I love the idea of Beecher's. Kurt Beecher Dammeier is your good ol' cheese-lovin', family-oriented food entrepreneur who was able to build a business without sacrificing his values of nutritious, clean food. I love the idea of Beecher's.
The retail shop and bistro located in Flatiron is an interesting place. Once the heavy door thuds behind you, you find yourself in an expansive, well-lit space with dark wood floor and high ceilings. The impressive cheese display is almost Trader Joe's-esque, striking a good balance between modernized efficiency and simple American charm.
And then it gets even more interesting, because the hostess will take note of the fact that you're apprehensively checking out the rigid iron staircase to go into the cellar, and immediately ask if you would like to check your coat and - oh - your ID please.
Quick comment. Obviously, one should always strive to 1) do business legally and 2) avoid having cheese-shoppin' teenagers *cough* puking all over your 21+ patrons but the idea of having to have your ID checked before you enter an establishment just screams SHADY (and you're descending into a dark cellar down a rigid iron staircase, by the way). Really unnecessary for a place like Beecher's where you've got families shopping for cheeses upstairs and salarymen and -women enjoying an after-work drink downstairs, and IDs can be checked discreetly at the well-spaced tables. But to each their own.
So you clunk your way down, and "interesting" starts to get a little weird. Towards the back you've got a sexy lounge with suede couches and impractically small and low tables for couples who want to cuddle and whisper secrets in each others' ears over a cocktail, towards the center you've got a communal long table (think Le Pain Quotidien) that I'm guessing is trying to capture that old-world flair of hearty cheeseboards and tankards of beer, and towards the front you've got your regular dark wood chairs and tables for chowing down with a glass of wine. What was consistent: medium-loud rock music and dim lighting.
Say what?
But anyway, I snagged a table towards the front and waited for my friend. And we both loved the happy hour prices. Wines are $5, cocktails are $6, and food is $7. Nothing is over half of what you would usually pay for! Keep that in mind as you taste and sample, and you'll make an enthusiastic mental note to come to Beecher's again especially since service is quite friendly yet perfunctory.
You're looking at the cheese plate with Beecher's own cheeses paired with raisins, hazelnuts, pecans, and crackers. Let's start with the special cocktail of the day, white sangria, to the right.
This one confused me. Sangria is premixed and set aside to infuse the flavors of bright, citrusy fruits and acidic alcohol, but why leave the ice in there especially at a temperature where they've mostly melted into the drink? The finished product is watery, very acidic, with no fruitiness whatsoever other than an unpleasant candy taste towards the beginning.
I'd like to make the concession that sangria probably isn't the best choice at a place like Beecher's, but I was really hankering for it that day. Don't make the same mistake!
The cheese plate was, eh, okay. I - blasphemy! - forgot which these two were, but I do remember that they were Beecher's cheeses made in house. Creamy, somewhere between hard and soft, and delicate in taste. The white cheese was not very memorable and the pairing was more raisins 'n cheese than cheese 'n raisins, but it was nice. The darker cheese had more personality, and was basically a creamy parmesan without the bite (maybe it was parmesan...). I didn't feel that the nuts went particularly well with it, because both lacked assertiveness.
As for the crackers, they were dry and tasteless but supplied crunch. A hunk of wholesome rye would've done a world of good for this lackluster cheese plate, not to mention add to the style of American heartiness I believe they are shooting for. I believe. I mean, they're known for their mac 'n cheese, right?
The mac 'n cheese ended the meal on a good note. Before, everything tasted "okay" and "nice" (perhaps bumped up by the cheap price tag), but the mac 'n cheese was what made The Cellar at Beecher's Handmade Cheese's happy hour specials a steal. For $7, you get a good portion of childhood indulgence. Springy penne pasta is immersed in a light cheesiness, all baked together to bring out that delectable toasted-cheese taste. Could you complain that you need macaroni, damn it, for mac 'n cheese, and it could be cheesier, creamier, and baked awhile longer (as you can see, the sauce is a little runny)?
Sure. But it's a great bowl of mac 'n cheese at $7. Simple without sacrificing warm savoriness.
Next time, I'm getting me a glass of wine, scallops and tartar. And I'm choosing my own cheeses.
Experience...3/5
Solid happy hour specials if you go with a good friend who can supply your ambience for you (thank you, NN :D) since they supply a slightly weird one. Don't pass up the chance to order outside of their happy hour menu!
The Cellar at Beecher's Handmade Cheese
900 Broadway, on the corner of 20th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212)466-3340
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