Leave room for the Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse.
It's important to note that straight out the gate, lest the bevy of tempting menu items at midtown's buzzy new restaurant Acadia fill you too full to even stomach the sound of the word dessert.
The fifteenth jewel in the glitterier-by-the-second crown of Chef Driven Hospitality's New York lineup, which includes Barbounia, Monterey, Marseille, Nice Matin and Dagon, this Mediterranean Brasserie is a much-needed, refreshing addition to a semi-staling strip desperate for a thoughtful drop of newness.
Perched just below the park on 57th and 6th, Acadia's dining room is as warm and inviting as the open-air kitchen that sits center stage, churning out a parade of dishes that grab you by the nose and turn your head.
Sharing is caring here, with the flatbread-dipping Mezze menu of Spicy Feta, Braised Leeks, Hummus, Eggplant Confit, a Tunisian Cigar with salted cod, tahina and amba and Chicory Salad pulling ahead as starter standouts. For those with a penchant for pasta, the Calsonehs - baked lemon ricotta filled agnolotti, nutmeg spiked bechamel and kashkaval cheese - beckons suggestively. Should you be strong enough to resist that siren call, the Whole Grilled Branzino and Sasso Chicken are similarly solid choices.
[Photos courtesy Acadia]