The Redhead

As soon as I heard that the Redhead served bacon peanut brittle I was hooked and became obsessed with trying this decadent snack! I had high expectations, and was not disappointed. The smoky bacon, salty peanuts and sugary coating all worked together to create a symphony of flavor in my mouth. For this dish alone, I am definitely going to return- and for those times I can’t wait between visits, they also offer it in a jar to take home.

The Redhead is located in the former Detour jazz bar and from the layout, it’s apparent it wasn’t originally configured to house a restaurant. In fact, partners Meg Grace, Rob Larcom and Gregg Nelson first opened up as a bar to help their cash flow before opening as a true restaurant. Upon entering you are immediately thrown into a throng of locals and hipsters crowding around the bar waiting for a table. If you’re lucky, snag a seat at the bar or one of the high tables upfront to save yourself the wait that usually hovers around 45 minutes. We started out with a few glasses of wine from the short but vast wine list, ranging from a Long Island Merlot to a Austrian Gruner Veltner. The cocktail list included drinks such as the Ginger Snap, a mixture of Gosling’s rum, ginger syrup, and fresh citrus and the Redhead Gibson elevates the regular combination of gin and onions with fresh cracked pepper.

We were lucky enough to get a seat at the bar after standing around 20 minutes, so we opted not to waste any time and ordered our dinner pronto! The menu is split into shares, starters and entrees, all reflecting the southern influenced cooking of Chef Grace. To start, we had the bacon peanut brittle and the Wild Mushroom Flatbread. The flatbread was lush, with marscarpone as the base for mushrooms and rich duck prosciutto. Other starters included their popular Sausage and Pretzel, One-eyed Cesar Salad and there was a constant flow of Chips and Dip being ordered by almost every table.

For my main course, I was torn between the Low Country Shrimp and Redhead Gumbo, but with help from the bartenders, I finally decided on the Shrimp. The combination of shrimp, andouille sausage and tomato served over Anson Mills grits was so authentic, I felt as though I had been transported to the deep south. My friend had the Fried Chicken which was extremely juicy, but would benefit greatly from an extra kick of flavor- cayenne comes to mind. The chicken was accompanied by a tart salad of spinach, apples and walnuts which contrasted nicely with the richness of the dish, and a slab of cornbread that was sweet and buttery. They also offer a Beer-braised Brisket, the Redhead Burger and for vegetarians, Greens and Grains.

As always, I ate way too much so I didn’t have any room for dessert. What I would have gotten, if I had planned better, is Chocolate Caramel Tart with brandied cherries and espresso cream or the ‘car bomb’ hot chocolate with Guinness, Jameson and Bailey’s marshmallow’s.

The Redhead has all the requirements of a great local restaurant- a talented chef, warm ambiance, reasonable prices and a way with bacon!

The Redhead

349 East 13^th St. b/t 1^st and 2^nd Ave

212-533-6212

Price: Shares $5-14, Starters $8-9, Entrees $10-19, Desserts $4-7