The other evening, despite the forecast of torrential rain I met a friend at Union Square Cafe which is located at 101 East 19th Street.

As noted on their website:

“Union Square Cafe—the flagship restaurant that launched Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group—has been one of the country’s most beloved dining institutions for 40 years.

Founded in 1985, Union Square Cafe pioneered a new way of dining, drawing inspiration from the Union Square Greenmarket and showcasing the best local ingredients in a casual and contemporary dining room characterized by warmth and hospitality. Having trained and mentored scores of restaurant professionals for over three decades, Union Square Cafe is the birthplace of a generation of renowned restaurants, chefs, and restaurateurs.

The restaurant has won five James Beard Awards and ranked in first place on Zagat Survey’s Most Popular Restaurant list an unprecedented nine times.”

So below you have the photos that document the experience beginning with the outside of the restaurant, the bar area and the two floors where one can be found dining.

So what did I decide to order?

Well…

Since I knew that I wanted to try one of their desserts, I knew that I was going to watch the calories on my main dish. Having made that decision I ordered Rainbow Trout with Leeks Vinaigrette, Hazelnuts and Dill withLol everything on the side. But first came the bread and it was fresh and fabulous!

The trout was prepared extremely well. There was no “fishy” taste and the texture and the taste was excellent. After topping it off with the hazelnuts, some dill and some Leek Vinaigrette, I really enjoyed it. It was kind of like a different take on a trout plate presentation and I really appreciated that.

Then what did I choose for dessert?

I decided with my friend to split the Chocolate Cake and it didn’t disappoint. It was “chocolately” enough and the texture really rocked. And of course, I needed that cup of Black Coffee to wind down the experience.

So if you find yourself in The Union Square area or know that you’ll be there in advance, check out Union Square Cafe. The food was great!