great review of Joseph Leonard in Time Out
Gabriel Stulman has become a victim of his own success. The cult restaurateur built a breathless following running the front of the house at the Little Owl and Market Table. At both venues, he helped create an atmosphere so warm and inviting, the dining rooms seemed like extensions of his own apartment. The casual clubhouse vibe—supplemented by the easy, accessible food from partners Joey Campanaro and Mike Price, respectively (he’s since split from the former)—was hampered only by the perennial long waits for a table.
Though Joseph Leonard, Stulman’s first solo outing, is his most humble venture to date, it’s also the most overrun. The restaurant, which took over a corner cubbyhole last occupied by Le Gamin, is so busy that there are hour-long waits virtually every night of the week.
Even more than its predecessors, this minuscule spot—with just seven tables and a few barstools—ought to be packed with regulars strolling in nightly from their brownstone stoops. But its owner’s reputation—and democratic no-reservation policy (not even friends jump the line)—has made it more destination than pop-in canteen.
