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New York is home to thousands of brick-and-mortar restaurants but when novel dining concepts launch in our town, city dwellers tend to flock to them. Din Din is such a destination.
A pop-up dinner series by chef Courtney Sproule, who heads a restaurant of the same name in Portland, Oregon, Din Din first launched in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for two months and has now taken up temporary residence on the Lower East Side at 2 Rivington Street.
The concept is pretty straightforward: Sproule will cook for New Yorkers three times a week (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) until June 25. There are a bunch of seatings available daily from 5pm to 10pm and, although walk-ins are welcome, reservations are strongly encouraged considering the place is tiny.
Speaking of the space: unlike other at-first-glance-similar pop-ups that take place inside other eateries or in makeshift venues, Din Din built out an entire restaurant to be used for a couple of weeks only. The food must clearly be that good.
Menu-wise, expect nods to regional French cuisines presented with a modern twist, including a prix-fixe menu of Chilean sea bass and beluga lentils, Beausoleil oyster ceviche and a mint chocolate truffle or a la carte plates the likes of market bloom rind cheese, an extraordinary bread basket and more. The wine list is curated by beverage director Libby Winters of Dell'anima fame.
"Courtney cooks to impart what was taught to her by her mentor Robert Reynolds about a French meal: the harmony of a menu written with a sense of place, the grace of an arched meal designed to gently land you on your feet, and the joy of spending time with your loved ones over a leisurely gathering," reads an official description of the experience.
Translation: make a reservation ASAP right here since the series will only run for a few more nights and it's certainly an experience you don't want to miss.
If you can't manage to secure yourself a table, worry not: Din Din is working on hosting another pop-up in late summer or early fall while also planning to launch a brick-and-mortar destination in New York some time in 2023.