
Annisa is an intimate, upscale Contemporary American restaurant with
a small, elegant bar and an extensive wine list. Since its opening,
Annisa has won much praise from the media including glowing reviews
from the New York Times and the New York Observer. Chef Anita Lo has
been named one of ten "Best New Chefs in America" by Food and Wine
magazine as well as "Best New Restaurant Chef" by the Village Voice.
Located in the heart of the West Village at 13 Barrow street, Annisa
has been in operation since June of 2000 and is open seven days a
week, 5:30 to 10:30 PM. Annisa offers a seasonally changing, eclectic
menu which reflects Ms. Lo's multicultural upbringing and her solid
foundation in French technique. The 90 bottle wine list features many
sought after wines chosen to complement Ms. Lo's sophisticated cuisine.
Over 30 of these wines, fortified wines and sakes are poured by the
glass. Annisa's wine list was created by French born Roger Dagorn,
one of only 97 certified Master Sommeliers in the world. Long the
four star sommelier at Tribeca's Chanterelle, his expertise has also
graced such famed restaurants as Tse Yang, Lespinasse, and the Soho
Kitchen Wine Bar. He is a longtime teacher and advisory board member
of the American Sommelier Association. Annisa's wine list is maintained
by co-owner and Sommelier Jennifer Scism. The name Annisa was chosen
because of its alliance to no one particular ethnicity, in keeping
with the restaurant's "American," or melting pot theme. The name is
found in many different cultures, but the owners of Annisa were particularly
impressed with its meaning in English and in Arabic. In English, Annisa
is a derivative of Anne which means "gracious" and "pure," following
our service and our interior design and food philosophies consecutively.
In Arabic, it means "women," a central theme of the restaurant. Owned
and operated by two women, Annisa also boasts an extensive wine list
which celebrates women in the wine industry. Almost all wines on this
unique list are either made by female vintners and/or made at vineyards
with female proprietors.