Aloe

Seriously one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in NYC in a very long time. The staff is kind, unpretentious, attentive, and dedicated, and the food is superb. The dishes were inventive, extremely satisfying, and reasonably priced. The place is tiny - hidden on 9th street with just a single table on the ground floor. Once inside, you'll go downstairs to the dark and romantic dining room. Perfect for close friends, groups or dates. This one earns a 10+++. Pros: Quiet, cozy, unpretentious, great staff, delicious food more

Went to Aloe last weekend for the first time based on the great reviews and was not disappointed. The food and service were both exceptional. I highly recommend the bacon appetizer. I've never had bacon prepared in such a tender fashion before, really great! The Short Ribs were also extremely tender and delicious. I'll definitely be back soon! Pros: Food, Atmosphere more

Went with a lady friend on a Friday night and had a fantastic time. Made a reservation prior, and the restaurant was full by the time we arrived. We started with the Aloe Bellini's, which were phenomenal (the sorbet in the glass makes the drink really extraordinary. We had a nice, affordable bottle of wine, and started with the sweet and sticky calamari, which the waitress recommended. It was really exceptional. Then we shared the Short Rib (absolutely delicious) and the roast duck on a waffle, which was a combination I had never tried before. We had some gelato for dessert and were fortunate enough to meet the chef, Amit Kale, who could not have been more accommodating. It really was a great experience and really impressed my date that evening. We will definitely be making future dinner arrangements and look forward to going back to Aloe....hopefully before everyone finds out what a great dining experience it is. Pros: Exceptional Food Drinks & Service Cons: Few places can rival the food here. more

I swear, the people of Aloe were put on this planet for one purpose, and one purpose only.. to make mouth-watering and highly presentable meals! Never in my life has the taste of their featured dish "sweet and sour calamari" matched anything I have ever had. Truly, an exquisite place to dine. Their menu, offers precisely enough variety for anyone with any diet. The staff was so accommodating that when they saw we were sharing all our meals, they made sure to find out if we had any allergies so they could cater to each individual at the table and that we would enjoy the experience to the fullest. In my opinion, if you go with a couple of friends each order an appetizer and a meal and share it family style so that you can taste the versatility that Aloe has to offer. I cannot fully stress how tasteful the food really was. Their attention to detail is truly noticeable in every bite you eat. Other great dishes were; Scallops, Ribs, Duck, and their extensive list of wines that complement their meals very well. Don't forget to start out with the cheese plate, and end with their fabulous dessert wine and your choice of dessert. I went with a couple friends to catch up and the atmosphere was great for both an intimate meal with a loved one or just a night out with the girls. The atmosphere, but most importantly, the food will keep you coming back every week! A great addition to the East Village. ENJOY! Pros: Ambience, Food, Wine, Location more

Who would have thought to combine chicken fried monkfish, with chorizo and white cheddar macaroni accompanies by home pickled zuchini? All the combinations worked; we all had such fun tasting each other's entrees that by dessert, the waitress put all our choices on a large platter and gave us each utensils! The chef, Amit Kale, has studied under Emeril, and has surpassed his mentor. Get in to this restaurant before everyone else discovers it!! Pros: great food, enthusiastic staff Cons: it may be a little noisy, when filled to capacity more

We went saturday night. My friend was late for our reservation and they could not have been more accomodating while I waited for her to get there. The place is small and intimate,and the food - it was so good, we were still talking about it the next day. the other reviewers are not kidding the calamari is that good, and so was the scallop appetizer. The duck breast was my favorite - served with petite brussel sprouts and served on a maple waffle! Our server(who is also a Sommelier) was a total doll, and the Chef/Owner Amit came out to chat with us when we were having coffee. I will absolutely be back, hopefully I'll be able to get in when I do! Pros: excellent food, service Cons: food i excellent so, it may be too small for demand when word of mouth gets out more

Went here on a first date last night and had a little of everything (hence the name "aloe." - greeted by a friendly hostess and later, the chef, himself, dinner in its entirety exceeded my expectations. the calamari is incredible and my salmon came out perfect...even ordered the duck appetizer which would not have been my usual selection but would now highly recommend. overall, a great experience if you want to try something new. the decor is mediocre, and the atmosphere is casual; yet the food is top of the line. more

Not just a meal, but one of the best experiences in a restaurant I've had in a long time. Chef Amit Kale's food shines with an inventive menu. The three of us ordered all of the first courses except the fresh greens (making room for dessert, of course), which included Sweet and Sour Calamari and Cheese Beignet Salad. Unfortunately I forgot the details of the other dishes and do not wish to lessen them by just saying Duck and Blintzes, but they were wonderful nonetheless. The menu is certainly inventive, and definitely caught my eye, enough to cull me into the restaurant. I obviously did not regret this. The decor and layout is quaint, quiet, and romantic. To top of a great meal and service, Chef Kale came and introduced himself (it helped we were the last table in the place). To have Chef Kale speak of his experience and background definitely shows his passion. I wish him and staff at alOe all the best and I will definitely be back. It is up to those reading these reviews to visit and support inventive chefs and restaurants such as alOe. But you can only appreciate this if you visit. more

A hidden gem in the East Village. I brought a group of friends there and we sampled half their menu. Every dish was home run. The menu is inventive and surprising, but does not over reach. The prices are very reasonable considering the quality of food and service. A great date spot for any foodie. Casual atmosphere; exquisite food. Will definitely go back. Pros: Creative Chef, Great Service Cons: Half the restaurant on basement level more

