High Marks for Highpoint Bistro and Bar NYC

By: Finance Foodie 

Since I am living in the Chelsea area this summer, I felt it would be a shame to not experience at least one or two of the local restaurants in the neighborhood. Strolling down 7th Avenue on balmy summer evening in search of a place to escape the heat and get some nosh, my friend and I stumbled upon Highpoint Bistro and Bar - a cute and casual New American cuisine-themed spot on the corner of 23rd Street.

When we sat down, we were immediately greeted by our super friendly waitress with menu in hand and a generous serving of warmed pita bread served in the most adorable mini shopping cart. I wasn't really sure if there was any significant meaning behind the cart - but hey, I'm a sucker for cool presentation. The night was off to a great start.

We started the meal with a bowl of steamed mussels, which were good but pretty standard. The real highlight came at the main course: my Watermelon “Steak” au Poivre ($20), a slice of grilled watermelon "steak", served with a shaved jicima, asparagus and grapefruit tomato salad. When I first saw this item on the menu, I was a bit hesitant on ordering, as the only other experience I had with eating warm watermelon was when we left it sitting out too long in the sun (and that was not pleasant). However, my curiosity got the best of me and with a little coaxing by our waitress, I decided to take the plunge.

....and, this dish was delicious! The smokiness of the char melded surprisingly well with the sweetness of the watermelon. I thought this dish would be too light for an entree, but it was also very filling (without being overly heavy) as well. This was totally the perfect dish for a hot summer day. The side of mac n cheese ($6) was also fantastic - I thought the green Spinach breadcrumbs were a bit weird in color, but it actually added a lot of texture to the dish

The goodness kept on rolling in when dessert arrived. My friend and I decided to get the Caramel Experiment for Two ($12), which was basically a caramel and chocolate fondue served with all sorts of goodies for dipping. My favorite dipper item was the marshmallows (which I learned later was actually homemade at the resto) and I thought the caramel served in the bowl of Himalayan rock salt (their play on salted caramel) was highly inventive as well.

I think Hightpoint is a great place for an affordable, casual, yet really cool dinner. I've heard their brunch is even better (was told to get the french toast with orange-cardamom whipped cream) so I cannot wait to stop by again to this neighborhood gem.

Highpoint Bistro and Bar 
216 7th Ave
New York, NY 10011
(646) 410-0120
www.highpointbb.com