and the portions were big. The other couple had eaten here before, and it was great, but seemed underwhelmed this time around too. We all skipped dessert.
Great little restaurant. Everything I had was great and perfectly cooked. Even the glass of cote du rhone I had was pretty amazing. The pork loin with somekinda sweet reduction sauce was like eating candy. Meat candy. Delicious. The all star though was the (oh snap!) Duck and Waffles! I got to thinking of other things that might go good with waffles:
1. Baby back ribs
2. Spam
3. Mac & Cheese
4. More waffles!
Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles, you guys are in TROUBLE.
Excellent food, seemingly random and creative selection of offerings. The wine was a little off the beaten path and the calamari was great.
Artisinal cheeses yummy, and even the jam and olives in the dish were excellent.
I had the lasagna and really wasn't expecting to be blown away,, but the taste and texture were a complete surprise.. really great.
And the best part of the whole meal was the molten chocolate cake. Really the perfect tasting dark chocolate melted into a goo ball of perfection. We had the trio of cupcakes too (chocolate, pina colada and grand marnier). I'm not a cupcake fan, but these were a good consistency and I gave them points for creative flavors.
It was also nice to be in a non crowded space, we actually had plenty of space.. it seems like Aloe may not be spoiled by hoards of people discovering how good the food is.
One thing I didn't particularly enjoy was the weird elevator trance music and the cool air that seemed to be blasting on me sporadically throughout the evening.
Anyway, probably some of the best tasting food I've had in NY.
What a find... a best kept secret really!
Aloe is absolutely fantastic. The ambiance is warm and romantic.
The food is delicious. This is a great place for dates and small parties.
Don't take my word for it, go see it for yourself!
Adorable cozy restaurant; enjoy the calamari - the preparation is unique, with complex flavors that will leave you guessing, "what did he put in this?" The dishes are made with care and a conscious fusion of flavors to anchor you and surprise you at the same time. Wine list is good, atmosphere is comfortable and inviting, and the service is excellent. And best of all, you can hear yourself talk! What a concept...
If you're looking for a casual restaurant with excellent cuisine and an ambiance that will welcome a first date as easily as four good friends looking to catch up over great food and wine, visit this place. Oh yeah, and have the duck/waffle.
Aloe is pretty yummy. I met two friends there on a Wednesday night and we were the only ones in there. Their upstairs area is on the street level and has only 3 small tables; I think they mostly seat everyone downstairs in the basement which they have decorated in a very warm, homey style. Bright lights, but homey. It felt a little odd being the only ones there but the waitress was super nice and we were well looked after. We started with the sticky and sweet calamari appetizer, which was lightly battered and fried but some were done a little too crunchy. One of my friends had their soup special, a creamy bisque type seafood soup that was amazing.
What I loved best was the dinner. The night we were there they were offering a phyllo-crusted fish that was awesome! I've only ever had the thin, crunchy slivers of phyllo dough in Mediterranean food so it was nice to see it used creatively for this fish dish. The fish was delicately flavored and came with some yummy, buttery crisp asparagus.
For dessert we had a really nice, creamy vanilla mousse type dessert -- it's been about 3 weeks since I went, sorry! -- that was also done wonderfully.
Overall I found myself satisfied with the meal but I wasn't blown away -- and it was pricier than it should have been. I think the fried calamari alone was like $13 and I've had better and cheaper elsewhere. Plus, the suburban home decor ambience thing they had going just wasn't doing it for me. I'd take my parents here but it's certainly no date spot!
I've been meaning to try Aloe when I saw it featured on Yelp, and finally got a chance to this weekend. As mentioned by the other reviewers, it is a great date spot as the atmosphere is very warm and intimate. The servers were also very friendly and helpful.
For appetizers, the staff recommended the spicy calamari which was excellent and we also got the duck salad. The menu is pretty limited and with a party of four we got to try out the majority of the dishes. We ordered the duck w/ waffles (yes waffles!), pork with dirty rice, beef brisket, and the tuna and they were all excellent. I highly recommend the Aloe Bellini.
To be honest I'd give this place a 4.5. I'm a little more than "Yay I'm a fan." This place is small and intimate. Wonderful place for a date, or if you want to chill out with your friends, talk, and have some delicious creative cuisine. The food itself is good and as I just mentioned a couple words ago creative. It's kind of a Mediterranean fusion, a bit exotic, colorful and refreshing.