Aloe came recommended to me by a friend, and it didn't disappoint. As a new restaurant, it is still finding its footing in some ways but any rough edges were definitly compensated for by the great service and flavorful dishes. The waitress was busy working a full house but still answered all of our questions graciously and gave a great wine suggestion. The calamari appetizer came highly recomended by my friend and was really good--sweet, sour, delicatly fried. For dinner we had the seared tuna (in an amazingly flavorful thai broth), the halibut over rice (the chef should patent the rice recipe, I think it lasted a whole five miutes on our plate) and the crispy duck over lavendar waffels. The chef made a few appearances, presenting dishes and making it feel like we were dining in someone's home. I prefer to dine in smaller, cozy, neighborhood restaurants and Aloe fits the bill. I'll be back. more

This restaurant had a cute atmosphere in a nice section of the city. The orange blossom infused ice tea's started the meal deliciously. The sweet and sour Calamari appetizer was probably the best calamari I've ever had, and my friends at the table agreed. The braised short ribs were the favorite meal of the table, while the others were tasty as well. Overall a good experience with a friendly staff and comfortable atmosphere. Pros: Food, Service, Location Cons: None more

I am SURE I will be returning to this spot. I saw a lot of items on the menu that I need to try. I went with 4 people, so I did get to sample a few things- Loved the tuna appetizer and the calamari is the best I have ever had, also loved the duck, the short ribs, and halibut...aloe is a a great acronym, but also is a delightful nectar that was fun to drink before going onto dessert- and that's my favorite part of dinner and I'll just say don't be afraid to try the lemon-basil sorbet!!!! Pros: cool atmosphere, friendly and knowledgable staff, unique and fun courses-DELICIOUS! Cons: none more

I had the calamari and the ribs. Unusual flavor combinations. I was worried at first--the restaurant was very empty, but VERY pleased to have found such a great (still unknown) restaurant nearby. Not too loud. Friendly staff. Pros: Food and Wine Cons: Small space more

New resturant opened a few months ago. A little pricey, but the food was amazing. The service was great. Very hospitable. A must try! The calamari and tuna/crab was great. For the main course...ribs and duck and waffles were unique. The ribs did melt in my mouth and the duck and waffles were a unique touch. The desert...oreo cheese cake with the recommended port wine...perfect paring...these guys are a diamond in the rough. Give it a try before it gets crazy. Amit the chef...came out and talked to us...very personal people...different menus over the course of the year...we'll be back! Pros: Service, food, environment Cons: price more

by LR025 6/21/07 Owner-Chef Amit pours his heart in the uniquely flavored preparations of calamari, short ribs, tuna stuffed with crabmeat and duck confit at this new East village restaurant. I have tasted all these dishes and very fresh salads served at Aloe with my family and friends and loved every bite. The restaurant has a short but well covered wine list. The service is excellent . Hope to eat in this restaurant as often as I can. more

We found this place right here on cityseach. We were going drinking in East Village and just wanted to have a nice dinner before. The food is absolutely delicious and original. I had short ribs and the meat just melted in my mouth. I am definitely going back to try another dishes. Oh, and for desert you have to try their sorbets! Pros: THE FOOD Cons: none more

When we went to ALOE- it was truly a find. There are few east village restaurants that have gourmet quality food at east village prices. The wine list is quite extensive and not terribly pricey. The Sweet and Sticky Calamari has to be the best in the city...We had a really nice time and will surely be going back soon. This place has a cozy setting, perfect food and won't break the bank. Pros: Great food and well priced, nicely selected wine list Cons: Parking more

This place is one of my favorites in the east village! The chef has thought up a truly amazing menu. Best dishes are the duck and waffles (so crispy and sweet), the sweet and sour calamari, and the braised short ribs. You can tell every dish was well thought out and made with such care. The atmosphere is so cozy and intimate. Great for small group or romantic dinner. I will definitely be back! more

we had the pleasure of dining at aloe on thursday evening, and the food was outstanding. we literally scraped every plate clean. we had two appetizers, the blue cheese beneigt salad and the confited duck breast, both of which were fantastic, my favorite being the duck. i think i've had every part of the duck confited except the breast, which is amazing prepared that way. the beneigts were very good too. for our entree we split the chicken three way, and the wing part of the dish went immaculately with our wine (pouilley fousse chard). the breast was perfectly moist and any good cook knows grilling chicken breasts perfectly is one of the hardest tasks to accomplish on a menu. and finally we had the smores housemade cheese cake for dessert, inF--kingcredible! the service is impeccable, being a one woman show, the house manager was acting server as well that night. she was thouroughly educated about both the menu and the wine list which, i believe to be the most important part of service. anyway, all in all i will definitly go back, and anyone living within the vicinity of the restaurant should make it their new local haunt. while dining the chef mentioned they might be adding a small plate menu soon! i'll be back. more

My boyfriend took me to ALOE for my birthday and everything about it made it the best birthday dinner ever! The atmosphere was totally mellow and relaxing and the service was attentive and friendly. Their bathrooms were spotless which was very comforting (a clean bathroom means a clean kitchen!). The decor was so simple yet beautiful (upstairs and down). The music playing set such a nice vibe throughout the meal. I am a vegetarian and the chef was more than happy to work with me to make me happy. We enjoyed everything from our bread sticks to our delicious desert! The wine collection that they have was so eclectic and really yummy (I actually had 2-3 glasses of different kinds!). The food that we ordered tasted like nothing I've ever experienced before. It had so many different flavors in each bite that it completely satisfied my entire palate!! My boyfriend and I cleared our plates and wished we weren't so full because we would have ordered more! We cannot wait to go again and get something different! We have been encouraging everyone we know to stop in for a meal. Please go, you won't regret!!! Pros: Everything was perfect! more