A former townhouse from the mid 1800's, it is literally sandwiched between 2 taller (but not so tall-this is Tribeca after all) buildings on West Broadway, thus maybe the name Tiny's.... I've walked by it so many times and every time I look at it I want to take it home with me!! (if such a thing were possible. kind of like my own personal grown up doll house)
Tiny's opened up a few months ago in my neighborhood and I've been dying to check it out. I had lunch there with a good friend , Annabel, a food writer and fabulous chef in her own right.
It was not only adorable inside and out, but the food was delicious and the staff super friendly.
We were presented with a compact little menu that reminded me of individual slate boards used in the days when one little school house taught every grade in one room. Think Little House on the Prairie.
We chose a Cobb Salad which is probably one of the best and freshest Cobb salad I've ever eaten. We couldn't resist the bread basket and it kind of ended up being our dessert. Delicious breads and muffins were served with a strawberry jam that was so perfectly sweet and had the consistency of honey (kinda like leather can feel like butta you know?) We asked where we could get said jam and the chef, John Martinez appeared at our table. We had a great time talking and hearing about the restaurant. He also introduced us to the pastry chef - a pixie-ish girl , Anna Markow who was so excited and enthusiastic about her desserts. You should check out her website at very small anna. You'll find more of her effusive personality sprinkled in with some great recipes for cupcakes, ice cream and other desserts.
P.S.
If you are looking for a good strawberry jam recipe, little Anna (aka Anna Markow) recommends the Blue Chair Jam Cookbook by Rachel Saunders, jam connoisseur and owner of Blue Chair Fruit Company . I'll be going to Amazon directly to get my hands on her book. Can't wait to try making my own strawberry jam!!! I'll have to wait until next summer though, since strawberry picking season is over and out.
Hope you get a chance to visit Tiny's. I'd love to hear of any hidden "gem" restaurants you've found while visiting or living in Manhattan. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have if you're planning a visit to NYC soon. I love going off the beaten path and trying something new when travel.