Definitely come here. You will not be disappointed. Also a good place to start off the evening if you are planning to stay around East Village/LES
Okay, I'm a bit biased b/c I just had my birthday here yesterday and it went perfectly. Natasha who plays sommelier/waittress/hostess/et al. had our party of 12 downstairs taking over the majority of the restaurant.
We all fell in love with the Aloe Bellini, which is lava-lamp enthrancing. I don't know why no one's thought about it before but this consists of a ball of sorbet and Aloe that slowly floats up a tall flute of prosecco. Every single one of us ended up holding the flute up and watching it as though it was our own personal drinkable lava lamp. And I may never go back to normal bellinis. After the entire table sampled the bellinis, we ordered several bottles of wine (prices very reasonable with the majority below $40) with the selection ranging from the Nicolas Feuillate Brut that at $80 is a steal compared to its retail price to the to Te Karanga Pinot Noir the we had with the short salmon.
We started off with the salad and the calamari served family style. And I knew we were in for a great meal by how delicious the calamari was. The sweet sauce poured over it was a bit too sweet but the calamari is very salt-and-pepper style and hailed as a favorite immediately as people kept going back to the serving plate and heaping more and more spoonfuls of calamari onto their plates. The duck confit over waffle was entree sized and tender on the inside and crispy - dark on the outside. If the meal had stopped right there, i would have been happy already. We had tried the Vittretti Italian red (super tuscan-ish mix of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cab) and the California Chardonnay (which went very well with the food and was served ice cold - perfect for 90+ degree evenings).
For my main, I went with the short rib and it came out basically as a good 10 oz of juicy - fork/ tender chunk of meat. The chef had done all the hard work and had already taken out the bone. To my right, I heard Ellen go into a When Harry Met Sally "OH MY GOD" sigh/groan over the buttery salmon. For our entrees, we went with bottles of the Crozes-Hermitage and the pinot noir. We were DEFINITELY full by now.
Yet, not to be outdone, the apple bread pudding came out on a large platter with two huge scoops of whipped cream and two large sides of ice cream. This was the culmination to a fantastic evening. The bread pudding was perfect. It comes out as a sliced loaf and hints at French Toast meets pudding. Whereas I find most places' bread pudding tends to be a bit too dry, ALOE's isn't shy to claim its relation to the creamy pudding family and I couldn't have asked for anothing more. Oh, wait, my friends bringing out a birthday cake with way too many candles :)
For large parties, there is a prix-fixe menu. For the quality and quantity of food we had, I was amazed by the $35 sticker price. The atmosphere is elegant with lots of dark wood and wine bottles everywhere. The AC kept the room cool and inviting. For our group of 12, we had nine small tables arranged into a 3x3 square that allowed people to talk to each other across the table while also allowing for plenty of intimate neighbory talk to the people around you.
Having never been here before, I didn't know what to expect but even if I'd had expectations they would have been crushed by the actual experience. Big thanks to Natasha for taking care of us, being so flexible and making the evening so memorable. Interestingly enough, the front end of this place is so discreet that several people (including Jim who lives on the NEXT block) passed by it several times without finding it. Having said that, everyone had a great time and I think many of us will be back. Again and again and again :)
This is one of those gems you find and want to simultaneously keep it all to yourself while telling the world of its glory.
I went here a few months ago with my friend and her uncle. I had the basic salad, crispy branzino with lemony potatoes (which ended up being a great infusion), and then the do'boys. All of the food was amazing, and I felt as if I could have just gorged myself on course after course. We were there on a Thursday night, and not one other party was present. The waitress was great without her presence being overbearing. All of the flavor combinations are interesting and just work really well.
Wow, despite it being so highly ranked on yelp, definitely a well hidden gem. Went there at 7:30p on a Tuesday night and we were the only table. There were 3 tables when we left around 9. Was doubting my choice when the hostess said "its a light night, you can choose any table you want."
I loved the ambiance, decor (rothko paintings are my weakness) and lighting.
the thin garlic crackers they serve in place of bread was delicious and the new short rib dumplings appetizer was the perfect pairing of short ribs, mushrooms and blue cheese. The duck was good, not great. Medium rare seems to come out medium.
the scallops were TO DIE FOR. boys and girls, i've never seen scallops this big. these humongous babies were cooked and seasoned PERFECTLY. Sorry Gary Danko, but when it comes to scallops, you're my #2 now.
