this weekend has been jam packed with goodness! after attending a blog event on the lower east side, my friend and hair guru gina ribando of symposia nyc grabbed some brunch with me at root & bone. i actually had a reservation at root & bone a while back but had to cancel last minute and was super devastated because i had been dying to try their take on comfort food. however, i knew i’d eventually check it off of my bucket list and yesterday’s feast did not disappoint. the overall vibe and aesthetic suits the menu to a tee. while it’s still a casual environment, root & bone boasts a quaint, southern, shabby chic charm. whitewashed brick walls and wooden furnishings are the foundation for the mix-matched floral china displayed upon the tables as you first take your seat. behind the bar are beer draughts made of bone (clever!) and in the front entrance, you’ll find a display of the restaurant’s mason-jar-dessert-du-jour. it’s a small but nicely decorated space with a good amount of outdoor seating for when the weather is cooperating. to drink, i tried a tequila-based cocktail infused with serrano pepper and a sprig of dill. as our ‘appetizer’, gina and i split an order of pork belly bacon which was melt-in-your-mouth good, as well as an order of bonuts. yes, that is what you think it is. a biscuit-donut hybrid. when i say these things were like crack….. i’m 100% serious. even after i was completely tapped out, my wandering hand continued picking at what was left of this dish. needless to say, we had dessert first. for our main courses, gina made a decent and healthy choice by trying the sweet potato avocado ‘toast’ – which she loved, especially considering it was smothered in goat cheese. goat cheese + anything = yes. for my main course, i wasn’t nearly as beach-body-conscious…. because i shamelessly devoured the (half) ‘bucket of bird’ which comes brined in sweet tea. the fried chicken paired perfectly with buckwheat cheddar waffles, which i doused in both maple syrup and hot sauce. i know, i know………… i’m going to the gym as soon as i finish writing this, i swear. i’m so glad i finally tried root & bone. their chicken is definitely all it’s cracked up to be – with the perfect amount of flavor and seasoning. as somewhat of a fried chicken connoisseur, i can confidently say that the best kind is the kind that actually tastes like chicken. it’s so easy for the meat to be overpowered by brines, dry-rubs and marinades, but root & bone has this flavor thing down to a science. and…. bonuts!!!!!!! i’ll definitely be back for round two with the hubby. how can i resist? thanks to the team at root & bone for being such wonderful hosts. check them out on instagram – and don’t forget to follow me, too!
