Epistrophy

200 Mott St

At Epistrophy, everything is simple. Simple food, simple décor, simple music, even simple and softly-spoken bartenders. The exterior has that country café look, with yellow sidewalk tables, huge glass windows (that open up during warm weather) and pretty green window frames. Inside, there are couches up front, wooden tables and chairs in back, and a corner bar where couples can pull up stools, taste wines and chat with whichever bartender happens to be working that day (they’re all quiet, quirky hipsters with dark intellectual-looking glasses). Singles, don’t be afraid. Epistrophy welcomes you to sit for as long as you like over a glass of wine or freshly roasted organic espresso and even invites you to pull out a laptop and use their free wifi.

The wine list is extensive, with reds, whites, rosés, and sparkling wines from around the globe. Particular attention is paid to Italian wines (the owners, Luca Fadda and Giorgia Zedda are Sardinian). Many wines can be ordered by the glass or carafe, while special Reserves are offered by the bottle. Personally, I really enjoyed the Orvieto Classico from Umbria, Italy, recommended by the bartender/waiter for its aromatic and clean taste.

Everything about Epistrophy is uncomplicated, especially the food. To start, try a plate of cheese and vegetables, fruit, or cold cuts. Otherwise, try the crostone, which receive endless accolades. From where I sat across the room, I could hear a girl at the bar talking about her delicious tomato and fresh oregano crostone. They also offer more interesting combinations like proscuitto, eggplant and fontina.

We tried the “toast” appetizer, thankfully to share. Don’t be fooled; this is a whole sandwich with proscuitto, fontina, avocado and tomato between two slices of toasted rye! If I have one complaint about this place, it’s that that sandwich was a little dry and in desperate need of some dressing (which the waiter happily supplied upon request).

For my next course, I had the chicken salad: a lovely mix of lettuces, a huge slab of avocado, poached chicken, grape tomatoes and sliced carrots. It was a perfect size portion dressed with the perfect amount of oil and vinegar (though they put extra O&V on the table in case you want more).

They offer half a dozen other salads, each with an interesting mix of fresh vegetables (like fennel or zucchini), fruits (pear or apple), protein (tuna or smoked salmon), and cheeses (mozzarella or parmagian). Some salads are even sprinkled with walnuts. There are also countless panini and fresh pastas, and some main dishes (roasted chicken, beef short ribs, or braised pork) offered at lunch and dinner for those who want to do more than graze.

At Epistrophy, you get just about what you expect: clean simple food in a no-pretense atmosphere. The food, the wine and the décor combine to make a place that is comfortably rustic and effortless chic too.

- The Grazer