April 13, 2010 | Event Spaces, First Look

First Look | Betel

Inspired by the hawker stalls of Southeast Asia and Sydney’s Thai food culture, Aussie Chef Adam Woodfield and his partner Luke Fryer have set out to reinvent the typical Thai restaurant in New York City. At Betel, their newly launched West Village hotspot, the unique menu features a mix of smaller dishes and communal plates offering three distinct flavor profiles: sweet, sour and spicy.

Highlights include Chicken Betel Leaf with smoked eggplant chili and shallot jeow, Pomelo, Asparagus & Cashew Salad with Thai basil, chili jam and coconut dressing and Stir-fried Tuna with chili jam, snake bean, cashew nut.

London based designer Martin Brudnizki, best known for his work on Le Caprice at the Pierre Hotel (New York), Cecconi’s (Los Angeles) and Jamie Oliver’s Recipease (London), brings his “minimalist deluxe” aesthetic to Betel combining rich woods and silk covered lanterns with industrial touches such as exposed brick and an aged pewter top for the main bar.

An ideal place for entertaining, Betel offers a 24 seat bar, a 20 seat high table for casual dining or standing, 55 seats in the dining room with one large communal table for 14 as well as an intimate 20 seat lounge behind the bar with low seating – perfect for private dinners or a small cocktail party.

Betel | 51 Grove Street, New York (between Bleecker and 7th Avenue), 212 352 0460