Three fascinating new restaurants have opened their doors in New York City, just in time for summer. One elevates the pre-theater dinner dining scene for those looking for a great meal before Broadway, another lifts any occasion to the point of the divine, and the third is a new steakhouse from famed chef Daniel Boulud. All three must be experienced to be believed — by foodie locals and visitors alike.
Gui Steakhouse | 776 Eighth Ave.
This midtown Korean steakhouse looks unassuming from the outside — and even on the first floor where it seems like it is just a bar in the theater district.
However, once you enter the elevator to the second floor, you are transported to an elegant, intimate setting where the perfect pre-theater meal awaits.
But while Gui is a steakhouse — and the 34 oz. aged porterhouse grilled over binchotan charcoal was delicious — it’s the starters and accoutrements that shine the brightest.
The Menbosha-gochugang remoulade shrimp toast served with sambal aoili topped off with amber kaluga caviar made my dinner companion and I groan in delight, and the Hwe Muchim, a take on hamachi crudo — cam as a papaya salad and leche de tigre topped with fermented cod powder and fresh chives.
Afterwards, we dove into the mandoo, a gyoza with beef galbi and dried aged prime rib glass noodles and served with nuoc cham sauce.
And don’t forget to order the kimchi fried rice — complete with wagyu bits, sausage and house-made kimchi served with a fried egg on top.
Gui is a steakhouse like no other in New York and should become a new staple in the theater district.
Joomak | 401 West St.
For one of the most creative, innovative and just astounding dining experiences in New York, head to the new Joomak restaurant inside new luxury hotel The Madison Hudson, in the far West Village.
Chef Jiho Kim just opened up this new iteration of his Michelin-starred restaurant Joomak Banjum and, while it is pricey — it is worth every penny as each dish is intricately created by the master in the kitchen and perfectly paired with crafted cocktails … all served meticulously by a Per Se trained staff.
The night I went, I had the $280, 10-course meal which included caviar served over a dill custard with Meyer lemon, white asparagus and mussels; Kanpachi (fluke) with cucumber pickled shallot and cucumber sorbet; seared scallops paired with black truffle, leeks, almond cotta and brown butter sabayon; king crab with a risotto, pickled Serrano, and fresh peas as well as a wagyu dish with grilled abalone and black truffle ponzu sauce.
The overall feeling is that this wasn’t just a meal, it was an experience. A visual, edible, feast like I have never had before.
The only thing that rivals the food and the service is the room’s ambience — made to feel as if you were a coveted guest in a chic home, the fireplace is lit and the few tables that there are (we counted seven) add to the intimacy.
If the $280 tasting menu is too pricey, there is always the new bar menu which, as with the regular menu, changes frequently due to ingredient availability and chef creativity. But recent highlights included kampachi with razor clams, steelhead trout with English peas levain spaetzle and bacon broth as well as an American wagyu hanger steak served with Montauk red shrimp and gem lettuce.
There are only five seats at the bar, so book now.
La Tête d’Or | 318 Park Ave. S.
Daniel Boulud’s opulent new steakhouse in the Flatiron District has only been open just a few months, but already has a waitlist for reservations on Resy with over 1,000 people hoping to score a seat.
And with good reason.
Named for a park in Boulud’s hometown of Lyon, France, the David Rockwell-designed restaurant is a masterpiece that has already earned a spot on Michelin’s best steakhouse list.
The surf and turf menu is simple but the prime rib, slowly cooked for hours and sliced on a roving trolley tableside is quickly becoming a staple, as is the Caesar salad (made at the table) and the lavish seafood tower.
Rivaling the food is the wine menu, full of rare Bordeaux and other delectable French offerings.
The room itself is glamorous, grand and while technically huge, seems intimate due to table placement, wall drapings and perfect staging.
In an already crowded field, La Tete D’Or is destined to become one of the city’s top steakhouses.
Read the full article here
