Back Forty - East Village

For years at his flagship restaurant Savoy in SoHo Chef Peter Hoffman has been cooking up critically acclaimed dishes of high end American cuisine with fresh, local, sustainably raised ingredients. He could frequently be seen perusing farmers markets around the city buying the ingredients that would later grace his tables. Hoffman's Back Forty brings this same fervor for local ingredients but combines it with a less high-impact, more low key atmosphere. The produce and proteins that he shapes into refined dishes at Savoy appear in more informal settings at his pub, and while his Alphabet City dining room may not match its older sibling for sheen and polish it sacrifices nothing in terms of flavor.


The dim lights, light woods and white walls of Back Forty create a spare yet cozy space. While not quite as warm as a friend's living room, taking a seat is reminiscent of crowding around a neighbor's kitchen table for a late night bite to unwind and unpack the preceding day. The servers are friendly and informative and, much like the restaurant itself, a blend of Savoy's elegant refinement and the Village's penchant for overindulgence. In one breath they'll lay out an array of specials that would make any self-respecting foodie drool and in the next they'll recount a tale of the previous night's carousing that would put most functioning alcoholics to shame.

When it comes to the food, since I'm a fanatic for a good burger, and since both Savoy and Back Forty have burgers that are very highly regarded the discussion here will begin, center on, and end with the hamburger. Since grass-fed beef is leaner and features less "marbling" than its corn-fed counterparts it's not uncommon for a cook unfamiliar with the ingredient to cook it to death. Stories abound of grass-fed beef producing burgers that are too dry, but generally this is just a function of unskilled preparation. When properly made a grass-fed burger has a wonderfully solid, dense texture, a tangy and extra beefy flavor and plenty of natural juices. I'm happy to report that when it comes to grass-fed patties the staff at Back Forty knows exactly what it's doing.

While I clearly need to work on my photography Back Forty has perfected its burger ($11). Topped with white cheddar cheese (extra $2) with rosemary fries on the side (extra $2) and cooked exactly to the requested temperature this burger was a satisfying plate of delicious. The single downfall was an overpowering amount of red onions served on the side with a pile of mixed greens that didn't look or taste like they had any place on top of a burger. The sesame seed bun was toasted and well proportioned to the burger as a whole. The beef itself was moist, fantastically cooked and oozing with flavor. I didn't get into the dijon mustard or the house-made mayonnaise, but the house-made ketchup was rich and sweet - without being saccharin - and had a little touch of smoke as well. Crispy-on-the-outside and airy-on-the-inside french fries were an ideal pairing and a pint of one of the several New York brews served as a fine finish.

Overall the meal was further proof that the East Village is fast becoming the Burger Capital of New York and a shining example of what can be accomplished with skill, patience and a patty of local, grass-fed beef.

Back Forty
190 Ave B
New York, NY 10009