Ann Redding and Matt Danzer are big news on the New York food scene, the married co-chefs rose to fame with their highly regarded Thai cooking — earning themselves a Michelin star for their efforts. The usual path to follow is one of bigger and better; yet Redding and Danzer seem to be anything but usual.
Mr. Donahue’s (named after Matt’s granddad) might yet prove to be better, but bigger it ain’t — the Nolita eatery has just NINE seats, and operates on a first come, first served, basis. Taking things back to U.S. roots, Mr. Donahue’s is a den of classic American comfort food … chicken fried pork cheeks, Swedish American meatballs, and rotisserie chicken, staples on a menu that matches the size of its space.
The space itself is classically American, too, its diner seats and vintage paraphernalia giving off all the quirkiness of a Route 66 stopover. Naturally, the cooking of a duo with a Michelin star in the bag needs to be shared, so delivery and takeaway have been mooted as a big part of the Mr. Donahue’s project — which sure is a notch above Yellow Pages neighbour Domino’s. Michelin-grade takeout? The next small thing …
Photography, Evan Sung
