Balzem

Cuisine	Italian, Mediterranean
Price	$$$ (31-50)
Rating	6/10
Last Visit	July 14, 2019
Location	New York: Lower Manhattan (Central)

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General Notes

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Balzem is a Mediterranean restaurant in SoHo serving up a variety of small plates and miscellaneous dishes. The food spans a variety of Mediterranean cuisines, from eastern Mediterranean to Italian. I came here for brunch, and I enjoyed the food a lot. I'm not sure what this place is like for dinner, but Balzem is a good option and I'd recommend giving this place a try.

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Positives

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> I've gotten really into octopus lately, particularly at Mediterranean restaurants. This place serves up some of the best octopus I've ever had. Would definitely recommend giving it a try!

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Negatives

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> Not really a negative, but their hours are slightly off. At least on Sunday, they actually open at 10am, not 11am as Google Maps would suggest.
> The bread/accompaniments are not my favorite. The olive oil is a bit bland and doesn't have much flavor.

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Dishes Tasted

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• ★★☆☆ Artichoke & Prosciutto Flatbread -- Prepared with asiago cheese and pesto. Not the greatest combination. The prosciutto seemed to be cooked with the pizza, which made it hard and dry. The artichoke was good, but a bit overshadowed by the other elements. The texture of the flatbread was excellent though, and the cheese and pesto were delicious.
• ★★★★ Octopus -- Spanish pulpo cooked in red wine sauce, pan-seared and served on arugula salad. Amazing grilled flavor, and relatively acidic, which balances out the whole dish nicely. Beautiful texture - soft and tender on the inside, light char/crisp on the exterior.