Little Giant (CLOSED)

I've been here several times. The food is amazing, and it never fails to excite my taste buds. The service is typically accommodating (at best), save my most recent visit. Our waitress couldn't have been more disinterested in providing us with the kind of attention that I've typically encountered at Little Giant. Her smug demeanor was grueling. When a person at the table paused for even a moment to consider their order, they were cattily asked if they might need more time. As if the attitude didn't end there, while attempting to select a nice bottle of wine, she was quick to make us aware that she “ordered all of the wine for the restaurant”. I can only deduce that in rude speak this meant: “Is there a particular wine you enjoy?” or “May I suggest a bottle that will pair with your food choices?” She offered a few hurried and arrogant notes on a particular bottle - which we finally ordered - only to find that her higher-than-thou approach proved to taint her skills as a “sommelier”. The bottle was actually a newer wine than claimed by our oh-so gracious attendant. Despite the portions of attitude, our party was more than happy with the quality of the food consumed throughout the evening. I will eat here again. But by the time I make the trip, I can only hope this woman has found what she really wants to do in life, because it definitely has nothing to do with the restaurant or service industry.

My wife and I decided to go to Little Giant for a date night. We went on the recommendation of a friend and are certainly glad we did. From our waitress to the food to the drinks we were pleased beyond our expectations. I have had the fortune to dine in some of New York’s finest restaurants and would happily go back to Little Giant before any of them. Our waitress Ann was probably the best server we have had is quite a few years. She was warm and gregarious with the perfect amount of attention and then leaving my wife and me to enjoy each other’s company without being interrupted. Service was a full restaurant job. We had at least 4 different people help clear plates or bring us our next course. Certainly if I needed anything any of the staff was ready to help. The food. Wow. We had the deviled eggs which were creamy and delicious. A touch of salt might have been nice, but we like more salt than most so I never consider under salting an issue. Additionally, we had the marinated olives, which were lovely. With lemon and orange zests and rosemary…who could ask for much more? Instead of an appetizer we chose the two “nibbles” listed previously. For our main course we had the “swine of the week” which was a magnificent pork chop with baby carrots and Swiss chard, sweet and vinegary, certainly a taste treat. For the accompanying sides we chose the mac and cheese with bacon, the buttermilk chive biscuit, and the polenta. I am originally from the South and must say the biscuit was officially the best biscuit I have ever had in my life. The mac and cheese was stunning, and the polenta with taleggio cheese and mushrooms quite nice. To finish off we were provided some complimentary port from Ann, so good that we took a picture so we could go buy some for ourselves. Dessert…oh my! We went with the sticky toffee pudding with caramelized bananas, toffee sauce, and vanilla gelato. Exquisite. Long story short, I was very pleased, my wife was very, very pleased. This means I too was very, very pleased.

I moved recentely in the LES, and I walk in front of Little Giant everyday.. I see all the tables full everynight, I thought that mean good food... wrong! the entrées were good, but the main courses absolutely mediocre. The hostess was very cold, and one of the two waitress rude. The general idea of service was surprisingly bad. I won't go back, and I won't suggest the place to my friends (only to people I don't like!)

Way overpriced for (very) sub par food. Was really looking forward to eating here for a while and wound up super disappointed at everything from the bland atmosphere and service to the dry steak and tasteless deviled aggs. At $75 per person (we were 6) I feel robbed. Not going back.

I wanted to like Little Giant. Really, I did. Every time my husband and I walked by, it was packed to the rafters. So when date night rolled around I suggested we go. Boy, was I sorry. First they tried to put us at a table a deux where the front door hit one of the seats in the back every time the door opened. After we said we'd wait for another table, we went to the bar. The bartender was rude. First he told us "Hang on." After asking us if we wanted a drink we asked for the drinks menu which we could see the other bar patrons had. He tossed it on the bar, and was very sullen about the whole affair. We were finally seated at a chilly table under the air conditioner and next to the bartender's pounding of the espresso machine equipment. My husband wasn't wild about it, but with the babysitter meter running we couldn't wait for a third table. We ordered 2 apps, 2 mains and a side. Mussels and dandelion salad to start. Mussels arrived, no sign of the salad and we had to ask for it. It arrived a while later, with no sign of the preserved lemon or pine nuts as promised on the menu. Next came the mains--my scallops and the pollock. Too bad my husband had ordered the pork, not the pollock. Wait person apologized for the "misunderstanding" and the pork was to be delivered. Meanwhile, everything about the scallops was cold. While cooked and prepared in an attractive fashion, it was all ice cold. There are no heat lamps and the lag time between the apps and the mains was considerable. While I'm sure the scallops were probably delicious when first prepared, I had to wait to so long for them they were not good when they arrived. I was 75% finished with my meal by the time the pork arrived. While the pork was hot, the grains and olives underneath were cold. Check, please. No offer of dessert or drinks taken off the bill. Terrible service, and while the food was nice in theory and ingredients it was ill prepared and delivered too late. For $120+ we could have gone somewhere fancier and had a great meal with great service. Especially right now, there are far too many restaurants in Manhattan where the food and service would be more on par. I got the sense that the kitchen was playing at being a restaurant and the waitstaff couldn't care less. A visit both first time and last. Don't waste your money here.

We went here very briefly before going to the L.E.S Tenement museum. The Mac and Cheese was so amazing!! I can't remember what kind of cheese they use, but it was outstanding - the bacon in it really made it too! Can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.

Evillian you fail to really say anything about the food. You seem to hate everone so I assume you have a complex. I live in the neighborhood and eat here there all the time. The food is tasty,fairly priced and the owners are super friendly. You are a bitter person and deserve the misery you reflect so clearly.