The Derby: Soulful Southern-Inspired Cuisine Takes Over The Lower East Side Recipe

By: Anne M. Raso

I had fallen in love with The Derby in its previous incarnation--the Tiny Fork--which was a seafood-driven establishment where customers feasted on large raw-bar trays. The ownership is the same, but there is an all-new staff. The Derby has only been open 2 1/2 months at the time of this writing, and friendly manager Gabe Voytas is as helpful as they come. He can answer your questions about every fussy detail of every dish. This is his first foray into the restaurant world; he previously managed several hot nightspots in the city.

InteriorMy dining partner and I started out by ordering the Carolina Chopped Salad ($12), which consisted of romaine, palm hearts, strawberries, pancetta and herbs lightly coated…