Not A Plain Jane

Jane is an American bistro on Houston Street - very simple decor - very good food - nice selection of wine -

We blew the UWS to rendezvous with family coming in from California by way of Jersey Brooklyn - but that's another story -

Waited a few minutes at the bar - which was why it was there - for waiting for the rest of the party - as opposed to being a scene unto itself -

Clean menu - orders from the table -

• Wild Mushroom Soup - portobello, shiitake, brandy - raves
• Crispy Sesame Calamari - pineapple-chili sauce, green onion, cilantro  - lightly fried - resting a bed of sweet and sour sauce - very nice
• Roasted Ricotta Gnocchi - Italian parsley, Parmesan cheese, white truffle crema
• Jane Burger - special sauce, white cheddar, sauteed onions, double smoked bacon, fries
• - big - juicy - what you would expect - $15 -
• French Fries - the acid test passed with flying colors -
• Potato croquette and fried onions - bigger than expect - one piece - good crust on the outside - soft inside - seemed to lack flavor - would have preferred several smaller ones -
• Pan Roasted Chatham Cod - cannellini beans, sweet roasted garlic, spinach, red pepper tapanade  - very good - take home of the left over was a must -
• Salmon Tartare with Avocado - double as a main course - fresh and wonder - crackers could have been a bit thinner -
• Steak Frites - marinated hanger steak, rosemary fries, bearnaise sauce  - $23 on the menu - Sunday night special - $12 - a steal - I repeat - a steal -
• Ice Cream/Sorbet Sundae - wasn't one the menu quite the way it was requested - the restaurant was happy to accomidate -
• Banana Bread Pudding - I did not taste - but the raves were generous
• Apple Crumb with a dash of Vanilla Gellata - made portion by portion - severd in a 4x4 cast iron pan - well worth hoarding -

Nice wine list - wide selection at all price points - couldn't see going for the high end given the overall tone  - settled on Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc 2006 - good fruit - bit of spice - classic cab franc nose - reasonable tannins for the age of the bottle - asked the server to go easy on the pour - allowing the wine to get a bit of air - and - creating the necessary time for the wine of absorb some O2 - he did as directed - wine was a hit - so much so - we ordered a second bottle -

Would I come back from the UWS - not as a destination - would I become a regular if I lived in the neighborhood - absolutely -