Revel

10 Little West 12th St

What can one month's rent buy you in the Meatpacking District? A wedding reception dinner for 20. Revel is a decent size space that prides itself on its year round garden. This was my second time to the place, the first being a Halloween party in 2008 by bustamove nyc.

The venue turned out to be the perfect spot for the reception. The garden area sits around 40, so our group took up nearly half the space. The bride and groom prearranged a special pre-fixe menu for the occasion. As the only vegetarian, I had a slightly different meal from the rest. For my appetizer, I had polenta fritters with ratatouille; the main course was a rice dish with mixed vegetables; and for dessert, I had crème brulee.

My appetizer was delicious. It was a little on the salty side, but the ratatouille balanced it nicely. The entrée was average; once again it could have come from my kitchen sans recipe. The crème brulee was good, but I’ve had better. Sir Fancy Pants’ meal consisted of a crab cakes appetizer, the sirloin steak (the other option was salmon) and panacotta for dessert. One word regarding his dessert: outstanding. I am a newb in the world of panacotta, but my taste buds were mighty impressed. Even Sir Fancy Pants, well versed in panacottary, commented on how good it was. I also tried the third dessert option—tiramisu; once again, very good.

The best part about Revel is the crowd. Despite the fact it is located in über trendy Meatpacking, the vibe is much different than that of its neighbors. The people are much more down-to-earth and friendly; the aura of pretentiousness is not there like in the majority of places in Meatpacking. Plus, the manager went to great lengths to ensure our party was happy. The dinner was a success; everyone left full and happy.

Negatives include the women’s bathroom; there is one stall and the mirror is outside restroom. Also, the space was about half full on a Friday evening and never picked up. We stayed until 2am or later.

During both visits to Revel, the garden was enclosed with a retractable roof due to the season. With summertime right around the corner, I can think of nothing better than waking up on a gorgeous Sunday morning and heading over to Revel to enjoy Brunch in their open garden.


DAMAGE ~ A LOT
VERDICT: Go