In honor of Mother’s Day, FIG & OLIVE Meatpacking in New York City is offering a Mother’s Day special on Sunday, May 10th. My mom and I were recently invited to sample the menu in lieu of the special and I’m not lying when I say that our mouths were literally salivating at every bite. I had been to the FIG & OLIVE in Westchester near my home but it was my first time at the Meat Packing location. The restaurant exudes glimmers of the Mediterranean, from the spacious, modern, chic decor from the plants on the wall to wicker armchairs, to the fresh healthy salads, Crostinis, olive oils, mushrooms, figs, butternut squash and lovely cheeses, meats and fish.
Our meal began with a taste of three distinct extra virgin olive oils with the restaurant’s freshly baked Rosemary Olive Oil Fougasse Bread. We then shared tasting dishes and shareable small plates, which were lovely and mouth-watering, like the Truffle Mushroom Croquettes and Heirloom Baby Beets and Burrata, as well as an assortment of Corstinis smothered with burrata, parmesan, ricotta, manchego, tomatoes, pesto, avocados, and other swoon-worthy ingredients. Our main course salads were healthy, green and sparkly, smothered with interesting ingredients like figs and olives (literally), quinoa, olive tapenade, scallions, cucumbers and more. Olive oil is used plentifully in everything; as are spices, spring from Executive Chef Pascal Lorange’s passion for olive oils and Mediterranean cuisine.
FIG & OLIVE’s signature dishes embody Executive Chef, Pascal Lorange’s passion for the best olive oils and cuisine from the Mediterranean region. Main dishes include Riviera Shrimp & Salmon Salad, Octopus a la Gallega, Zucchini Blossom & Goat Cheese Ravioli, Paella del Mar, Mediterranean Branzino, and the FIG & OLIVE Rosemary Lamb Chop. Desserts crafted by Pastry Chef Andrew LeStourgeon include Crème Brulee Cheesecake and the Caramelized Apple Tart. The wine list includes over 30 varietals from the South of France, Italy, and Spain that are offered by the glass, along with full bottles and champagne. FIG & OLIVE also offers a kid’s menu during lunch that offers pizza, chicken fingers with tomato basil dip, fish croquettes with lemon mayo, penne pasta with olive oil and a 1/4 roasted chicken with Herbs de Provence. These options range from $11-14 and are very much in the vein of the Mediterranean theme.
If you can’t make it to the French Riviera, the prix-fixe Mediterranean-inspired meals on Sunday, May 10th, in honor of Mother’s Day, are the next best thing.
For $40, guests will be able to partake in a three-course brunch featuring an assortment of appetizers, entrées, and desserts. Dishes include a Truffle Mushroom Croquette with cremini mushroom, parmesan, béchamel, and truffle oil aioli, Rosemary Lamb with bell pepper, Greek yogurt, honey, couscous with fig, red onion, scallion, tomato, and Koroneiki olive oil and Nougat Glacé with toasted pistachio, caramelized almond, olive oil crisp, orange marmalade honey, and orange-infused olive oil with micro basil.
They will also be serving a three-course dinner for $52, with dishes including Fig Gorgonzola Tartlet with prosciutto, gorgonzola dolce, fig, walnut, arugula, scallion, and tomato on thin puff pastry, Chilean Sea Bass with lemon thyme, carrot, asparagus, celery root purée, heirloom potato, charmoula, and mascarpone harissa olive oil emulsion, and Panna Cotta A L’Orange with cookie crumble and basil strawberry jam.
The result is truly magical and sublime, and I highly recommend you visit on Mother’s Day.
Disclosure: Holly’s meal was complimentary to facilitate this review but all opinions are my own.