MinettaWire: The Long Awaited Opening Night Spot Check

Greenwich Village: Last night Team Eater stopped in for a spot check of the opening night of Keith McNally's glorious revival of Minetta Tavern. Our checklist:

· Slightly overpriced but well made cocktails: Check.
· Adorably chatty bartender (suggesting McNally could make his life easier by opening a beer and shot joint): Check.
· New restaurant smell: Check.
· Killer bone marrow: Check.

The space is a miuch more intimate than the photos online suggest, and it already feels like a neighborhood standby. Case in point: At 6:30, two of the small two tops by the bar were occupied by single women, eating alone and reading. The maitre'd expects the place to be fully booked here on out, so stop by early, stop by late, or plan on calling well in advance.
· All Minetta Tavern Coverage [~E~]