On December 5th, 2006, pioneering chef Dennis Foy opened his eponymous Contemporary American restaurant in Tribeca (313 Church Street). Estella Quiñones-Foy, Mr. Foy’s wife and longtime business partner, will oversee the front of the house. Mr. Foy, a self-taught chef, is “one of the [Garden] State’s founding fathers of haute cuisine” (Anthony Giglio, New Jersey Life, 3/1/06). He has owned and operated critically acclaimed restaurants in New Jersey and New York City for more than 30 years, including Mondrian and EQ in Manhattan and The Tarragon Tree in Meyersville, New Jersey.
In addition to being a chef, Mr. Foy is an accomplished landscape painter whose work is regularly exhibited at galleries. The walls of DENNIS FOY are lined with his seascapes and landscapes, painted in a vibrant, “Abstract Realist” style; all of the canvases are available for purchase. Complementing his paintings are multi-colored vaulted arches and silk-ribbed, cranberry-hued chandeliers that lend a warm, serene feel to the 60-seat dining room. In addition to the main dining room, there is an elegant, 30-seat private dining room downstairs in the wine cellar.
In addition to being a chef, Mr. Foy is an accomplished landscape painter whose work is regularly exhibited at galleries. The walls of DENNIS FOY are lined with his seascapes and landscapes, painted in a vibrant, “Abstract Realist” style; all of the canvases are available for purchase. Complementing his paintings are multi-colored vaulted arches and silk-ribbed, cranberry-hued chandeliers that lend a warm, serene feel to the 60-seat dining room. In addition to the main dining room, there is an elegant, 30-seat private dining room downstairs in the wine cellar.
Estella and I want to imprint our personal stamp on the dining experience here. From the food on the plate to the paintings on the walls to the warm service, it all reflects our sensibility,” Mr. Foy said. “What’s more, we hope that through my style of cooking, the prices, and the atmosphere, the restaurant will be a great local spot for Tribeca residents and a dining destination in its own right.”
The cuisine at DENNIS FOY is satisfying, seasonal, French-influenced Contemporary American fare. Examples include: Warm Crabmeat Tian; Sea Scallops with Savoy Cabbage, Cèpes, and Parsnip Puree; and Roasted Loin of Lamb with Acorn Squash, Broccoli Rabe, and Black Pepper Gastrique. Some of the dishes are classics with an offbeat accent, such as Torchon of Foie Gras with “Eis and Snow”—a traditional treatment of foie gras served with an Eiswein gelée (a creative twist on the common beverage accompaniment), and a garnish of a “snow” powder made from foie gras.
The restaurant’s pastry chef is Kimberly Bugler, a French Culinary Institute graduate, who employs modern techniques in her globally-influenced desserts. For example, her Coconut Caramel Bar with Mango-Lime Sorbet receives an experimental touch with a small nest of “Lychee Ribbon,” made with agar and resembling miniature pappardelle. Ms. Bugler was a competitor in the 2005 National Pastry Team Championships and 2004 World Culinary Olympics.
The restaurant’s global wine list was crafted by Ivan Ruiz, a sommelier and wine consultant who has worked with Mr. Foy for almost two decades and spends part of the year in his native Argentina making his own wine. Highlights from the 100-label list are a 2005 Clos de la Vierge Jurancon Sec2002 Saviah Cellars Red Mountain Syrah (France, $40); a (USA, $70); and Mr. Ruiz’s own wine, a 2003 Moviada Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina, $36).
DENNIS FOY is open for dinner Monday–Saturday, from 5:30–11 PM. The restaurant will open for lunch and weekend brunch in the Spring. For reservations, call 212-625-1007. To reach DENNIS FOY by subway, take the A, C, E, N, Q, R, W, or 6 trains to Canal Street, or the 1 train to Franklin Street.
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