My friend and I walked down to Battery Park working up an appetite for our meal at Pier A. I was under the impression we were going to an outdoor water-side casual dining place, my friend had researched it more thoroughly, discovered their white-tablecloth 
dining room and knew that’s where we were dining.
It took quite some time to find the restaurant once we arrived at Pier A as there are many different dining options, having to get directions from various staff. Yes, it’s that large! And it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a designated New York City landmark.
Our first wine selection was 86, out of stock, so we ended up sipping an Austrian Forstreiter Grüner Veltliner, alte reben from Krems ($52).
The halved heirloom cherry tomatoes came tossed with a vinaigrette, sea salt and cracked black pepper over a bit of arugula. It was picture perfect topped with Jasper Hill Farm’sBayley Hazen blue cheese. Sadly though it was begging for some seasoning. My dinner mate said it was flavorless as I had asked them to hold the diced red onions! I disagree, thinking — even a tad more salt and pepper would have helped, but our waiter had disappeared and no condiments were on the table.
The house-made jet-black squid ink tagilatella ($18) with batter-fried crispy rock shrimp, greens, grilled artichokes, diced tomatoes and fresh parmesan cheese made up for the salad. It’s flavors danced in my mouth. If that’s still on the menu, it’s what I’d recommend.
The kitchen should have left the flour off the two pan-seared soft shell crabs, as once they drizzled them with the truffle brown butter, the crabs sadly become soggy and gummy. The fresh asparagus and puddle of 
cauliflower puree underneath were fine ($35).
We skipped dessert and opted for a walk around the facility.
I’d go back, but to one of the less posh food and beverage offerings in the 28,000-square foot building — each with amazing sunsets and water views.
– bonnie
Pier A
Battery Park
22 Battery Place,
New York, NY 10004
(212) 785-0153
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