If chicken and waffles is the mainstay of the late night soul food nosher, then AlOe offers the P Diddy crowd its posh noshing spin on this classic with its crispy duck and maple waffle experience. One bite and this white boy was filled with pure soul, an urge to gorge on bling and breakdance right on the floor. So in the middle of ignoring my date while reveling in the savory flavors of the thick, juicy slices of duck and its subtle salt and spices, I was suddenly overtaken by a perfectly toasted yet moist waffle with lavender maple syrup that's sweetness was offset with a layer of greens and mixing with my warm, smooth Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon, La Flor De Polenta. What? You don't think that combo works?
You've got no soul. None.
I'm not sure why Aloe is one of those places that only gets weekend traffic because the food is great and the ambiance is quite nice. It's the perfect neighborhood restaurant that is worth traveling to. The menu is short but good. Perhaps it is the basement seating, if you walk past you would assume the restaurant is completely empty. Or maybe its the economy - the food is great and the prices are reasonable but a bit high for a regular meal and not quite for the fine dining types. Whatever it is, just be glad it means you dont need reservations.
The food is delicious, the scallops were large, fresh, and cooked to the perfect texture. The duck was moist and flavorful, the only drawback were the soggy waffles that added nothing to the dish. And the short rib 'dumplings' appetizer was tasty although the short rib could have been just a little more tender.
The service is extremely friendly and attentive but at one point we were the only ones there so I'm not sure what its like when busy.
My boyfriend and I came here for dinner on Friday night. We were greeted, seated, and served by the chef/owner, who was very welcoming. The meal started out a little odd - he didn't have the first 2 bottles of wines we ordered, so we were stuck with our 3rd choice. Then, my boyfriend ordered the monkfish which came with a side of white beans, and was informed they were out of the beans. It just was a little odd considering beans and wine seem like 2 things you can easily keep stocked!
Although the evening didn't start out well, the food that we ordered came out piping hot and delicious. My favorite part of the meal was the duck confit salad. We both ordered fish for our second course.
Overall, we both enjoyed the meal, and really liked the cozy setting and good background music.
Aloe was delicious! I should also preface this review by saying that it's a great date place (there were only three tables in the restaurant). Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman walked in while we were there, which was an extra plus.
I had the Aloe Bellini, which was a real treat, it was cirtusy and different. Then for dinner I had the Red Snapper, which was in a sour cherry type sauce with some greens and rice. VERY GOOD. My boyfriend had the hanger steak, which was in a delicious sauce, he was literally ready to lick the plate!
The desert was a homemade cheesecake with caramel pretzels...such an interesting combo, but it all worked together nicely. Highly recommend this place for intimate gatherings and birthday dinners!
Had a nice quiet meal at Aloe. Intimate setting. The menu selection was limited but everything looked good. We enjoyed the cheese plate as app. Friend enjoyed her vegetarian dish and I liked my short ribs, very tender. Service was a little too laid-back even after we told them that we had a show to catch. Not sure if it's worth a second visit.
Aloe is too good of a restaurant to not be experienced by hungry New Yorkers!
I chose Aloe for my birthday treat extravaganza by the sissy because it was off the beaten path and practically everything on the menu seemed like a winner.
We settled on two appetizers (the calamari and mussel pot pie) and one main course to share (duck and gingerbread waffles!). The calamari and duck are the signature dishes of Aloe and are a definite must! One common theme about the food at Aloe is that while it may be one thing, it may look like another, and taste like something other. The calamari reminded me of onion rings but overall it was the best calamari I have ever tasted. Light, crispy, not chewy, flavorful, etc. The sweet and sour sauce on it was not drenching and it had just the right amount of heat - just a hint. The calamari was not greasy and we killed it in a matter of minutes. As for the duck, we had our choice of how we wanted it cooked and we chose medium. The duck was very tender and juicy. There was minimal fat on the duck and the skin was crispy. Sliced to perfection, the duck was a substantial serving good enough for two. Best duck I've ever had. It kind of reminded me of roasted pork loin (but not dry) and roast beef but instead it was duck. So much better! The brussels sprouts on the side were funny. They looked like onions or baby potatoes but they tasted like tiny cabbages. And the gingerbread waffle? Oh baby its like brunch, the holidays, and dessert on your plate! It had just the right amount of lavender maple syrup, was perfectly crispy, and was full of flavor. It was an excellent compliment to the duck. And to all of you who like that waffle and dinges crap mobile, this waffle is so much better. I would gladly chomp on this waffle walking down the sidewalk any day.
