Friendly Style Volume 2 by The Eden Place

NYC food enthusiasts of all sorts, come enjoy fine dining in finer company

Peep our new logo. Designed by Sasha Valgardsson of Frequent Practice

Happy Friday fronds!

To many people’s delights, I’m so excited that Team Eden is back with a new volume of dinners for Friendly Style. Starting something is never easy but the enthusiasm, joy, and well-intended hunger that you brought to these dinners made it so easy to do another round of these.

To everyone that applied, dined, took pictures, offered words of encouragement and well-needed feedback- thank you so much! In exciting news, we also got featured in this Eater article about the new trend of dinner parties. Honoured to be in such good company!

For those who are new to Friendly Style by The Eden Place, it is a concept series where we gather food enthusiasts to dine at some of the best restaurants that New York City has to offer.

The Eden Place is an emerging social club for food lovers. We’re still in our early innings and are launching concepts that allow people to appreciate food and community in exciting ways!

Here is what you can expect from Friendly Style Dinners

• 20-40 people of varying backgrounds with some varying interests in food

• The best dishes at the most popping restaurants in NYC

• Conversations about good food, new communities, and new ways to socialize intentionally.

• Fun raffle prizes

Sounds tantalizing? APPLY HERE by May 9th for a chance to dine Friendly Style. Once you’re in, you will get an email with the next steps. The application helps us ensure that we are curating people with the best of intentions and also give us a sense of how eager you are to dine with peeps (we accept all varying levels of food eagerness)

Dinners will be priced from $60-$180. I know how expensive outside is and we want to make sure all different types of peeps can attend because there is so much beauty in diverse communities. This price includes the cost of dinners, drinks, vibes, and also the effort in putting together a memorable dining experience that you’ll tell everyone about. Additionally, dietary restrictions and allergies can be accommodated as need be.

I’m beyond EXCITED about the restaurants that we have for this round of dinners. I’ve heard some have booking rates comparable to Stanford, some are incredible neighbourhood joints, and some are new concepts that the food world desperately needs.

So put on your best spring-summer outfits, practice the hand motions for passing plates, and join us in dining Friendly Style! Cannot wait to see former and future Friendly Style attendees over the next few weeks.

Let’s dig into the restaurants!

*- We are still finalizing menus with these restaurants as they create dishes seasonally. We will send menus once we have them finalized.

BONNIE’S

Directions | Website

Thursday, May 26th 8:00 pm, Tuesday, May 31st 5:00 pm

Price: $180

Tag yourself. I’m the fish head. Photo by Adam Friedlander for Eater NY

NYC’s hottest is the standing room corner at Bonnie’s. Since its opening night two months ago, there is nary an empty seat in the Williamsburg eatery. Brooklyn native and Win Son alum Calvin Eng is whipping iconic dishes celebrating his Taiwanese heritage with that cool boy NYC flair. The airy space is blasting with 90s jams that you will fight the urge to resist shimmying in your seat as you dive into the cacio e pepe, stuff your face with the iconic Cha Sui McRib as you wash it down with that MSG martini.

But with all the heartiness that comes with this feast, the theme of banquet energy stays strong with dessert. Stick to healthy things and get the teeming fruit plate or the decadent sundae with fried milk cubes, buttered peanuts, and Ovaltine fudge.

We know how popular this joint was so we have not one but TWO nights where you can come dine Friendly Style.

Dishes to Expect:

• tinned dace fish

• cha sui McRib

• Cantonese cacio e pepe

BROOKLYN HOTS

Directions | Website

Wednesday, May 11th 7:00 pm; Friday, May 20th 7:00 pm

Price: $90

Trashy plates, classy wine. Photo by Adam Friedlander for Eater NY

Every year, there is a dish that pays homage to their hometown and New Yorkers will turn into that wholesome place to cure some semblance of FOMO. Brian Heiss and the team are doing just that with “trash plates”

Unofficially dubbed the heritage dish of Rochester, NY, this hodgepodge dish is the socially acceptable way to mix all the sides from your family’s BBQ! Consider the signature plate, home fries and mac salad paired with grilled chicken and topped with onions and hot sauce. You can also build your own with a solid selection that would rival any salad place. Even better, everything is made without processed meats or frozen veggies so it’s giving ORGANIC!

While the joint is BYOB, Team Eden will be bringing the booze and the non-booze that will pair well with trashy plates. Hot STUFF!

Dishes to Expect:

• Natural hot dogs

• Cheeseburgers (Beyond Meat and regular beef)

• Personalized trash plates

CHINESE TUXEDO

Directions | Website

Thursday, May 12th 8:00 pm

Price: $180

Taking its name from Chinatown’s first fine-dining spot, famed international executive chef Paul Donnelly and his team are presenting traditional banquet-style dishes with a bit of a twist.

