Last night, Sarah and I took some clients to Merkato 55 in the Meatpacking District in NYC. Merkato 55 is an African bistro in a fabulous setting. Owner and celebrity chef Marcus Samulesson is very good friends with our guests, and he spent quite a bit of time sitting at our table. That’s him in the picture. What a night.
So, what’s African food at Merkato 55? It starts with a “Kidogo Bar,” which is very interesting small bites. We had spicy sausages, foie gras, tuna tartare, various chutneys and hot sauces, all with a selection of African flat breads. (Nope, I didn’t have any bread. BTW, that makes it over 4 weeks sans yeasty goodness.)
After the Kidogo, there are small and large plates. I had some Ethiopian sausages followed by pork bellies. I know, it might sound weird, but it was fantastic. The sausages were surrounded by a ground corn sauce, and the pork bellies were small, simple, and incredibly tasty. (My mouth is watering right now.) Others at the table had a fish broiled in a pot, lamb chops, and an interesting salad that just needs to be tasted to believe. (You can read a complete restaurant review here.)
Funny part about all of this — I rarely get out of Midtown when I’m in New York. It’s nice to venture Downtown. Heck, there was even free street parking easily available. All in all, a fabulous meal. If you’re in NYC, check out Merkato 55. I’m thinking Michelle Oshen should do one of her fabulous restaurant reviews there. Marcus Samuelsson is very charming, and I’m sure Michelle could convince him to do a guest appearance.
Merkato 55
55 Gansevoort St. (near Greenwich/Old 12th Street)
New York, NY 10014
212-255-8555