The mussel pot pie was good but somewhat mediocre in comparison to the two signature dishes. The gravy and vegetable mix (perfectly diced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes) were yummy but the puff pastry shell was a small copout. Chef Amit Kale could have whipped together his own pastry crust.
For dessert we chose the banana pudding, as recommended by Chef Kale. It was amazing! Served in a giant spoon rest, the banana pudding had whole slices of banana hugged by crushed Nilla wafers. It was blanketed by whipped cream, dusted with powdered sugar, and drizzled with caramel. This dessert would beat out chocolate in any contest.
The food at Aloe is excellent. The ingredients are fresh, the food is packed with flavor, and the presentation is simple and well thought out. There are no bells and whistles here. The food stands on it's own.
When we got our bill, Chef Kale said he included some of his business cards in the folder. I didn't quite get it and almost blurted out, "Oh are you a private chef?" But it was just his way of passing out the cards instead of in a caddy by the door. Chef Kale was a one man show that night. No host, hostess, waiter, or water boy. He did everything himself from greeting guests to setting tables and pouring water. A sous chef was hiding discreetly in the kitchen. I wouldn't have known he was even there but when there are only four people in the restaurant, all voices were heard, regardless of the fade in fade out very loud trance music. Service was slow but then again you couldn't expect the check so soon while the chef was in the kitchen. He could have been cooking and you wouldn't want him to burn someone else's dinner now, would you?
We booked for Friday night 8pm, no problem, the place was quiet and the waitress was very friendly.
I was recommended a nice Oz wine, similar to a bordeaux ($45) it was exactly what i wanted, perfect.
We were recommended the following so being the first visit we rolled with it.
Apps.
Calamari - excellent, served with a sweet spicy sauce
Bacon with greens - wonderful thick cut bacon, delicately flavored
Scallops - Best I have tasted in years on a bed of squash puree
Entrees
Slow-Braised Short Rib $25~
Buttery Fingerling Potatoes, Lemon-Thyme Mushrooms - excellent, soft as silk
Crispy Duck Breast $27~
Gingerbread Waffle, Brussels Sprouts & Maple Sage
Pudding!
Warm Apple Whiskey Bread Pudding - excellent, very soft and light
Desert wine
Domaine De La Casa Blanca, Banyuls, 2005, Languedoc, France $12 gls
Total $204 with tip.
I love this place, if you are looking for Allen & Delancy and cannot get in, or have tried it and want something as good try this place.
The chef worked under Emeril, if you've ever been to one of his places you know how well he trains his crew.
Overrated. I didn't have a bad time but I just wasn't impressed by the food nor the service. The service was slow and clumsy. The food overall somehow lacked character and was not particularly memorable.
For appetizers, we tried the calamari, the duck confit salad and the mussel pot pie special. The pot pie was the tastiest with sweet and fresh little mussels; although, the square of puff pastry it came with was way too hard.
For entrees, we tried the hangar steak, duck with waffles and branzino. The hanger steak was the tastiest - it was very nicely charred and flavorful. the duck breast dish had a lot of meat but wasn't that amazing, nor were the waffles.
For dessert, they had just 3, chocolate ice box, banana pudding and pumpkin cheesecake. Not bad-tasting but not impressed at all.
Overall, it is a nice cozy space and a warm restaurant. I think they are trying in terms of service and food but now that I've been once, I wouldn't go back.
A group of 8 girls went here for a birthday party. The food was excellent - I ordered the warm duck confit salad, and we all shared the chocolate do' boys for dessert. I also had the Aloe Bellini - which was good as well!
Service was excellent - half of the group showed up nearly 20 minutes late, but they still seated those of us who did show up on time, which was thoughtful (some NYC restaurants do not do this!)
We went in the summer, and we were seated in the basement - it was FREEEEEZING downstairs! They must have had the A/C on full blast. Brrr...make sure you bring a shawl or light jacket!
I saw some people at Aloe on dates as well, so clearly it works for both big groups and couples.
Decided to eat here on a Friday night based on the spectacular yelp reviews, and I have mixed reviews.
