I ate at Frog Club aka The New Yorkiest Room in New York aka the hardest reservation to get right now
And I fell in love with dining all over again.
For me, going out to eat at a restaurant should be celebratory. When I say this, I’m not referring to restaurants you go to get a quick bite to eat. I mean the restaurants that you go to on date night or for a birthday or special occasion.
I want these meals to feel special and intentional. After all, I only have so many meals out, and I only have so much money to spend on them. In New York, I’ve often felt overwhelmed, because there are SO many places to eat and so many of them look enticing online but then end up being lackluster in real life.
Eating at Frog Club reminded me why I fell in love with dining. At Frog Club, dining is a holistic experience where every aspect has been thoughtfully put together to make it feel like it is the “New Yorkiest Room in New York.” What does that mean? To me, Frog Club is fun, sexy, intimate, full of personality, and unapologetic.
A little background
Frog Club is the latest restaurant from Chef Liz Johnson. Liz Johnson also opened Los Angeles hotspot Horses and Mimi’s in New York.
Frog Club is located at 86 Bedford Street in the West Village. Previously, 86 Bedford was home to Chumley's, a historic pub established in 1922 during Prohibition. Story goes that the term “86” comes from when the patrons had to exit via the “86” street exit when police were on their way to raid the pub.
The experience
Outside, I was greeted by Tony, who was wearing a black coat, black hat, and a red carnation boutonniere. He covered my phone’s front and back cameras with Frog Club stickers. Already, even before entering the restaurant the experience had started. Whether or not you agree with the no-photo rule, it certainly builds the excitement before entering.
Once inside, I was captivated by the murals on the wall. Imagine if Ludwig Bemelman, the artist behind the Madeline illustrations at Bemelman’s, went on an acid trip and decided to paint the interior with images of frogs dining, dancing, and living their best lives. If I remember correctly, there was a frog or two eating caviar and drinking champagne.
Next thing I noticed was the ceiling covered with Frog Club plates and full size paintings. All the staff members were wearing jackets with red carnations. Before even sitting down, it felt as though I was transported back in time to a time when eating out was an occasion and everyone dressed up to do so.
A few more details - the first dining room has a fireplace which gives the restaurant an intimate feel. The second room has a bar. Tip: if you want to sit at the bar you have to request it when making your reservation.
The food menu items are new takes on classics like a soufflé, filet mignon, and chicken wings.
What I ate:
Chicken wings: Buffalo style wings. These were good, not great.
Spinach soufflé: The soufflés come as they are ready. This was fun to eat, but overall I felt it was missing a little seasoning. You can watch chef Liz Johnson make one here in this fun, throwback style video.
Green tomato strings: Thinly sliced green tomatoes, fried and served with a ranch style sauce. So yummy, so fun to eat. Great paired with the filet mignon.
Filet mignon: I was torn between the chicken and the filet mignon. Our waiter highly recommended the steak because of the sauce it came with. The sauce was an espresso marmite sauce. These flavors were so unexpected but they really balanced the richness of the filet. The steak came with a pea mash (think mashed potatoes but with peas instead) that I loved so much, I turned to my fiancé and told him I was going to try and make it for Thanksgiving. Overall, loved this dish and was so glad our waiter persuaded us to order it.
Banana chiffon pie: LOVED. If you like bananas, you have to get this.
Was every dish perfect? No. Have all the kinks of a freshly opened restaurant been ironed out? No. But for me, that’s okay. In fact, that’s more thank just okay. I would 10/10 times rather dine at a restaurant that is putting together a unique and memorable experience than at a restaurant where the food is very good but the experience leaves you wanting.
Will I be back? YES*
*As long as I can get a reservation. The website used to have a prompt to email for a reservation but it has since been taken down. Rumor has it they are getting over 1000 email requests a day!
Do you have a restaurant that feels special? Let me know what it is!
xx, M