Yes, it’s got a clubby vibe but reader it’s got all the good parts of club life. You get to enjoy your meal and impeccable desserts in plush booths as you spin dishes lazy Susan style with peeps. Also, their cocktails are quite innovative and rival any of the other ritzy libation joints about town.

Dishes to Expect

• Sweet potato curry spring roll

• steamed branzino

• Vegetarian xo fried rice

DAME

Directions | Website

Sunday May 15th 2022 1:00pm, Sunday May 29th 2022 6:00pm

Price: $120 lunch, $180 dinner

With the heart of a British chip shop & the aesthetic of a modern English lawn club, Dame is showing NYC peeps that there is a high bar for hearty seafood.

Co-owners Patricia Howard & Ed Szymanski have crafted a menu showcasing innovative ways to consume all the goodies under the sea. Their fish and chips are glorious with a crispy batter pairing beautifully with fish that melts on your tongue. And you know this joint is authentic because of the malt vinegar that pops up next to your chips (sorry sorry I meant fries)

Dishes to expect:

• grilled oysters with green chartreuse hollandaise

• fish pie

• proper English chips(French fries in American)

• lemon posset

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE*

Directions | Website

Tuesday, May 10th 2022 7:30 PM

Price: $120

Picture so good we’re using it twice. Photo by Zachary Zavislak for The New Yorker.

Inspired by the cuisine of his home state, Kwara, in Northern Nigeria, chef Ayo Balogun has curated a delicious menu that fosters conversation in an intimate setting. This is Balogun’s fourth rodeo creating dining experiences (and a coffee shop) in Bed Stuy but with Department of Culture, he wants to emulate the experiences of a Nigerian café but with the plating of a fine dining restaurant.

Ayo doesn’t open on Tuesdays but he gave us that diaspora special (I made this up) to do another round of Friendly Style dinners.

Come enjoy dishes like wara (a milk curd recipe), efo riro (stewed greens), and suya (grilled skewers) while Fela Kuti and Sunny Ade tracks flow in the background.

Please note that this will be a 4-course tasting menu.

Some dishes to expect: In the spirit of seasonality, the menu is developed and will be sent to you before

DINNER PARTY*

Directions | Website

Thursday, June 2nd 7:30 PM, Sunday, June 5th 12:30 PM

Price: $60 brunch, $90 dinner

Photo courtesy of Dinner Party

Dinner Party is the perfect example of a solid group project. Started by six women last year with little professional culinary experience but a deep passion for hospitality and gatherings, this restaurant is an ode to cozy vibes both gastronomically and aesthetically.

It has the vibes of your timeless friend. You know the exceptional vintage-clad hostess with the spirit of a coastal grandma. Matching the well-curated vintage furniture, the dishes are wholesome, hearty, and a deep celebration of seasonal produce. You’re really going to enjoy nature’s bounty through simple execution and sophisticated flavours.

FALANSAI*

Directions | Website

Wednesday, May 25th 2022 7:00 pm

Price: $180

Photo by The Infatuation

I’ve started this new tradition where I reach into the interwebz and ask fellow food enthusiasts which restaurants they would deem Friendly Style.

Thank you to the lovely peeps on the Internet who recommended Falansai, a relatively new Vietnamese-American restaurant. Judging from thoughtful Eater reviews and great Instagram pics, this is going to be an incredible meal!

We are entering this restaurant renaissance where chefs are showcasing their heritage while remaining undeterred by the old guard says. Eric Tran and his team are determined to use their dishes as a way to feed and teach the world the beauty of Vietnamese cuisine.

For my adventurous eaters in the chat, come relish in Dac Biet, a special Vietnamese tasting menu. Featuring seasonal dishes that meld Vietnamese and Mexican dishes, you’re definitely leaving with your hearts and bellies full.

OLMSTED

Directions | Website

Tuesday, May 17th 7:00 pm

Price: $180

With every round of Friendly Style dinners, I have one place that I think is fit to bring my very East Coast prep parents. Yes, you know what I mean the place where you bring the parents to meet your new Hinge boo or the place where you bring your grandparents to explain while you live in a shoebox for the vibes.

Olmsted does farm to table exceptionally well. The farmer chef duo of Greg Baxtrom and Ian Rothman have created a culinary institution that gives off this sense that they are chill but are really pretentious about the quality of dishes that they are serving.

I didn’t know it was possible to make vegetables so delectable while staying true to their core flavours. I had their apple-infused doughnuts years ago and I still remember the flavours as they were melting on my tongue.

Dishes to Expect

• lime leaf popcorn monkfish

• rutabaga soup

• rainbow carrot cake

Thanks for reading through!

To save scrolling energy, here is the link again to APPLY for Friendly Style. You’ve got till MAY 9TH :)

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please shoot me a note!

Can’t wait to dine with you soon :)

Your pal in plates,

Abena