My girlfriend and I ordered the duck confit salad and the calamari as appetizers, and we were fairly impressed with both. She absolutely loved the calamari (I thought it was pretty good, but maybe not the best I've ever had). I liked the duck salad, but it didn't blow my mind. I was confused by the duck being under the greens -- by the time I got to it, I had eaten most of the goat cheese and I feel like that made the salad lose some of its effect. I don't think it made the salad bad, but I just found it odd and arbitrary. 3.5 stars for the duck salad; 4 stars for the calamari.
For entrees, she had the branzino and I had the duck with the savory waffle. The duck was out of this world -- I loved the crispiness and saltiness of the skin and the meat was cooked perfectly. And I adore savory waffles -- it's a fairly unusual application and it's nice to see it once in awhile. This one was beautifully executed: the right thickness, the right texture and the right flavor, with a sweet maple sauce that added a butteriness to the duck and the waffle. My only complaint is that the greens tasted a bit "off" - maybe they had been wilted too long, or were not fresh, I don't know. 4 stars.
My girlfriend did not like the branzino at all. She didn't realize the skin would be so fishy-tasting, so she couldn't eat the skin at all (which is a large part of the dish). She found the fish to be bland and tasteless. I disagreed -- I thought the fish was cooked perfectly and tasted great with the crunchy skin. However, I agreed with my girlfriend's impression that the olives and artichokes didn't seem to go with the dish -- they seemed random and arbitrary, the olives overpowered the flavor of the fish, and there was no sauce/puree/other element to tie the dish together. 3.5 stars.
For dessert, we had the dough-boys. They were tasty, but again not terribly creative -- basically they were nutella beignets. We thought the buttermilk ice cream was a nice touch -- for us, that was the highlight of the dish -- though it was diminished somewhat by the use of what tasted like Hershey's chocolate sauce...we would hope for a homemade chocolate ganache instead. 3.5 stars.
The restaurant gets props for having a nice wine list, and the service was fine. It was good food at reasonable prices, but all in all it didn't leave a huge impression on me. If I were nearby and wanted some good food, I'd come back, but I don't think I'd make it a destination (unless I had a craving for that awesome duck!).
Very small and cute resetaurant. The waitress was great and very accomodating even though our fifth was extremely late.
For appetizers I shared the calamari and sweetbreads with 2 other friends. I've tried sweetbreads once before and didn't like the texture at all, but this time it was much different. It tasted much more meaty and less...thymus gland-ish. I liked it better this time around =)
Also on the same plate of the sweetbreads is crispy duck skin with a slice of mango underneath. I thought it sounded a bit weird, but IT TASTED DIVINE! Maybe mainly because I have this obsession with bacon and bacon-like things. The duck skin was so perfectly crispy and it was just PPPEEERRFEECTTT coupled with some refreshing mango. This appetizer wasn't on the menu, but our waitress mentioned it to us. I definitely recommend this to everyone.
The calamari was pretty good, though I was surprised by the slight sweet & sour taste.
For entree I had the black grouper. The grouper was pretty good, but I didn't care much for the orzo/fava bean things that came with it. I guess this is where I took one star off.
I definitely want to come back to this place though. Overall it was an excellent meal, and I had to struggle between giving it 4 stars or 5.
I went a while ago but I think i can still remember what it was like. I went there for a early dinner and there was no wait the upstairs is small and narrow but then there have a rather dcent downstairs area. The place was nicely decorated not super chic or anything just fairly simple and pleasant. The place was clean and service was attentive (maybe because there weren't that many other customers).
Now for the food. I got the duck with the waffles and the maple syrup. Yes sounds pretty wild but it worked very well. The meat was good and the waffles to be honest were similar to the eggo waffles but it was good anyway. The duck was very good not super awesome but solid and good. My friend got this pasta dish (i forget the name) it was alright, it was some kind of tomato based sauce with lots of different herbs.
The place is good and I plan on making many repeat visits.
Duck breast and gingerbread waffles AND roasted brussel sprouts?! Sign me up! I made a large reservation at Aloe for my birthday based on Yelp reviews and went once beforehand just to make sure it was as good as y'all said it was. It is! A word of caution, however - some of the appetizers, such as the calamari, are huge. Two friends and I split one portion and I still felt like I ate a pound of squid. It is good, but I felt a bit woozy afterwards. Not to worry, the duck waffle combo kicked out any lingering calamari batter sweetness and I can still remember the tangy touch of molasses in the waffle. I had no room for dessert that time but didn't make the same mistake the next.
