First there was First.
And the East Village was happy.

Then there was Indigo.
And the West Village was happy.

Now chef Sam Demarco and Gino Diaferia have teamed up to open Merge, a restaurant with cozy booths, cool gray tones, and steel textures: All the perfect setting for kicking back at the end of the day.

The food? Grilled guinea-hen paillard with melted foie gras, hand-breaded sea scallops, crisp Asian oysters served with seaweed salad and wasabi, roasted pork chops, and tuna mignon with wilted spinach and whipped potatoes. Dessert? Try the tug-at-your-heartstrings kiddie fave, the ‘smores, complete with coal fire and a Hershey’s chocolate bar.

The wine list is extensive; but our recommendation: Have a Tiny Tini, a variation on the classic martini served in its own mini-decanter.

Second round, anyone?