A.O.C. Menu

A.O.C. Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: Chef Suzanne Goin and business partner Caroline Styne relocated their wine bar A.O.C. to this larger site. A long communal table divides the bar and the main dining room. The upstairs area, smaller and cozier, overlooks the desirable patio, and showcases some of the wines from the long list.

Food & Drinks: The menu carries on the small plates concept that A.O.C. pioneered locally more than a decade ago. Charcuterie and multi-national cheeses are popular for starters. Familiar dishes include the bacon-wrapped Parmesan-stuffed dates, and pork rillettes with pickled onions and cornichons. From the wood oven we tried the arroz negro (black rice) with squid topped with saffron aïoli, and it was a winner. Vegetarians will be happy with options that are substantial enough for a meal and are not just side orders, like the cauliflower seasoned with curry and red vinegar, and the long-cooked cavolo nero (loose-leafed cabbage from Tuscany). On the dinner menu, there are a few family-style "platters," such as the "Ode to Zuni" roasted chicken. Finish with almond layer cake with tangerines, kumquats and frozen yogurt. As you may infer, Goin's cuisine is not light but it's quite tasty. The wine list is almost exclusively made up of sustainable, biodynamic and organic wines ---- each labeled accordingly --- and there's a very acceptable by-the-glass selection. Craft cocktails have also joined the mix.