Orecchiette Pork Ragu

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 7, 2007

EMPLOYEES ONLY
510 Hudson St
(10th & Christopher Sts)
New York, NY 10014
212-242-3021

I first went to Employees Only on a Sunday for brunch. It was empty and charming. We sat in the outdoor covered terrace and only two other tables were occupied. I wasn’t quite sure why we had been so lucky to have this little haven to ourselves. I was even more confused when the food arrived and it was scrumptious. Was this a secret that no one knew about? My friend Julia and I shared the EO burger and poached eggs with cherry tomato bruschetta, and though tomatoes are out of season, both dishes were still plenty delicious. The burger was a pleasant surprise. The potato pancake on the patty was an ingenious substitute for fries. Tastier, too!

I returned a second time, for dinner, after my sister tipped me off about the to-die-for orecchiete pork ragu. That’s when I realized why the restaurant is so empty at brunch. It’s known more as a bar, and the menu reflects this. It has only a page or two of food and the rest is drinks. Yet the food is so good!

The chestnut and potato dumplings are delicious. I thought the chestnut would be pureed and mixed with the potato filling inside the dumplings, but there are actual chunks of chestnut that accompany the dumplings. Mushrooms and truffle oil complete the taste profile for this total comfort-food dish.

The orecchiette pork ragu left me speechless. Talk about comfort, it really hit a home run. Slow-cooked pork shoulder, carrots, onions, tomatoes and a good dose of red wine did the trick. The meat is so tender it falls apart, the large chucks of tomatoes are juicy and the little ears of pasta and gooey melted cheese make the perfect assemblage. We also peeked over at our neighbor’s pasta, the spaghetti pomodoro, which looked sublime. I love being in a restaurant where each dish turns my head.

The grape-and-arugula salad with pecorino and toasted pine nuts was perfectly pleasant. The only disappointment was the side of Brussel sprouts with pancetta. It was overly greasy. Also, the pancetta was actually bacon, so the texture of the thin, large pieces of crispy meat didn’t quite complement the Brussel sprouts — the way lardon or pancetta would — that were already drowning in oil and juices.

At Employees Only, it’s not just the food that is comforting, but also the warm and inviting atmosphere. Whether you’re at the bar or dining in the outdoor seating area, you feel at home. A nice touch is the tarot-card reader who sits in the little alcove between the entrance of the restaurant and the bar room. You see her immediately as you enter, and this mysterious touch sets the tone for the experience inside.

Dinner, late night drinks or brunch, Employees Only gets my vote!

Also in American, Drinks, Pasta, Pork, West Village