Black Cat Café
93 Murray St. (east of Parent Ave.)
About
News flash! Dining is fun again. Not a lot was invested in the decor of this two-room (plus terrace) storefront -- wooden tables, some geometric patterns painted on the walls -- but once the inventive food starts coming, you won't even notice or care. The chefs' new take on gazpacho one night, for instance, consisted of milk, almonds, and cut green grapes served in a tumbler -- not a tomato in sight. Soup-sandwich-and-fries here might turn out to be a cup of lobster bisque, melted mascarpone between baguette croutons, and frites with five garnishes. Even the usual main courses take a couple of sidesteps from the norm, as with a beef tenderloin studded with olives or pistachios dressed with a scallion and juniper marmalade. Service is casual, and the waitstaff describe the novel preparations in as much detail as you need to figure out what's up. A bonus: There's a sign between the men's and women's restrooms declaring use is limited to 5 minutes. Find out why.
