Red Farm

Red Farm is the newest restaurant to land on Hudson Street in the West Village which is beginning to look like foodie heaven.  The people behind it are not new to the restaurant business or Chinese food.

The place is very homey looking with wooden beams and floors with red checker clothed backs of the tiny booths that surround the place.  Down the middle and in the front is a long communal table.  Can I just say how much I dislike communal tables. That should go on the "out list" vs the "in list".  I get it because the place is small and it allows them to pack 40 people in there but listening to the conversations next to us and the obnoxious children did nothing to make my meal more delightful. Although, I did like these chop sticks hanging from the ceiling over each table.  

There was a wait when we got there.  The women who was managing the seating takes your cell phone number and sends you a text about 5 minutes before they are ready for you.  Her ability to gauge the time is not quite there.  We were there the fifth night it was open so keep that in mind.  I did.  We went for a drink and returned when the buzz came in well over the initial time estimation.

The menu has starters, dim sum, mains and rice and noodles.  We tried a few different things.  We began with the Spicy Crispy Beef.  I liked this.  Super crispy and tasty.  What was interesting is that it was cold which is probably why it gets so crispy.  A nice one.

These are crispy duck Dumplings. These are clever.  They are held together with a crab claw although there isn't any crab.  I did like the curry dip in the middle which should be sopped up.  Different.  I do love duck.

This is the Katz's pastrami egg roll that keeps getting written about.  Take a pass.  One bite and we both put it down.  Just didn't work for me.  As a Jew, it is kind of funny considering we grew up eating Chinese food on Sunday nights and of course the pastrami sandwich here and there but it doesn't taste that good.

Pork and Crab Soup dumplings.  Not for the kosher.  They were fine.  I have had better and I have had worse.  I like how on the menu they tell you exactly how many comes with each order.  Makes for better planning when ordering for a group.

We opted for a light main.  Shrimp, Scallops & Mussels with rice wine, tomato, Basil and very thin rice noodles.  A nice light soup.  Tasted very homemade vs restaurant quality. 

Great addition to the neighborhood, no reservations and they could have probably opened a joint for 60 people instead of 40 and did just fine.  There isn't a Chinese place in the neighborhood and this isn't exactly your typical Chinese fare.  What is interesting is they spent money on the fancy toilet which I never can understand but perhaps it is an added feature. Would I travel here from other parts of the city to check it out, not so sure I'd make the journey.  But if you live in the neighborhood and have a hankering for Chinese food, go in and have a meal.