Houseman

It's not a surprise that Ned Baldwin was aiming for a neighborhood feel with his family-style restaurant, nestled in the far reaches of Tribeca. (The place is named for the Scandinavian word husmanskost, translating to "everyday fare.") Baldwin's previous, five-year post was at Prune, Gabrielle Hamilton's beloved 16-year-old East Village bistro, a bastion of understated neighborhood dining. Baldwin, along with fellow ex-Prune chef Adam Baumgart, taps into that easy, pop-in appeal with a rustic dining room outfitted with a zinc bar, schoolhouse chairs and tables made from repurposed bowling-alley lanes. Sink into a waxed canvas banquette for shareable dishes like lamb's kidneys with peas and buttermilk, littleneck clams with butter beans, and mutton sausage with caper mayonnaise. The menu also features a weekly large-format dish, such as a slashed-and-fried whole black sea bass with green sauce.