EAT: BELLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

Harlem Bespoke: Notoriously tough New York Times food critic Pete Wells takes a trip to Harlem to try out a tiny 12-seat eatery and writes up a rave review. We have been covering the little gem called Belle on 7th Avenue by 139th Street since the restaurant debuted back in 2016 and always had good things to say about chef Darryl Burnette's personal approach to fine dining.  After working at notable restaurants like downtown's Spice Market, Mr. Burnette set up the 275 square feet restaurant by the historic Strivers Row neighborhood with his wife Melissa and seating on a regular evening is literally quite tight.

With that said, reservations are highly recommended but diners get to see the chef in action and serve up some elevated contemporaryAmerican dishes.  Appetizers and desserts on the menu have a bit of whimsy to them with the main courses really hitting home for serious foodies.  As noted in the article, it is rare these days to see owner chefs in the kitchen so service is at its best.  Read the full review in the New York Time: LINK

Check out our original Bespoke review from 2017 for more on the dishes served up at Belle: LINK