New in NYC: Terroir hits the mark

Opening night jitters were non-existent for Paul Grieco and Marco Canora as they opened the door to their new East Village wine bar, Terroir. This lovely, small yet big windowed spot is located about six doors down from Hearth, the duo's first restaurant. Chris and I were lucky enough to grab two seats at the bar and were handed a red binder with "I Hate" written in white-out on the front cover. "It's nothing personal" said our bar friend with a smile ("I Love" was written on the back). There are several of these high-school-style three ringed binders, scrawled with indelible ink doodles, distressed to look like they were pulled from an 11th graders locker. The pages it contains, aren't innumerable, nor is there a wine tome, and it was devoid of a manifesto. The binders contain just a few printed sheets laying out the thoughtful wine and food options.

In typical Paul Grieco fashion, the wine list is truly unique. It is adventurous, but at the same time accessible. Paul Grieco is a master when it comes to choosing wines and what he's done with Terroir shows off his talents (similarly displayed at Hearth and Insieme). The difference with Terroir is that at their two other restaurants, you arrive expecting a big list. You might even expect a big list at Terroir given the name, but instead you're given a concise list that still has a respectable breadth of choice.  I spoke with Paul briefly a few months before the opening and he told me that he strongly believes in the seasonality of wine. From what I could tell from tonight, it seems like the format for wine at Terroir will follow this philosophy. Only time will tell.

Terroir works because not only do you get to drink fantastic wine, but you can do so while eating Marco Canora's food. I believe, "off the hook" would be an appropriate term to use here. We've eaten at both Hearth and Insieme and had great meals each time. But what Marco's doing at Terroir is really exciting because you get to sit down in a casual environment and eat expertly crafted food without the commitment of a bigger meal.

We ordered a few of the smaller plates on the menu and each one was A+. A trio of beet risotto balls delivered the perfect balance of a crispy fried exterior, delicate earthiness from the beet and a slight punch from a touch of Gorgonzola. A turkey wing was deboned, cut in half, deep fried and lightly dressed with a mild tomato-based sauce. Baccala mantecato was served warm on a piece of rustic country bread. The smooth texture and rich flavor of the fish made for a very comforting bruschetta. With a large chunk of the menu still left to explore, we look forward to returning soon.