wd-50: wd-50 may very well be responsible for the Lower East Side’s metamorphosis from seedy nabe to the faux-hawked it-spot you know and secretly love. Named after owner/chef Wylie Dufresne (formerly of neighbor 71 Clinton Fresh Food), wd-50 serves up modest plates of New American fare for the foodie set. The seven-seater bar is perfectly nice, but not necessarily the kind of place where you pop in for a drink. Better to save your pennies and indulge in the whole shebang—dinner and one (or five) of wd-50’s signature or seasonal cocktails, like the Royal Blush (vodka, lime juice, cherry puree, and champagne) or beet sangria (brandy, red wine, triple sec, beet juice, and orange salt). Don’t get too drunk, though, or you won’t notice the restaurant’s cool but sparse design. Even the bathroom is meticulously designed, but the stalls are hard to work, even when you’re sober. |
