I HAVE FOUND FOOD HEAVEN...

and it is Joseph Leonard.
Jay and I happened upon this West Village gem quite by accident a couple of months ago. We just had drinks there then, but last week we finally went back for dinner, and I am already dreaming of going back...
Everything about this place is PERFECT as far as I am concerned. There is even a chefs counter you can sit at and watch the magic happen! We almost sat there, but it was a little warm, so we opted for stools at the bar (in fact, the exact spot in the pic below), but near to the chefs counter so we could still watch a little. ;)

The decor is amazing! Check out all the mirrors... Plus there's this:

I was in love right away... Thank God the food lived up to the decor (nothing worse than awesome atmosphere and not so awesome food).
I love sitting at the bar! We had an awesome bartender who was super helpful with the menu and the WINE LIST. It was hot, so we knew we wanted something white and refreshing. They didn't have our usual go to Marlborough Sauvigon Blanc, so we were a little unsure. He recommended a Muscadet... New wine to add to the love list for sure! So now that the evening was off on the right foot, we were ready for food.
We started with oysters on the half shell and octopus. Oysters are my FAVORITE, so that was a no-brainer. Jay and fell in love with Octopus when we were on our honeymoon in Positano, Italy, so there were some huge shoes to fill. The chef nailed it! I am still getting used to the whole taking pictures thing, so I didn't get a pick of it. But seriously, trust me and try it.

I DO have a pic of the pan roasted chicken I had for my entree...

It was served with golden beets, spinach and a spicy-onion relish.
I'm telling, there is nothing better than perfectly cooked chicken... lucky for me I found the recipe online on the Village Voice Blog. Score!
Jay had a New York strip steak with fingerling potatoes and a jalapeno relish.
Our bartender also sent us a complimentary side of "summer stuffing." What's that you say?? Stuffing in the summer? That's crazy...
Crazy good!

And as if that wasn't enough... then came dessert. Oh the dessert... We definitely felt like splurging so we each got our own! I had the salted caramel pudding.

There really aren't words to describe it's goodness. It was topped with whip cream and crumbled sugar cookies... need I say more? Jay had Carrot Cake.

I only had a bite (or two) because I was very busy with my pudding, but it was delicious! Both were a perfect ending to a perfect meal!
What it all boils down to is, Joseph Leonard is my kind of place.
Amazing fresh and seasonal ingredients+ awesome decor+ super friendly and knowledgeable staff+ a VERY handsome dinner date= Heaven!

food photos:serious eats NY
interior photos:Sam Horine