Peels, the new regional American restaurant, with a nod to the South, from the team behind Freeman's, is a cool restaurant. I stopped in for lunch this past Friday, and love the place! With two floors for dining, the bottom, a casual spot geared more for coffee and pastries (you can eat anything from the menu though), the upstairs, with more formal dining tables. It doesn't matter where you eat though, because I loved the vibe here! You can get some great stumptown coffee to awaken your senses, then try an appetizer of the Andouille Corn Dogs ($9) with creole mustard. This salty and sweet snack will awaken your taste buds. A Crispy Chicken sandwich ($11), with free-range boneless chicken, honey mustard, and fries, was great! The light and flaky crispy skin housed some juicy and tender chicken. The accompanying fries were good too. End with any of the freshly baked pastries for dessert and you'll think you just left Paula Deen's house.

Cool, hip, tasty, and festive, Peels is the epitome of the East Village. Enjoy it!

Peels
325 Bowery ( at 2nd St.)
New York, NY 10003
646-602-7015