Straddling the Culinary Border on the Lower East Side

by Jayanthi Daniel
Tue, 18 Dec 2007 at 5:02 PM

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First and First — where the next Zadie Smith might indeed be found — also happens to be a key address for the entire Lower East Side, as it serves as a bridge between that neighborhood and the East Village. After the young teens reading at the Lower East Side Girls Club, the literary-minded-turned-hungry can straddle East Houston Street as if it were the Mason-Dixon Line, eating on both sides of the border. Gabrielle Hamilton has long been at the helm of Prune, a tiny neighborhood favorite that serves up key dishes including an appetizer of oozing burrata cheese (a variant of mozzarella that is made with cream and mozzarella curds) with well-grilled toast, marrow bones with parsley salad and sea salt, and an ever-present Hamilton specialty, fried sweetbreads. South of the Houston line is 'inoteca: It might be early to say here, but this is one of A Moveable Salon's favorite restaurants, as it has an extensive menu of small plates, and a very well-priced and diverse (but Italian) wine list. Plus, the décor suits those who are in holiday spirits, what with large wooden tables, crowded byways, and a small bar to squeeze into if you're waiting for a table. Must-try dishes include cheesy toast sprinkled with truffle oil, asparagus, topped with a runny egg; and a warm bowl of polpette, large meatballs smothered in tomato sauce that's delightfully lightened with orange zest. Order a plate of extra bread for the sauce: You will not want to stop eating it. (Prune, 54 E. 1st St., between First and Second avenues, 212-677-6221; 'inoteca, 98 Rivington St. at Ludlow Street, 212-614-0473)

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