I want Mas (Farmhouse)

One of the best things about a good restaurant in NYC is when no one you know has been there, no one evens knows it existed, and it’s still amazing. Mas is discreetly located on a very busy corner, right next to the popular Blue Ribbon (regular, not bakery, sushi, etc) and across the street from Blue Ribbon Wine (never been, is it good?) on Bedford and Downing. If you are looking for a see-and-be-seen place, where the people are dressed fancier than the food, Mas is not the place for you. But, if you are looking for a 4 hour tasting menu where you don’t even realize that time has passed, you came to the right place. We weren’t planning on the tasting menu, but the waitress convinced us with “they serve items not on the menu to show off the chef’s talent.” Uh, how can I say no to that? Especially when the chef is a winner of a James Beard award....

I’ll just go down the list and write tidbits on what I thought:
Duck Confit (ok, so I realized I don’t like duck, but the presentation was nice). Instead of this starter in our meat heavy tasting menu, I would have liked to try the Chilled Lobster Salad And Roasted Beet Carpaccio red cabbage, orange segments and a raspberry vinegar dressing, which I would have ordered if left to my own devices.
Prime Tenderloin Steak Tartare with fried quail egg moutarde violette and red endive salad(Actually great! I never had Steak tartar before. A little salty but savory)
Scallop (not on the menu – it was the best course we had. Perfectly cooked and delicious)
Roasted Monkfish in a Mushroom Stew with Carrot Puree, Roasted Pearl Onions and Cauliflower(thought it was chicken, seriously, when it came to the table I did, shows how little I know about chicken…)
Roasted Long Island Duck Breast organic farro, brussels sprouts and cranberry compote(again… duck)
Pork Belly (the boys loved this)
Dessert: We all got different ones, which is an amazing concept. The best was the Huckelberry - Hazelnut Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream & Honey Crème Fraiche. I have never heard of huckleberry before, but I think it’s like blueberries. All the desserts were different and all very good. It was great to have so many options to choose from at the end of the meal. I would be happy with one small piece of chocolate, but not everyone likes that.

The restaurant had a great atmosphere. It is very cozy, not necessarily romantic, but still date material. Impeccable service. No rushing. 9:15 reservation, left at 1am. The waitress was very helpful and knowledgeable. The water was constantly filled (always have to comment). We sat in the quiet back room with a lot of space between tables. No music or it was so soft didn’t distract us and kept the overall volume in the restaurant down. The main room was a little more crowded with closer tables and a big main communal table. A bountiful wine list just adds to the elegence of the restaurant.

If you never heard of Mas, and want to impress someone (like a date or even your parents), it is time to check it out. The menu changes daily, so do not be expecting the same as above.