Marc Forgione seemingly can’t miss.. The Iron Chef continues to wow NYC diners at another one of his three Manhattan restaurants. Diners are greeted by an open fire with whole roasting suckling pigs and the restaurant gives off old Italian cottage in the woods vibes. Peasant feels rustic and unassuming, but don’t be fooled by it’s name, this place is not cheap. But it’s worth the price of admission for the homemade rigatoni a la vodka, the rosette with short rib and chanterelles, and the beef tartare with fresh baked pizza dough. We started with the very unusual pairing of cold to room temperature beef tartare with a warm homemade pizza dough dipper, which was a weird but awesome combination. Next came the pasta courses. Most of the time pasta a la vodka tends to be a bloated mess without a hint of vodka, but vodka was the primary flavor in this rendition which paired perfectly with the creaminess of the pink sauce and wonderfully al dente homemade rigatoni. I thought the rosette with short rib was a knock out. The deep beefy flavor of the shortrib was elevated by the buttery sauce and sweetness of the corn, and the rosette had a beautiful crisp on the bottom and edges that juxtaposed nicely with the soft cheese oozing out. The suckling pig entree was delicious and succulent. God bless the little pig who gave his life for these delightful meats. Fresh fennel brings out the slightly sweet but savory flavor of the pork, and the chef makes sure you get your fill with four different cuts, including an exquisitely crisp chicharron, ribs, pulled pork, and melt in your mouth pork belly. The only thing we ordered that we weren’t in love with was the wood fired octopus. The octopus was fresh and fairly well cooked, but you could find the same or similar dish at hundreds of restaurants in the city. Overall, Peasant was a fantastic experience that more than lived up to expectations and justified the price. 8.8
P.S. The iron iron chef should give the people what they want and add the chili lobster to the menu.
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