Chelsea Grill Lincoln Square

We went to Chelsea Grill last night and had a fun dinner. Since it's in the old Erba space, I think expectations need to be reset for it. The food was simple comfort food and the prices more than reasonable. There were multiple vegetarian options, which I appreciated. The main courses topped out at around $17, but there were several items below $10. On the appetizer list, there were snacks like olives and nuts that were 1.50. The wine list started at 31 and went up from there. The atmosphere made it--it has the same bar area, clean lines, a modern space. The service was very good. I'll be back and approach it as a nice place to have a decent bottle of wine with reasonably priced food.

I had the mushrooms and poached egg on toast and the West Hollywood salad. The toast was heavily buttered and well grilled and appeared later in the form of garlic bread. The mushrooms were simple button sauteed in olive oil with a perfectly poached egg on top. The salad was straightforward with a nice balance between kalamata olives and cheese, with neither overwhelming the salad. The portion was very large.

The gf got a greek salad to start--also quite large. She got spaghetti and meatballs for the main--also a large portion, which came with the garlic toast.

The kitchen is smart--using a few techniques over but still presenting a very varied menu. It isn't high end fine dining, but a great midrange option and priced appropriately.

Overall, I think it's a nice addition to Lincoln Square. The atmosphere is great, the wine list is nice and the food was cheap. It's hitting an unusual niche -- a place making comfort food in a sleek environment with nice wine list. I'll be back, approaching it as a way to have a few glasses of wine in a nice atmosphere without breaking the bank.