Tasting menus around the world are really getting out of control. For what some people pay for their monthly rent, you could have a 12-16-course tasting menu at a beautiful restaurant like Eleven Madison Park or Per Se. So usually when I hear the term “tasting menu,” I already think it’s going to be in the hundreds-of-dollars range. It was shocking when Chris found Coarse NYC, a small restaurant in the West Village owned and managed by these British guys, which has a tasting menu that is only $69, or $89 if you want to include full wine pairings.

Every dish there was creative and beautifully presented, and the service was genuine, warm, and friendly. The chef came out multiple times to ask us how the dishes and wine were. It actually felt sometimes as though we were in his house eating food he was preparing in his own kitchen given the level of warmth and hospitality.

I’m not saying that $69 isn’t a lot to spend on food; it’s a lot to spend on food, but for the city, a “cheap” price to spend for a tasting menu given how crazy prices get here. I’m actually scared that this place may not last given how rent hikes often happen here and the scary two-year limit for the majority of restaurants in this city, even the spectacular ones.