Although my birthday party was quite large for a restaurant of this size, Chef Amit graciously let us all order a la carte instead of making us all eat prix fixe. This meant that the food took quite awhile but considering the size of the kitchen vs the number of guests (it was a full house that night, which I'm guessing is around 45 covers), it was pretty amazing that he got 17 plates out for one party in two batches 20 minutes apart. Recommended dishes: braised short rib, duck waffle, seared scallop appetizer and banana and coconut streudel.
The wine list definitely adheres to the "a little bit of everything" theme. Although there were no faults with the Pinot Blanc bottle we ordered, I didn't like it and asked if it was possible to order a different bottle, especially since we were ordering two of every bottle. They said no problem. This, the food, and Chef Amit's masterful multi-tasking earn Aloe a well-deserved five stars.
This place has huge potential and might even warrant a 5 if the food was up to snuff.
The good: Great ambiance, good wine selection, warm service.
The bad: mediocre food, high price point.
This place feels so right yet was so off. It reminded me of The Little Owl in that it felt like a nice, small neighborhood restaurant. Too bad it served average food.
The oysters app came with a watered down cocktail sauce and a celery/cucumber "relish" that added little to the dish. Maybe the relish was there for texture but in terms of flavor, it did very little.
My main was the lavender maple duck. It was cooked nicely to a medium rare but lacked depth from an under-crisped skin. The waffles was a good idea flavor wise but lacked practicality since the waffles became soggy after 2 min. The biggest offense of that night was the boiled brussel sprouts. Boiled brussel sprouts are the reason why people never liked brussel sprouts in the first place. It adds nothing to these delicious vegetables other then bring out the bitterness. It would have been infinitely better if they were pan roasted to add color and flavor, or fried to add crunch. Anything but boiled.
For serving such mediocre food, I can't justify paying these prices. At The Little Owl, hell yes, here, not so much.
I would like to go back and try more dishes since I loved everything else but the food.
This place is da bomb! I usually have a hunch to be able to sniff out good food and after passing by this low key spot several times, i decided to make my way in. The food surpassed my hunch i... was blown away. Chef Amit, prepares a delicate blend of hearty and rich foods, with a touch of his own personal taste of unique flavors and spices. My personal favorite is the braised bacon on a bed of dandelions, with potato salad was an absolute great introduction. That led on to my main course which consisted of the duck breast on waffle, with cherries, was absolutely delectable. Since that first meal i've had pretty much everything on the menu so be sure to check this gem of a place.
A few things to note...
-Aloe is an acronym which stands for "A Little Bit Of Everything"
-Don't be put off by what appears to be a small restaurant thats empty, the real action is downstairs.
-Great wines the sommelier has an incredible palate.
Had my engagment dinner here, thrown by my co-workers. A small cute place. We had downstairs and there were 8 of us. We sat in the back and had our own corner, which was nice. Service was overall pretty good, but slow at times.
Now to the important stuff - the food!
Appetizers:
Calamari - EXCELLENT
Bacon Dish - pretty good
Cheese platter - great
Entrees:
Salmon - do not recommend
Short Ribs - great
Duck w/Gingerbread Waffles - Excellent (especially the waffles)
Cous Cous - pretty good
Fried Monkfish with mac & cheese - fish was good, mac & cheese was very good
Desserts:
All were hits - donuts, cheesecake, and the warm apple bread pudding
This place is great to take a date or to have small parties. Seems like the menu changes occassionally, so I'd come back again.
The name is an acronym for "A little of everything," but Chef Amit V. Kale gives diners a whole lot of deliciousness with this new East Village restaurant.
The best kept secret in what is quickly becoming a buzzy restaurant area, ALOE offers great food with an upscale/cajun flare. Amit, a disciple of Emeril Lagasse, creates memorable dishes including a kick ass calamari appetizer, chile pepper tuna and a short rib offering that was mouthwatering. Menu items that we'll be trying next time we head in (oh yes, there will absolutely be a next time): Duck with Lavender Waffles, Chicken Three Ways and the Bitter Greens with Blue Cheese Beignets.
Some of you may remember the space as one that was "made over" by Thom Felicia on Queer Eye (when the restaurant was "Share). The space has maintained its zen coziness -- augmented by the friendliness of the chef and his knowledgeable staff. Exposed brick walls and a sparseness allows you to make of the space what you want. A perfect spot for a date night out (upstairs) - or a dinner with a large group (downstairs).
