Southern-twanged toque David Conn (Delta Grill) brings a little coastal-Carolina love up north with this Alphabet City soul-food spot. A former bassoonist and Cornell music conductor, Conn traded in chord changes for piri piri peppers when he fell for low-country “Gullah” cuisine and traditional African spices in Savannah seven years ago. Conn puts a refined spin on comfort-food classics: Grits gnocchi is topped with peppered oxtail and merguez (North African sausage) gravy; and bourbon-braised short ribs are coated with an andouille demi-glace. Nonalcoholic tipples included Southern fizzers like cherry-flavored Cheerwine and citrusy Sun Drop. Even though he’s swapped the orchestra for the cozy 40-seat eatery, Conn hasn’t totally abandoned his love of music: '60s Motown plays throughout the joint—including covers of the spot's namesake, “Heart and Soul”—and the soundboard of an old baby grand can be found mounted on a wall.
