Freeman's Restaurant - worth a stop in Manhattan (Bowery)

LTH -

Mrs Davooda and I enjoyed a fine luncheon in the Bowery section of lower Manhattan this past week and I wanted to share details as it seemed the kind of place my fellow posters might enjoy. Offering an artisanal bar and upscale bar cuisine in a purposefully "rugged, clandestine, colonial American tavern" (from the website), Freeman's made for a most enjoyable mid-day stop to refresh and refuel.

First, one must know where this place is because there is no signage save for a small black chalkboard announcing "Freeman's Lunch 11 - 4" at the open end of the alley (north side of Rivington, between Bowery and Chrystie). One walks to the end of the alley, past the back doors of apartments and studios, to the entry door. Again, no sign, but you can see people sitting inside the window - this is the place. I don't think they are participating in the "speakeasy secret-entrance through the phone booth" trend in NYC right now - I just get the impression that this is how they want to roll. Fine by me.

The interior looks as if time stopped in the late 18th century - and some of the taxidermy adorning the walls could be that old, I think! The floor is wide, beaten-up planks with tacked-in-place tin here and there covering what must have been small holes. There are more private tables with walls separating them from the others, but we sat in the open area near the door. The bar is small but fine to serve the small space. A human skull (sure - it fits with all the other animal skulls, albeit with antlers, on the walls) sits atop a back-bar storage cabinet.

We had lunch, not dinner, so the menu was more limited. We shared our plates; Mrs. Davooda ordered a fish po-boy with fries that tasted remarkably like fresh fries at McDonalds - and I mean that in the best way. Crispy exterior (these had skin on) and starchy interior, good snap, perfectly seasoned and hot. The po-boy was outstanding, with a slaw topping that was lightly dressed and a smear of remoulade. I wanted something a little lighter and went with the grilled trout. Oh man - this was a good sammie!

The bartender made to order all the drinks and I was told all the mixers, syrups, etc are house-made. I tried the Freemans Cocktail - a rye whiskey sour with lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and bitters. It was just delicious and after tasting I didn't feel bad about spending $12 for a lunch cocktail! Freeman's offers a good selection of spirits and wines, too.

I would go back to this place in a heartbeat. It's an enjoyable, reasonably priced place with good, solid food and service.

http://freemansrestaurant.com/

Address, phone, location, etc:

http://freemansrestaurant.com/ContactUs.html