Check this place out before it gets discovered. You can thank me later.
I will TOTALLY give this place 5 stars. As of this published date, it's only been open about a month. We went there with a huge party (about 12), and the service was amazing.
The chef came out to greet us, alongside our stupendous server, and they proceeded to recommend the Chef's Sampling dinner, which is basically plate after plate of whatever the chef feels like cooking up. This was $40 a person, and totally worth your money.
Awesome decor downstairs, great service, and amazing food. Go. Now.
Dinner reservations for 4 at 8PM on a Friday night were great! The decor, staff and food were great. I was blown away that this place wasnt very busy on a Friday evening.
For appetizers we started off with the cheese plate, calamari and scallops. The cheese plate was nicely done with sheeps, goat and a couple other cheeses with figs and some very nice quince paste. The calamari had an Asian flair to it being tossed in a sweet and sour sauce. The scallops were cooked perfect and fresh.
For entrees it was a mix of the the fried monkfish with chorizo mac and cheese, duck breast over lavender waffles with brussel sprouts and the mushroom cannelloni entree. Everything was great and each dish had a nice juxtaposition (for example, duck breast over waffles). We finished the meal with the chocolate smores cheesecake and the banana pudding. Quite frankly the menu was pretty amazing considering the creativity and the price.
The chef and owner, Amit Kale, stopped by our table during desert to have a few words and explain the restaurant, etc. It sounds like this gem is still under the radar since as they have spent the last few months battling the various NYC commissions and regulatory boards to get proper licensing for beer/wine. They have been waiting to do a big introduction until they could serve a complete menu and ensure the diner would have the desired experienced. With all of this in place he mentioned they are gearing up for the media blitz with website, reviews, advertising, etc.
I would run, not walk to this place before it becomes a difficult table in town.
Came here on a date a few weeks ago - had heard good things from Yelpers so I wanted to check it out.
Was able to easily make a reservation - we were promptly seated downstairs when we arrived. Beware, this place is TINY so it might be tough to grab a table. I would recommend against sitting upstairs because it felt a little sterile up there, but the downstairs dining room had some of the best ambiance I've felt in NYC in awhile.
Service was extraordinary. Our waitress was patient, friendly and genuinely interested in making sure we had a good time.
Wine list is fantastic but I ended up a tad tipsy and forgot to write down the name of the red we had. It was so good we burned through two bottles (I do remember it being very reasonably priced, though).
We did the chef's tasting menu ($50 a person) and man was it delicious. I wish I would have had a larger appetite because the food just kept coming. The salmon was delicious and the duck was absolutely to die for.
One of the desserts they brought out was some sort of spongy cake that tasted like cleaning chemicals (only reason I'm not giving 5 stars) but they just brought out more of the citrus sorbet (so good).
Overall a fantastic dining experience. Check it out if you get a chance!
One other note - there WAS a group of 8+ people there eating downstairs with us, so if you have a large group it might be worth a shot to see if you can get in.
alOe, Chef Kale, Tascha - I've been negligent in my Yelp duties and I'm sorry. You deserve better. I'm still thinking about that dinner...
After reading all the wonderful reviews on Yelp I went to alOe about 2 weekends ago. Needless to say I was NOT dissappointed in any way, shape or form.
We called ahead to see if they had room for four at 9, they did not, but we opted to do dinner for two due to hunger pains and the knowledge that our other two possible dinner companions are flacky! Tascha, the ever present genial hostess / waitress informed us that they could accomodate our desperately hungry two-some as soon as we could get there. We rushed downtown.
The food at alOe is ecclectic American with highlights such as fried "sweet and sour" calamari, a mixed green salad with blue cheese and bignets, braised short ribs and the much discussed duck breast w/ waffles, sage maple syrup and brussel sprouts (my waffles were gingerbread and the best waffles I've ever put in my mouth! They would be a PERFECT seasonal breakfast food i.e. Christmas morning with a cup of coffee about to open presents...ahh I want the recipe!). The portions sizes of our two apps and two entrees were generous, human size (i.e. worth the price, but not in the typical American belly busting style) and left no room for dessert! Sadly.
The space has a rustic / modern feeling (think Tailor) with exposed brick, white linens, bottles of wine at 45 degree angles serving as decorative spacing between exposed wood beams, relatively high ceilings, appropriately spaced tables, etc. The space is little, but they've made it feel very cozy. In short, it's lovely.
