

Since executive chef Damian Sandoval has come on board at Coterie in early 2024, the tucked-away spot off Warren Street has renewed its passport and begun traveling the world, one dish at a time. Originally concepted as an Indian restaurant, Coterie already had the distinction of surviving Covid. Now, Sandoval’s background at Michelin-starred North Pond in Chicago and Charleston’s longstanding and eclectic spots Xiao Bao Biscuit and The Obstinate Daughter has set the stage for the restaurant’s rebirth as a bastion of world cuisine.
We prefer to begin our adventure outside at the covered bar and courtyard with a cocktail from head bartender Sa’Quan Jenkins, whose menu features fun and delicious creations as complex as the Society St with Elijah Craig bourbon, Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, cocchi vermouth de tourino, crème de pêche, and angostura bitters, and as simple as the Okroni with Bulrush gin, Dolin dry vermouth, and housemade okra amaro.
Then it’s on to the food, and this is one menu where you don’t want to neglect the small plates and sides. Sandoval’s Trinidad Doubles are quickly becoming famous on the menu—the traditional street food combines flatbread, chickpea curry, and housemade dipping sauces like apple and tamarind chutneys. You also can’t go wrong with the seasonal salad and ceviche, and if beets are on the menu in any form, order them.
When it comes to entrees, there’s often a curry, from yellow Thai with pork belly to green with local fish, zucchini, herbs, and pickles. Local seafood also shines in dishes like a beeliner snapper with sunchoke puree. The chimichurri steak is a menu staple and one of Sandoval’s favorites, a 10-ounce New York strip with sweet potato puree, romanesco, and crispy plantain. And there are plenty of vegetarian options, like the gnocchi with green harissa or swapping out animal protein for a bean cake or marinated tofu.
Finish up with a housemade dessert—we love the lemon tart—and something from the robust list of amaros or brandies. And if you can’t get enough, during the daytime, you can come back for coffee, pastries, sandwiches, beer, and wine from Idle Hands Coffee House, open from 8:30 to 2 p.m. daily except Tuesdays in the same space.
