British food: bloody good in New York!

Double Crown

The pitch: A prime example of the “new” British cuisine that mixes traditional English ingredients with a wide range of international influences.

The pedigree: Owned by design firm AvroKO, which also owns Public and has designed restaurants like The Stanton Social, Quality Meats and the now-shuttered E.U.

Signature dish: Big braised short rib with Guinness five-spice sauce, roasted parsnips and Brussels sprouts ($29).

But how British is it, bloke? It's a stretch. Most of the dishes are British in form or flavor, but the hearty dose of Indian and Asian influences make it an interpretation of British food rather than a literal translation. “We decided to look into ways in which British cooking has been influenced by some of its former colonies,” says co-owner Adam Farmerie.

The verdict: Critics have generally been charmed by the way chef Brad Farmerie (Adam’s brother) has married English flavors with Eastern ones, but, as Bloomberg’s Ryan Sutton put it in his review of the place, “The scene trumps the cuisine.” Thanks to Double Crown’s design-firm roots, throngs of scenesters show up for the ambience alone.

Double Crown
316 Bowery at Bleecker St.
212-254-0350