September 2- 8, 2004

food

Off the Beaten Path

SOUPED UP: Washington Square offers glamorized versions of street foods, such as yellow gazpacho and soft-shell crab burger. Photo By: Michael T. Regan

With menu and ambience, Washington Square sets itself back from the street.

by Elisa Ludwig

There is no worse experience for a consumer than the sensation that you've been victimized by someone else's idea of cool: Consider the Uggs boots phenomenon, wherein people are convinced by some higher, trendier power to partake in a particular fashion, only to wake up three months later and think, "Oh crap, did I really wear fur-lined boots with a miniskirt?" I feel that way about Washington Square, one of the latest additions to the Stephen Starr squad of high-concept restaurants. After so many $9 blueberry mint caipirinhas and watermelon lemonades spiked with vodka, one has to have the temerity to ask: Is that all there is?

Stephen Starr restaurants specialize in fantasy — patrons come night after night for a shot of cosmopolitan glamour to go with their signature cocktails. Washington Square fits that mold, at least on the first impression. The doorway opens into a courtyard with bar area, tented between high-rise buildings. Suddenly you are transported to New York, or another country where latticework tiki torches cast dancing shadows on the walls, and waitresses wear knee-high boots (thankfully not Uggs). To the naked eye, the concept is not exactly clear, but it is dramatic nevertheless.

Inside, things become more muddled. High ceilings and a largely open space make the dining area a giant echo chamber enclosed by what looks like a bamboo birdcage. On one weeknight visit, the only available reservation was at 8:45 p.m., and our table — likely the worst in the whole restaurant — wasn't ready until 9:15 p.m. The three of us were cramped in a faux-animal-hair banquette in the back room where flimsy curtains do nothing to block the noisy chatter. In most of Starr's restaurants, overbearing atmosphere is par for the course, and it's excusable when the dining experience is superior. (I'm thinking of Buddakan, though the most understated of the bunch, Blue Angel, is sorely missed.) In Washington Square, where both the concept and the menu are confusing, the environs are that much more unsettling.

Finding your way through the menu can be a challenge. The cuisine is termed "global street food." The global part refers to the range of international influences: a basket of corn-bread madeleines, sun-dried tomato pappadums and olive bread is a little microcosm of the menu, and a paste of roasted tomato and edamame beans hints at all the soybeans to follow. But let's be real. There is nothing "street" about a restaurant that serves foie gras, oysters and tuna tartare.

The menu is divided into sections devoted to different size "bites." In actuality, none of these dishes seemed bigger or smaller, just more or less expensive. Diners are encouraged to share and the food comes out as it's ready. A word of caution: Ordering both coconut bok choy and duck breast over foie gras hash might not be such a great idea. The options may be global but your meal can be unilateral.

We ordered the lobster corn dog because it sounded like a novelty item. When it arrived, balls of mushy, bland seafood in soggy breading, it was easy to see why these little nuggets haven't yet made it to the county fair. Far better was the soft-shell crab "burger" on a brioche bun with mango slaw and crispy fries with a tomato relish for dipping. The gravlax, smoky and sweet, served over a shaved fennel salad and thin disks of blue potato, was another winning concoction.

Yellow gazpacho with crab ceviche was fresh-tasting but needed a hot pepper boost. We wondered why, given the emphasis on sharing, it wasn't served in smaller individual bowls, and even considered passing it around like some sacrificial offering of heirloom tomatoes until our server brought a spoon several minutes later. Off the "grill" section, chicken skewers with a chili scallion sauce were tender but otherwise unremarkable. Some of the side items, like sweet corn orzo, prepared risotto-style, and asparagus dressed with bacon vinaigrette, were more memorable than the bites they accompanied.

For dessert, we opted for another novelty item, and this time we were not disappointed. Warm donut holes filled with sweet cream cheese spiked with black pepper were a pleasant surprise. A fresh peach tart on a caramelized crust, served with balsamic frozen yogurt, was also delicious. Best of all, the restaurant quieted down considerably at this point, freeing our senses to actually taste the desserts.

There's no doubt that along with its enduringly popular predecessors, Washington Square will continue to attract diners no matter what. But when the mojito wears off, when the sensation of excitement about the newest, latest thing fades away, this restaurant looks a lot like the emperor's new clothes — or maybe just the product of an emperor that's increasingly busy with empire-building. Washington Square 210 Washington Sq., 215-592-7787

Lunch: Mon.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner: Mon.-Thu., 5-11 p.m.; Fri., 5 p.m.-midnight; Sat., 5 p.m.-midnight; Sun. 4-10 p.m.

Brunch, $6-$16; lunch, $7-$18; dinner, $5-$34 Reservations recommended. Wheelchair accessible. Smoking permitted in bar areas. All major credit cards except Discover.