Return to 5 Ninth

Note: This is a review of 5 Ninth under founding chef Zak Pelaccio. After numerous changes of both chef and format, the restaurant closed in early 2013.

*

My friend and I had dinner at 5 Ninth last Friday evening. The restaurant was running a bit late, and our 9:00pm reservation was honored at more like 9:20.

Some of the silly service quirks remain from my last visit, such as serving bread without bread plates. This seems so elementary that it defies belief they haven’t thought of it. On the other hand, the wine list is to the restaurant’s credit. We had no trouble identifying a very pleasing red for around $27, where one would much more commonly pay something in the 40’s at a restaurant in this price range.

We both started with the Berkshire Pork Belly in a garlic chilli paste. It was four gorgeous hunks of pure fat, which is of course the tastiest part of the animal, so we found it wonderful.

Anything after that was bound to seem bland. My friend had the hangar steak, and I had a baramundi (one of the day’s market specials). The baramundi had a nice crisp exterior, but it was totally unmemorable after the pork belly.

I didn’t note the prices of individual items (and they aren’t shown on the website), but the total for two, with tax and tip, was a very reasonable $127.36.

5 Ninth (5 Ninth Avenue between Gansevoort & Little West 12th Streets, Meatpacking District)

Food: *
Service: *
Ambiance: Satisfactory
Overall: *