The Village Idiot is a casual, English-style pub and restaurant in an airy Melrose Avenue space that once housed the famed Chianti Cucina (the cast of Gone With the Wind had its Oscar party there). The owners—both with restaurant and entertainment backgrounds, having worked for the Food Network—wanted to create a place similar to those they found in London. High ceilings, an open kitchen, a central bar, and dark wood furniture fill the room; large windows look out to the bustling street. The eclectic menu is full of uncomplicated fare like crayfish bisque, steak and potato pies, fish and chips, and braised pork shank with cannellini; in their words, there are “no science experiments in the kitchen, and no abstract art on the plate.” A great place for a pint or a glass of wine, the Village Idiot seats 150. —Lesley Balla
Posted 01.25.07
Posted 01.25.07
