Who We Are

Villagers have long been bemoaning the lack of a Village-style restaurant since the times began a-changing west of Seventh Avenue.  They shall moan no longer.   The opening of a new restaurant in a familiar locale promises to bring the Village back to those longing for the authentic Village experience.

 Co-chefs Zachary Frankel (formerly of Diner and Marlowe & Sons) and Ben Cavar (formerly of Double Crown and Public), along with Doma owners Michael and Evie Polesny, have created a seasonal menu, wonderfully reliant on Satur Farms and other local purveyors, served in a quintessentially Village atmosphere.   An excellent wine and beer list beckons both the passers-by crowd and the plan-ahead crowd to linger over snacks and starters, not to mention a lovely selection of farmstead cheeses and cured meats, all while gazing at the lights of yellow cabs moving down the Avenue. 

Those looking for just a snack may find themselves unable to resist the entrees being carried out by a refreshingly pleasant group of new waitresses – especially because the dinner menu changes nightly, based entirely on what is available and most delicious at the farmer's market and at nearby Florence meat market, which also supplies the miraculous crispy organic chicken often featured. 

And even the Villagers who moved in before rents went up need not resist; each of the four entrees on this concisely delicious little menu is under $18, and snacks and starters range from $4 for marinated olives to $12 for seared lamb with eggplant, tomato and tzatziki.

 “We’re classically trained chefs using those techniques to create a sustainably-focused menu, all on four induction burners in a kitchen smaller than… well, smaller than most tiny West Village kitchens,” explains Ben Cavar.  Co-chef Zach Frankel, who has known Ben since grade school on the Upper West Side, adds that “what makes this place unique is that every single item, from the crispy basil leaves to the budino filling, is created by us every single day, from prepping to cooking to plating every dish.  The menu changes with what is available at the market; small changes every week and a very different menu with each new season.”

The impressive wine list, created by David Phillips (Sales Manager at Astor Wine & Spirits and former Beverage Director of Insieme) with an emphasis on expressive wines from small growers, will change with the seasons as well.  Highlights include a rich, full-bodied Nueberger from Austria and a juicy Barbera from Monferrato, Italy.

Owners Michael and Evie Polesny have long provided a welcoming café space to both Villagers and those traveling from out of the neighborhood; and their new venture offers that same service in a nicer space by day.  Says Michael, “We love that we have something for serious foodies at night, but that our café patrons can still linger over a book with an excellent cappuccino or a glass of wine.”  Adds his wife and business partner, Evie, her eye on her two kids playing with ramekins filled with water out on the front stoop,  “We opened Doma because we knew the neighborhood needed that kind of café.  Now we’re eight years older, and the neighborhood has changed.  We always found ourselves missing a casual kind of bistro that was relaxed but still had top-notch food, so we decided to open one ourselves.  Eight years ago, Villagers just starting out in our life together, we felt we finally had a place to go in the neighborhood when we opened Doma; now we have that feeling all over again, but as adults who actually care about food.”