Under the High Line, West Chelsea has two personalities. By day the neighborhood is home to scores of art galleries - from the posh pavillions of the world’s most noted dealers to spaces barely more than hallways where up-and-comers stake their claim to make the jump - which inhabit myriad re-imagined cubic feet in this former site of industrial dereliction. The same romantic call of the expansive spaces of the urban desert waiting to bloom also attracted presenters of a more ephemeral art form - nightlife. Many of the city’s most notorious - for better or worse - hot clubs do or have called Chelsea home.
BES - corner of 22nd and 11th Avenue
At the crossroads of 22nd and 11th, Patrick Duffy’s new destination, Boutique Eat Shop (B.E.S.), is poised to be the meeting of the ways. As the area hosts surprisingly few eateries (many of which seem to come and go in a flash), especially West of 10th Avenue and below 23rd Street, if anything could bring the two Chelseas together, it would be a good food with the right attitude to make everyone feel comfortable...and of course, great art.
"Working with all the elements of the place, the food, the art, and the music and even performance; I was inspired to create a place that is not like any other place in the city - A melting pot of people, cultures and flavors, the space itself is designed to be intimate but give people space." - Patrick Duffy of B.E.S.
detail of work by Tom Beale ( wood work and bar )
On one of my first visits, I mentioned to Patrick how much I enjoy the works of artist Iona Rozeal Brown, 2 of which hang in the bar and dining room. “Yes, but did you know she’s a great DJ, too?” he replied. Actually I did not, but found out for myself when I heard her spin for a party a few weeks later. This interweaving of restaurant and community contributes to B.E.S.’s cool but comfy “welcome home” vibe, a quality some spots in the area have aimed to achieve with disappointing results.
work by Iona Rozeal Brown
When you enter B.E.S’s woody and windowed corner of 22nd and 11th you see eclectic vintage furnishings and art that looks like someone’s personal collection rather than a design element. The DJ’s always seem to get the music sounding (no too loud, not to trendy, not too dated...) just right, and the aromas from the kitchen say “I’ve been cooking for YOU all DAY!” You just get it that you are in a unique and special environment. So does the ever-growing crowd of regulars and newbies, who all seem to know that pretense stays at the door. This is a place where serious people can relax and re-charge.
Photo courtesy of BES
One of Duffy’s spiritual inspirations for B.E.S. was his art-centric club Serpentine. His former collaborators there, Thomas Beale and Andrew Poneros, have joined him in what is perhaps the restaurant’s most innovative feature - a partnership with artists who create one-of-a- kind interior features for the space. You will recognize urban artist Poneros’ signature style inside the glass-bottle lanterns of his 2 large chandeliers, and wood artist Beale has created a quilted under-bar composed of individual pieces of sculpted wood and hand-cast Lucite, accented with home-made botanical dyes.
work by Andrew Poneros
Continuing with the concept of “Why just build when you can make art and have so much fun with it?”, Paul Reynolds, an artist who creates architectural models around antique miniatures, separates the kitchen from the dining room with the large-scale facade of “The House,” complete with windows through which you can glimpse the chef in action. And, since the deity (or the devil) is in the details, artist Maria Pineres supersizes her very sexy needlepoint figures of a man and a woman to differentiate the restroom doors (and yes, there is art, and music, inside them too!) The selections of wall art on display from Chelsea studios and galleries rotate, with consulting curator Tim Goossen of PS1 keeping it all interesting.
work by Paul Reynolds
Another of Duffy’s muses is the late American artist Gordon Matta Clark, co-founder of Food, a SoHo restaurant managed and staffed by artists that became a fulcrum of the downtown arts scene of the 70’s. In creating an innovative and satisfying menu to complement the sounds and sight of B.E.S., Patrick’s collaborator in edible art at B.E.S. is Chef Charles Cho. A native of Seoul, his travels in Asia, Europe and the US endow his creations with an enticing array of flavors and textures. Small plates dazzle and intrigue, entrees fragrantly announce themselves with herbal notes, simply super sides are sized to share... ***
Which makes dining more fun and B.E.S. a popular destination for festive groups, like the birthday dinner for Severine Manuel, Senior Producer for SMC Creative. “The food was delicious”, she said, “The chocolate cake is better than the one at the Club 55 in St. Tropez, up to now ‘the best cake of all time’.”
***menu footnote - you may request the acronym “SB” option from the kitchen - Patrick’s brainchild - a preparation style light on carbs & fat for those who want to indulge without guilt and consequences. As for meaning, the first word is “Skinny” - as for the other, let Patrick tell you that himself. The staff is also always very gracious and helpful with other special nutritional requests.
At the bar, lead mixologist Seth explores the potential of spirits as his medium, employing herbs, artisanal soft drinks, and always-fresh juices in his creations. You will also meet Kevin Fey there - true to the core values of B.E.S. as a place by and for artists, this artist-bartender has created a site -specific piece on view in the dining room.
Photo courtesy of BES
In July, B.E.S. inaugurated a series of artist/chef exhibition dinners with O Zhang’s “The World is Yours (But Also Ours)”. Host for the evening Anthony Hayden-Guest took in the lively scene. B.E.S. has “real neighborhood feeling” he observed, “no desperate trendiness - case in point - people are bringing babies here...It looks like a keeper.”
link - Boutique Eat Shop (B.E.S.)