4.5 stars, only because one of the dishes we got wasn't mind blowing. I usually reserve five stars for experiences with no wrong notes, but four stars does not reflect how excellent the entire night was, start to finish. And even if one dish knocks the review down half a star, the overall aesthetic and vibe here bump it back up. Principe is a hot new restaurant in the middle of SoHo, the epicenter of hot new things (though the restaurants in this area tend to be a little tired). But it feels like the perfect SoHo restaurant. It's fresh, it's gorgeous, it's a little overpriced, and it makes you feel fancy. The food is sophisticated, refined, and delicious, and the cocktails are not to be missed either.
I was magically on Resy when a reservation here popped off the waitlist at primetime (8:15). To get a reservation here, it seems you either need to know someone or just be in the right place at the right time. And since I am addicted to my phone, I am often in the latter of those situations. So we arrived at 8:15 and were let into the beautiful dining space. Vaulted ceilings, lots of natural elements, grand light fixtures, with several walls lined with fabric that curiously had rope handle-like elements attached to it. So, if you are feeling frisky, you could easily give everyone a scare and scale the entire wall -- up to those very tall ceilings -- contingent on ample upper body strength.
As per usual, we started out with drinks. We stuck with cocktails here, a decision we were ultimately happy with. To start, I got the Principe Martini (vodka, marsala, dry vermouth, olive leaf) and my husband got the Yuzu-Honey & Amaro (amaro nonino, honey, yuzu soda, rosemary). Though I'm typically not a fan of vodka martinis, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Super clean and smooth, very little bite to it. My husband's drink was fantastic, a great choice for when you're in the mood for something refreshing with some complexity to it. For our second menu, we focused on the negroni menu and ended up ordering the Bianco Negroni (mezcal, new york state dry vermouth, italicus, salers) and the Verde Negroni (gin, luxardo bitter bianco, chartreuse, fennel, olive oil). Honestly, both were exceptional and it's hard to pick a favorite. The bianco is a bit more unique but they're both very creative.
Food-wise, come for the raw bar, stay for the entrees. Though this is a seafood-centric restaurant, don't sleep on the other dishes. Just about everything is executed flawlessly here. Clean flavors and the freshest of ingredients, all with an understated creativity. Eats, below:
Red prawns w/ coriander and jalapeño sauce: A
Fully cooked, served over ice, as fresh as can be. The prawns themselves were yummy and the sauce itself was super flavorful and delicious.
Marinated tuna w/ blood orange and daikon: A
A delicate and elegant presentation of cured tuna, pairing beautifully with the citrus and served atop a daikon radish. A great blend of subtle textures and flavors.
Snow crab claws w/ mustard greens: A+
Similar to the prawns, perfectly fresh crab served over ice. The sauce was divine, the crab meat was luxurious.
Lobster salad w/ horseradish and lettuce: A+
Another delicate but delicious dish. The salad was served atop lettuce, a nice and crunchy vessel to deliver that decadent lobster meat. I love horseradish on cold seafood and this dish was no exception.
Sucrine lettuce w/ avocado, colatura and mint: A+
Simple but super flavorful. The dressing was heavenly, with the mint coming forward as the most prominent note, but it was all quite well balanced. This was my first time having sucrine lettuce, which was both crunchy and buttery. I need to seek this out next time I'm at a grocery store.
Green asparagus w/ crispy grains, pecorino and miso: B+
This was the only dish that fell flat for us. The asparagus itself was delicious, but the rest wasn't up to par. The greens were a little soggy and the quinoa wasn't as crispy as it should've been. The texture on it definitely influenced the overall vibe of the dish.
Grilled duck w/ honey, fennel and preserved orange: A+
Though this is a seafood restaurant, please keep the duck in mind. It was some of the best duck we've had in a while. Just beautifully cooked, with subtle sweetness coming from the honey and orange. I love when sweetness is added to duck preparations, and this dish was no exception. read more