Starting today, we'll be filing biweekly restaurant reviews—with, deep breath, stars. On such occasions, Metromix dines unannounced and pays full price for the meal.
The deceptively crude, makeshift sign taped to the door says it all: "Frugal" is the overriding theme—in price and in spirit—at this dinnertime spot from Craft exec chef Damon Wise, where he serves gourmet snacks and bites for under $10. DFF actually stands for Damon: Frugal Friday, which used to refer to the day that Wise called shotgun at this private dining space adjacent to Craft. Now, Wise is serving his budget menu on all other days except Tuesday (when Tom Colicchio claims the space for his prix-fixe showcase, Tom: Tuesday Dinner). Apparently taking a cue from GQ, Wise has also shortened the name to DFF, to avoid any time-frame confusion. The irony, of course, is that when it comes to ingredients and technique, DFF is anything but frugal or lowbrow. The big question now is: Can the Craft empire maintain its exceptionally high standards, but at Kraft prices? —AL
Damon who?
Count us as fans of Damon Wise, for his punchy sound bites alone. We've interviewed Tom Colicchio's classically trained right-hand man, and longtime charity tastings stand-in, on three occasions: He told us about a kitchen injury, his rad boss and a particularly bloody kitchen injury. During our first conversation, we also found out that the Baltimore native spent time at Philadelphia's stuffy French townhouse Le Bec-Fin before moving to NYC to work with TC. Now with DFF, Wise proves that he's not just a solid quote, but strikingly playful with his cooking as well. —MR
Call it A.D.D. dining
Our server, semi-comfortably rocking a teal DFF T-shirt, was clear to point out that the meal was not coursed, arriving "as it's ready." Not a problem with standard two-plates/person ordering. But almost as soon as we finished reciting our 13 plates, tiny jars of chicken liver and lamb rillettes arrived. Then a plate of manchego and prosciutto. Then salt cod fritters, deboned chicken wings and smoked beef tartare landed with three quick thuds. In under five minutes, all 13 had arrived, requiring some quick strategizing. Would the lamb tenders cool more quickly than the cod nuggets? So preoccupied was I—shoveling in steaming bites of fried quail—that I left my Rittenhouse Rye cocktail untouched for over 10 minutes. It's a case of sensory overload. —MR
Good cop: quail, pizza, pâté, mackerel
The good news: It's a sensory overload of massively satisfying proportions, beginning with the two savory spreads—the chicken liver pâté and lamb rillettes—that had just the right velvety texture and depth, followed by a nicely crisp fried quail sided with tart, turgid rhubarb chutney. Wise carries out this protein-and-fruit motif with a rich pork belly laced with cranberry mostarda, which we tried to consume in between bites of a bacon-and-caramelized-onion pizza that held up surprisingly well, on a firm, thin, perfectly charred crust. Mini medallions of raw Spanish mackerel—bright and sparse, with a dash of coarse sea salt—would have fared just fine on their own, if only they hadn't been paired with an overly sweet sauce of sweet soy and molasses. —AL
Bad cop: pig's ear, chicken wings
Remember the flying escargot scene in "Pretty Woman"? Well, imagine that happening, twice, with no character actor positioned to catch our airborne pig ears. The crispy chunks were hard, though the accompanying deviled-egg salad could stand on its own. The tartare was flat and watery, but featured a knockout paparika flat bread. And though a curiosity, the lazy man's chicken wings were lazily sauced with an overpowering glop of Valdeon blue cheese sauce. The dish lacked the nuance and inventiveness that we've come to expect with a Wise-ian snack spin. —MR
Word to the Wise: nice and steady
So, what's the smartest way to get the most out of Wise's undeniably enjoyable, if frenetic, menu? Pace yourself, since nothing is coursed, portion sizes are pretty similar, and everything is brought to your table en masse in one delectable blitzkrieg. Yes, it may be A.D.D. dining at its loopiest—there are about 40 dishes available here—but Wise has put discerning thought and care into a menu that remains frugal only in price. For those joys, we're more than willing to forgive the occasional airborne pig's ear. —AL
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