With Tascha's assistance, the wine we chose was wonderful and just what we were looking for. A Red Table Wine named Blend 105 (a Bordeaux style blend) made by Chatter Creek, a Washington state winery...very good and the chef said that it would be on the list for a while. Hopefully their distributors supply holds out because it appears to be sold out by the vintner!
Overall: service, food, ambiance, price, location, were great.
Best wishes to the folks at alOe!
i found this place via all the great yelp reviews and ventured over with a friend. we sat upstairs (at one of the two tables) so i really don't know what went on downstairs, but it must have been magic.
our salad was fresh, light, and crisp. the goat cheese must have been some of the best i've ever had. the penne with summer vegetables was perfectly al dente, and the range of vegetables was broader than i've ever seen all together at one time. our dessert - "do'boys" (essentially italian donuts) filled with nutella was FANTASTIC and i'll cry if i never get to try those again.
our server was so friendly, helpful and checked in on us regularly without interrupting our conversation and meal. she was fabulous, the meal was fabulous, and i would say everyone needs to try this restaurant, but then i won't be able to get a seat the next time i want to go. ...yes i'm a little selfish. oops.
Great place to eat and hang out. The day I went, sorry to say, there were no other people there. Good for me though because it was a more romantic setting for my fiancee and myself. The maitre d'/waiter was very helpful and polite, allowing us to choose where to sit and offering suggestions for their menu. The wine was good and the calamari is one of the best I've had. It was lightly battered and the "sweet-and-spicy"ness provided a new taste for the traditional dish. The duck was succulent and delicious. The waffles were a good compliment to the duck. The pork with dirty rice was a little salty for my taste but still good. To top off the night, the maitre d' suggested the banana pudding and it did not disappoint. Will definitely hit this place again.
After reading the positive reviews, I made a beeline to Aloe this past weekend, but unfortunately I wasn't that impressed.
OK, the food was great. That needs to be said right up front. I had the pan-seared chicken and cleaned up every last morsel of my plate. My date had the salmon, and she loved it as well. We started with the scallop app, which was also delicious. The kitchen knows what it's doing here, clearly.
But the restaurant vibe was a bit weird. When we arrived on a Friday night, they wanted to seat us in the front room, but it was completely empty and we heard laughing coming from downstairs.
So, we asked to be seated down there, which they obliged, but I think the staff took this decision out on us the rest of the night. Starting with the hostess and extending to our waitress, they made us feel as if we did something wrong.
In conclusion, the food at Aloe is great, but they have a few other issues that need to be sorted out before I'd go back for seconds.
A Little Of Everything is a good way to describe it. I really like this restaurant. Everything we had was great. We were 15 minutes late but it was no problem since we were the first reservation at 6 but the party next to us also came in 15 mins late and it was no problem for them either. The place is small and intimate (perfect for dates). There was a group of about 10 loud girls (young people) for a birthday party which was a little annoying but that's not the restaurant's fault.
For the appetizers, we had calamari (best I've ever had due to it's distinct taste - I think it was the sea salt and herbs) and oysters (light and refreshing)
For the main dish, I was disappointed that their menu was changed from what is on their website. I was soooo looking forward to the Hawaiian Kampachi wrapped in Banana Leaf. But I sucked it up and ordered a white fish dish with olives, mashed potatoes. It was delicious. My partner order the Florida cod which was also delicious but not as delicious as mine. We drank a light Italian white (3 glasses) that was great. We decided to skip dessert so that we can go to Veniero's a few blocks away. I'm sure desert would have been just as delightful. The bill came out to about $130 (guessing). I highly recommend and will definitely go back.
Yelp certainly did not steer us wrong on this place. Stopped in before seeing the Blue Man Group nearby and had just about the best meal in recent memory.
We started with the calamari and mixed greens in a tangerine vinaigrette. The greens were good, but the calamari was fantastic. For our entrees, I had the duck and my wife had some kind of sea bass. Both were great. The sea bass was perfectly cooked, and the duck (with waffles and maple syrup!) was unlike anything I'd ever had.
In addition to the great food, the service was exceptional as well. Our waitress was attentive without being pushy, and the chef/owner came out after our meal to make sure we were satisfied. He chatted with us about business and the place, too. Apparently the previous owner had the place made over by Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
We loved Aloe and can't recommend it enough!
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Wine Bars
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Italian
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