Hankcock St: Post-Millennial American Cuisine

So, what does that mean GW? One could politely ask, “What is this take of yours?” This idea of Post-Millennial American Cuisine. What is it exactly? A fair question that was the first probe to the seasoned and successful Greenwich Village restaurateur John McDonald at his brand-new Mercer Street Hospitality Group contribution to the bustling West Village foodie scene. It’s called Hancock St.

“It’s an elevated contemporary take on American cuisine,” he says, which is not much help. But John McDonald has mastered the template of setting a cool only-in-New-York-style-vibe for his many successful restaurants, such as his most famous Lure off Mercer Street in Soho and the personal favorite Bistrot Leo that buzzily fronts the Thompson Hotel. And Hancock St has been an instant hit along the super-hot foodie corridor on the lower Avenue of the Americas between Houston St and West 4th Street in the ever-groovy West Village.

“It’s about a well-balanced and a heightened depth of flavor here,” rhymes his Chef/Partner here–Ryan Schmidtberger. “It’s a new neighborhood restaurant in one of the great neighborhoods of New York City.” And that’s one fact we can’t argue with. At Hancock St that also means a fairly simple and not overly conceptualized menu from this competently creative chef who earned his laurels setting the imprimatur for Mr. McDonald at his still-reigning Soho seafood mecca Lure. Here he’s offering a pared menu with little room for frippery except for the Russian Osetra Caviar indulgence which sticker shocks ($295/8 oz.) the fabulous Raw Bar offerings.

And, in fact, the Raw Bar is already the signature niche that makes Hancock St special.
There is nothing over-conceptualized or flaunting the latest gastronomy techniques here. Just a simple offering of the tastiest kisses from the sea, such as a delightful mix of East and West coast oysters. The plump, creamy Pink Moon from the oyster beds of Canada’s Prince Edward Island to the briny best from the beds off Cape Cod. Order a dozen to start your evening going. The rich and complex oyster merroir (i.e. variation to the true connoisseur) is simply supreme. And the unctuous offering of specialty in-house-contrived garnishes and sauces that accompany the dish is the deft coup de grace. “The sauces are made in house,” says Chef Schmidtberger, ambling over to say hello on our first visit. The citrus aioli and the green tomatillo concoction are the two standouts. In fact, order the entire Raw Bar menu as your meal and go home happy. That would include the perfect Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and the divine Tuna Sashimi with a dash of tomato sauce, gooseberries and radish. Then wrap the titillate to the taste buds with the perfectly prepared melt-in-your-mouth Sea Urchin & Crispy Potato with a spicy ponzu sauce drizzle with jalapeno.

The appetizers, vegetables and salads have their own prime spot on the menu where
the Charred Heirloom Cauliflower and a Finocchiona Salami and Burrata set the standard.
The rustic elements to the menu that surely will find an audience this winter in Manhattan include a slurp-worthy Squid Ink Linguine and why not pig out too with the rustic standout here with the Crispy Veal Schnitzel. Or better yet, the crowd-pleaser– the Slow Roasted Short Ribs – spectacular depth of flavor with a punchy note of smoke and braised for eight hours. The flawless presentation is the final telling sign of the lengthy gestation and the exquisite preparation of the dish certainly catches the eye on the way to the table. A modern display of true range and improvisation from this kitchen and nothing exclaims that more than this statement piece.

The beef dish is guaranteed to be the center of attention as it’s being swanned through the old school supper club atmospherics here this new season. The design comes from the creative genius of the long-regaled Downtown influencer (for centuries already it seems!), the Swiss-born Serge Becker. The gorgeous plum-colored and beautifully lacquered bar, pre-pandemic, would have been one of the coolest bars in the Village for an illicit rendezvous hook up. There’s no reason why it still can’t be. So, despite the strange denouement – Post-Millennial American Cuisine – let’s just keep it real and state that Hancock St, if nothing else, is a hip, new, New York City restaurant with a solid offering of a few re-imagined classics from the American bistro formula. Forget the famously cool pasta spot Bar Pitti right across the street, people. The latest RESY must be Hancock St.

Hancock St
257 Sixth Avenue
info@hancockst.com
@hancockstreet