By now, you’ve probably heard of Social On State, the new tapas-style restaurant in Downtown Binghamton that’s garnered quite a bit of attention in our community. This hidden gem on State Street is a mix of elegant and welcoming, making it the perfect spot for any occasion.
Photo by Han Shi
Social’s Restaurant Week menu is a dinner prix-fixe at $25 for three tapas dishes, which is a steal. The menu consists of roughly 20 options, some from their regular menu, some new creations solely for these two weeks. Many dishes are vegetarian or gluten-free, making Social perfect for all guests’ needs.
Our first dish was chicken lettuce wraps, which are meant to be assembled at the table by the diner, and was a fun start to our meal. A stack of fresh Bibb lettuce leaves was accompanied by grilled chicken chunks, pickled carrots, and fried wonton strips. There’s also the option of drizzling on the delicious tangy ginger hoisin glaze.
Photo by Han Shi
The arugula pomegranate salad comes with tender roasted beets and crisp pear chunks, all dressed in a light, fruity vinaigrette. I am not generally one to crave fruit in my salads, but this was definitely an exception. It was healthy and fresh, and the fried mini goat cheese wheel was a perfect addition (gluten free option possible here).
Photo by Han Shi
Below is the chicken osso buco, Social’s stylish take on drumstick chicken lollipops. They were coated in an osso buco (Milanese veal shank) sauce and topped with a celery, microgreen, and blue cheese crumble salad. Three drumsticks make it easy to share with your dining companions!
Photo by Han Shi
Next came the shrimp and chorizo with polenta cakes. A blackened prawn, along with a thin slice of Spanish sausage, topped each fried polenta (corn meal) cake, all doused in a hearty chorizo gravy. All components were cooked to perfection.
Photo by Han Shi
Our fifth and final savory dish was a tender block of short rib braised for 16 hours. It sat on a bed of bacon-roasted shredded Brussels sprouts, and silky cauliflower puree, both unique and well-fitting additions.
Photo by Han Shi
During Restaurant Week, you have the option of fried ice cream or chocolate fondue for dessert. We had the pleasure of trying the former, which was a generous, sharable portion. The fried ice cream was unlike any other, with its corn flake and shredded coconut crust. The drizzled chocolate ganache added rich flavoring too, but we were pleasantly surprised that it was not overly sweet. If we weren’t already stuffed, we would have happily dug into another one.
Photo by Han Shi
From dinner to dessert, each dish was packed with flavor and was beautifully presented. Even if Social weren’t the only tapas-style restaurant here in Binghamton, they would surely be unrivaled. If you only make it to one restaurant this week, Social on State should be it!
Special thanks to Social for letting us sample their Restaurant Week menu!