5 Ninth Ave   

5 9th Ave
New York, NY 10014
212-929-9460
www.5ninth.com

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In the early hours of the morning, at the end of Ninth Avenue, a dilapidated townhouse with chipping white paint sits with vacant, closed eyes. As the sun rises and the ovens inside are switched on, this building wakes up as 5 Ninth -- one of the go-to restaurants in the sizzling Meatpacking District. The restaurant's decor takes full advantage of its domestic location: the cocktail area can be found in the entryway, outdoor dining in the backyard and dining room on the second floor. But the hottest spot is the reservations-only lounge on the top floor. The man of the house is chef Zakary Pelaccio, from the much-heralded but now-defunct Chickenbone Cafe, serving up global fare with a sophisticated air. With a love of pork that rivals Mario Batali, Pelaccio peppers the menu with the essence of pig -- there is even a dancing cartoon pig holding a small sign that says "Eat me" on the delivery cart parked out front. Dishes like jelly belly (a combination of jellyfish and pork belly) are prepared with serious precision, but clearly 5 Ninth is built on a foundation of irreverent humor.