a penny for my thoughts
musings on a restaurant that's not even close to a dime a dozen
if i had a nickel for every time i told you go to go to Claud on this substack, i would have at least a quarter. (in this economy, you take what you can get!) so when the Claud team opened a restaurant just upstairs that focused on seafood and raw bar, i was particularly interested. Penny opened a few months ago, and immediately made the tiktok rounds. i rolled my eyes and groaned, a new potential favorite restaurant already ruined and i didn’t even get to go yet. however, the buzz has died down a bit, but this has still remained on the lips of every trusted food site/account/blogger that i follow. time had passed and enough was enough, so blake and i decided we would go to Penny to celebrate his birthday, as it seems like a special occasion type of place.
Penny to my surprise and delight, is literally just one, long, beautiful counter. it’s beautifully designed, spacious and comfy , but i wouldn’t come here with more than one other person, though blake and i were seated next to a woman who brought her literal child (insane, but also his palate was more sophisticated at 6 than mine is now. he ate carpaccio and raw clams like an absolute pro). i also saw a woman walk in with a dog attached to her chest in a baby bjorn…but i think that’s maybe a different rant for a different post.
anyways, just like Claud, the service was impeccable. one thing i especially love about Claud (and now Penny) which really mainly just serves wine, is that when you say a price that you are trying to spend, they have never once tried to upsell. they ALWAYS recommend something on/below the price you are looking for that is delicious and have full confidence in it and i have never had a bad glass of wine there to prove otherwise.
anyways, let’s get to the good stuff…the food
our first course was a sesame brioche with butter and anchovies. you can just TELL they used the good expensive anchovies too! i’m talking 10 bucks a tin expensive! this bread was so good, i knew i need to half the full half of this loaf, so i scurried off, jabbed my insulin pen and cranked it to an 11 and prayed to whoever is watching me up above! humalog to the rescue!
next, we got one of Penny’s most instagrammable dishes – the icebox! this consists of a pretty affordable raw bar assortment of oysters, mussels, clams, scallop, and what was perhaps some of the best shrimp cocktail i have ever had. it’s all served in a little tray filled with ice…very demure!
our next course was a potato salad with octopus. you heard it here first, folks… potato salad with seafood is definitely having a moment – you can read about this other fantastic potato salad from Eel Bar – and this one was so so good, and felt completely different. i loved the dusting of paprika on top which added a bit of spanish flavor to the dish. we also got the stuffed squid, which is stuffed with tuna and chard and covered in a harissa sauce that had a beautiful kick to it that made me feel like i was on hot ones.
last but not least was the swordfish with – once again on trend – jimmy nardello peppers! the swordfish was so perfectly cooked and kind of unlike how i’ve ever had it prepared. its covered in a sort of umami bomb of a soy/miso based sauce and the jimmy nards add a really beautiful sweetness to it! also, i mean just 10/10 for presentation…
and then for dessert, because i am the best partner EVER, i finagled a way for us to get seated downstairs at Claud so we could enjoy their absolutely iconic, best in nyc, forever my favorite, chocolate devil’s food cake for two. (shoutout to the hostess, delilah for hooking a sis UP with the boyfriend brownie points and who also gave us a free scoop of DELICIOUS ice cream!!). this was an absolute boss move and one i would highly recommend for any meal at penny, but especially if you are trying to impress someone…i just have to give myself a pat on the back for it. i also found out they sell this cake as a whole if you order a few days in advance. can you imagine what an incredible birthday cake that would be??? (wink wink, nudge nudge) especially for someone whos birthday is march 17?!?!?! (wink wink, nudge nudge)
anyways, run, bike, uber, swim, do whatever you have to do to get to Penny. it was one of the best meals we have had in a long time. my only gripe with them is they are not open on the weekends and are basically walk in only, so unless you can get there at 5:30 be prepared to wait. that aside, this has instantly shot up to one of my top favorite restaurants in NYC and i can’t stop thinking about it or plotting on when i can go back again.
IM GOING TO PENNY TONIGHT BC OF YOU
I want to go!!!!