Ella Funt Is the East Village’s Newest Hot Spot
Stepping into the restaurant, we felt immediately at ease as the demure color palette and soft glow enveloped us in a secure embrace. "We look at psychographics over demographics. From hustlers to aristocrats, a young cool skater to an older lady from the Upper East Side, Ella Funt is a mélange of all kinds of people,” owner Lounes Mazouz shares. The dimly lit “salle a manger” organically flows from the ornate dining room, to the canteen, to the open, more casual bar area. Interior designer Annabel Karim Kassar adorned the walls of the cozy eatery with vintage tiles, while intricate artworks decorate the walls. Enjoying a meal in Ella Funt feels akin to a meal at a family member’s home — all are welcome here.
An expansive mural spans the dining room, painted by New York-based artist Marcus Jahmal, as well as works by Miriam Cahn, Inka Essenhigh, and Stephen Lack that each pay homage to the building’s rich history, alongside private booths and intricate bookcases. The familiar warmth that encompasses the dining space carries over into the menu, as each dish offers comforting flavors in unexpected combinations.
Chef Nick Koustefanou brings forth French cuisine that transports guests to a different realm. The menu ties in this French inspiration, while ingeniously embedding additional flavors and cultures into each dish. We enjoyed Oysters with an inventive maple ponzu mignonette as well as tuna with grapefruit, pickled baby ginger, and shiso to start. Afterward, we dove into a delicate raviolo filled with ricotta, spinach, and confit egg yolk as well as grilled Dorade finished with a full green curry, pea leaves, and wax beans. The cherry on top of the meal was fresh summer berries served alongside fresh cheese sorbet.
Bringing that original magic back to the place where it all began, Ella Funt is diving back into the building’s colorful lore by reinventing Club 82 below the restaurant. The club will add another facet to the historic location, bringing the Ella Funt universe beyond mouthwatering dishes and into the unexpected. Stay tuned for what’s next for the new spot because the best is definitely yet to come.
