The Waverly Inn

The Waverly Inn Restaurant Review:

One of the few places where the food and atmosphere actually live up to the hype, this West Village inn enchants even the most crowd-shy diner --- but unfortunately, the welcome mat will be pulled from underneath your feet at the host stand, unless you’re a VIP. It’s been reported ad nauseam: only celebs and the elite of the magazine world shall dine inside. Yes, that was Jack Nicholson commandeering a banquette. And Vanity Fair’s Graydon Carter walks around like he owns the place, because he does. If you’re lucky enough to get in the door you’ll find that the comfort at this inn, with its low ceilings, antique flooring, fireplaces and retro-style murals, is almost eclipsed by the cuisine. Nothing says homespun extravagance more than braised beets with whipped goat cheese, green garlic and wheatberries; or Hudson Valley duck breast with slow-cooked farro and rhubarb jam. The flaky crust of the chicken potpie drapes over the bowl, encasing meat and vegetables in a nicely textured sauce, which is not too creamy, not too thin. And the hefty pork chop spills juices like a chicken Kiev at a knife’s touch. It’s a testament to those in the kitchen that the food comes out so well among the Page Six circus in the dining room. Consider it dinner and a show.