M’S TAVERN : A New NoMad Eastern-Central European Eatery

The just opened M’s Tavern is distinguished from the city’s gastropub gaggle with a menu that showcases Eastern and Central European food, a reflection of the owner’s and the chef’s Romanian heritage. The release below tells the tale and I have attached a some of images of the space and the food. The NoMad space that for 84 years housed one of the city’s longer running eating and drinking establishments, Desmond’s Tavern, will was just re-born as the 70-seat M’s Tavern, an Eastern and Central European leaning gastropub. The name is a homage to Romanian native owner Istvan Nagy’s mother and the food reflects his roots, as well. Witness the likes of:

Witness the likes of:

Mici Sliders,
House made Romanian skinless lamb and beef sausage, giardiniera, mustard
Oma’s (German for grandmother) Spaetzle Soup chicken, vegetables, egg dumplings
Transylvanian Goulash, brisket, mushroom, polenta; Pierogi; sauerkraut, crispy bacon, sour cream;
Sausage Debauchery, Hungarian virsili, kaserkrainer kananosy, weisswurst, potato salad, sauerkraut; and Chicken Paprikash, spaetzle, creamy roasted pepper sauce.

Executive Chef Dan Nistorescu, who grew up in the same Romanian town as Nagy, tempers the Eastern and Central European bent of M’s Tavern’s menu with some American gastropub favorites, such dishes as:

Classic Deviled Eggs, giardiniera, chicharron crumb, hot sauce;
M’s Burger, Angus beef, cheddar, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, secret sauce
Shrimp Roll, piccalilli mayo, crispy shallot, brioche roll; and Wedge Salad (albeit with a wedge of roasted cabbage as opposed to raw iceberg lettuce), grapes, bacon, red onions, everything but bagel crunch, kefir blue cheese dressing.

At the new M’s Tavern, Desmond’s habitues, who have included a gamut of celebrities, from 1940s film star Veronica Lake to Lady Gaga, will recognize familiar vestiges of their old haunt. Refreshed versions of the original bar, the wooden archway separating it from the dining area and the three crescent shaped tables attached to the wall across from the bar remain.

The wainscotting throughout the dining room is also still in place, although it has been painted a sophisticated grey to complement what are now distressed brick-lined walls. Those walls are adorned with vintage-inspired bronze, ivory-shaded sconces, and a collection of antique window frames and classic prints. This is the second time Nistorescu, a veteran of the Refinery Hotel’s Parker & Quinn, Kellerai and Fresco by Scotto, has collaborated with Nagy on an Eastern and Central European accented gastropub. The duo are responsible for Midtown Manhattan’s popular Side Door. While it and M’s Tavern evidence some décor similarities and a have couple of menu overlaps, the new M’s Tavern is a distinctly different entity.