Step inside the Upper East Side’s newest restaurant pop-up and it feels just like home. Townhouse, as it’s known, is spacious, warm and welcoming, with a vibe more akin to arriving at a friend’s home for a relaxed dinner party than a packed to the gills Manhattan hotspot — and it’s a refreshing change of pace.
More than a year in the making and powered by the popular UES caterer Portable Provisions, Townhouse brings a modern take on German cuisine to the part of the neighborhood once known as Germantown.
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Located at 220 East 81st Street, between Second and Third Avenues, Townhouse is nestled inside the ground floor of an Upper East Side townhouse, transforming just 600 square feet of dining room space into an experience you’ll be telling friends about.
From the large family-style table available for groups, to the sofa and cushioned seating near they front for lounging with cocktails or dessert, Townhouse maximizes its 600 square feet of dining room space, filling out the room with high-top tables and seating near the bar in the rear corner. There’s even a small outdoor patio in the rear, however, that wont be open to diners until temperatures warm up.
On the menu at Townhouse, you’ll find farm-to-table dishes that have been elevated beyond your standard German fare with seasonal, regionally-sourced ingredients prepared by partner and Executive Chef Simon Cordes. Born in a small town in Germany, Chef Cordes’ accent acts a certificate of authenticity for the bold flavors he creates.
There are several small plates to start your meal, including the poached Quail Eggs, complimented by the robust and rich flavors of a mustard sauce with capers and chives, served fingerling potatoes, as well as the traditional German Maultaschen, delicate dumplings stuffed with veal served in a rich homemade oxtail consommé, and the Chicken Liver Paté with fig jam and grilled sourdough bread.
For the entrees, Townhouse’s take on Cheese Spaetzle made with crispy shallots and gruyere is sure to satisfy vegetarians, while the Mushroom Ragout with saffron and lentil puree is vegan and gluten free.
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Meanwhile meat-eaters have their choice of the Heaven and Earth, featuring black pudding — a type of blood sausage — with sauerkraut, caramelized onions, parsnip purée and apple chutney and the Sauerbraten Rhineland Style, a traditional German roast beef dish, served with green mashed potatoes, gravy and braised red cabbage.
Also serving as the base of operations for the popular UES catering company Portable Provisions, owned by Chef Kat Alexander, Townhouse is only operating as a pop-up restaurant right now, with four dining experiences expected per month as the team slowly rolls out the concept and builds a following.
That means at this point there are not regular hours for the restaurant, however, Upper East Site has learned the next dining event will be Friday, February 17th. Be sure to stop by.
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