Resto

My good friend Dawn and I are very competitive... over who can pick the best restaurant when we get together over dinner and drinks. Each time we meet up, one of us is in charge of picking where to go. Most recently, it was Dawn's turn and she picked one of her old standby's, Resto. (www.restonyc.com)

Located in the Gramercy area on 29th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, the unassuming restaurant stands out on an otherwise empty street. With a handful of outdoor seats, the inside boasts a minimal decor, with specials written on a chalk board, wood tables, steel chairs, exposed brick walls and a silver tin ceiling. Billing itself as a Belgium Restaurant, it boasts a large selection of Belgium beers both on tap and in the bottle.

As with most of our meals, we started with a beer at the bar. Our very knowledgeable bartender, Ward, directed us to two completely different beers St. Feuillien for Dawn and Malheur 10 for me. The St. Feuillien is a light, triple, Belgium Abbey with a delicate nose and flavors of peach and grapefruit on the palate. In contrast, the Malheur 10 (10 for the percent of alcohol, high for beer) has a fuller body that sings of toffee.

Following our pre-dinner drinks, we moved to the table where we were overwhelmed by the expansive, seasonal menu. After careful consideration, we decided to taste outside of our box, and started with the deviled eggs, served on crispy pork. The thinly sliced egg white was elegantly decorated with a creamy and delicate yolk, dotted with notes of paprika. Placed atop the crispy pork tart, it adds a nice crunch to the soft egg. We paired that with the Hen of the Woods served with a spinach fondue, garlic and green onions. The generous serving of mushrooms was perfectly seasoned and the spinach fondue with garlic created a nice balance of earthy flavors. Sadly, both dishes ended a bit too soon.

Paired with a second round of beers, the Tournay and Maredsous (both a bit heavier but still great suggestions that paired well with the food) we were eager to move onto the main course of Smoke Trout with ham succotash and the Burger served with fries. The trout was a beautiful pink color, with a crispy skin and a rich smokey flavor. Served atop a mixture of lima beans, corn and smoked ham, the succotash was a delicious though salty match.

The burger is a must try, but only if you are willing to eat it exactly as it is served. Topped with Gruyere cheese, red onions, pickles and mayo the beautiful and scrumptious presentation of a classic dish is simply divine. As is standard in Belgium, the fries it was served with were a perfect pair for a European twist on an American classic. (Although we decided to pass on it, they also offer the fries as a side order with 8 different dipping sauces to try.)

As much as we debated over dessert, we took a pass and let the mixture of flavors ring in out mouths a bit longer.