Bin on Bleecker

A while ago, Mr. M&P and I met up with a couple of his friends for dinner. He grew up with one of them and we all live in Manhattan now. We're in such close proximity to each other but never stay in touch. That's a sad thing. We all need to try harder to keep in touch with friends. Facebook, emails, texts, etc are not the same. So we all headed out one night to Bin on Bleecker for some wine and food.

We started off with some cheese and meats to share (5 choices for $24). Here we have La Tur Triple Creame, Piave Vecchio, Asiago Pressato, Prosciutto Parma (+$3), and hot coppa. It came with some honey, sliced apples, dates, and a variety of bread. Everything was very nice and the right amount as a light starter for 4 people. The cheese was creamy which some pieces are more pungent than others. The salty meats paired well with the cheeses. The fruit, both fresh and dried, helped balance out the heaviness of the other ingredients.

None of us were really that hungry to order full on entrees so we picked smaller portions. One person had the Arancini ($12) which are fried rice balls. These were made with smoked mozzarella, marinara sauce, and spicy ricotta. I think he liked this very much. It smelled good coming to the table.

His wife had the Meatballs ($15) that came with barley, mushrooms, and parsley. Two medium sized meatballs were enough. I don't remember what she mentioned about it but it satisfied her just fine.

They also ordered a side of the cauliflower gratin ($8) which was very good. I normally do not like cauliflower but this was very good. I mean, it was smothered in cheese. Light yet creamy from the cheese. Baked into something wonderfully delicious. I would order this again.

I had the Charred Octopus Salad ($17) with prosciutto, frisee, and spicy soy sauce. This was just okay. The octopus wasn't as tender as I hoped it would be. The beans and the salad were mediocre. Nothing special. But it was a light dish that didn't bog me down.

Mr. M&P had the Chicken Panini ($15) with bacon, mozzarella, spinach, and dill mayo. It came with a side of spring salad. This was definitely the largest dish of the night at around the same prices as the other food. And it was the most filling. Mr. M&P thought his sandwich was okay and finished it all. The fresh ingredients helped keep it light.

We also ordered of fried brussel sprouts ($8). Sorry about the blurry picture! Anyway, these were meh. They came pretty greasy with the bacon, lemon, and chili flakes. They weren't enjoyable and I stopped eating it after one or two.

Overall, I enjoyed Bin on Bleecker. It's a nice wine bar with lots of affordable wines to choose from. The food was mediocre but if you're just looking for a snack, the meat and cheese platter is the way to go.

Bin on Bleecker
264 Bleecker Street
Between 6th and 7th Ave.
New York, NY 10014
(212) 620-3111
binonbleecker.com