Fusion New York
Over the past few months New York has had an influx of new and delicious Asian restaurants. We’ve put together a list of some of our top choices from fine dining Indian cuisine to cutting edge design Thai dining. Take a look at Manhattan’s latest enchanting eateries…
Teisui
A new Japanese restaurant opened last month in the stylish NoMad district. Teisui is a food-focused version of entrepreneur Takuro Hirabayashi’s Teisui Hotel, located on the top of a remote mountain in the Akita province of Japan. Here guests are served a pre fixe hot tasting menu in a modern, industrial-style setting. The restaurant prides itself on its several Yakitori (Japanese-style skewered chicken) dishes which are made with chicken from Bo Bo Poultry in Brooklyn. The Yakitori are part of a $150, 10-course Kaiseki menu which includes beautifully presented dishes such as a special miso soup that’s theatrically brought to the boil with heated Mount Fuji rocks. Guests can be served at a U-shaped, stone counter facing the open kitchen or at one of the smaller surrounding tables.
What to order:
The 10-course tasting menu means you get to try a bit of everything. The inventive menu includes a Rabbit Miso Cappuccino, a special Chef’s selection of sushi, and the added option of wine pairing or sake pairing with your meal.
The Lucky Bee
If you’re looking for great food in a funky, unique surrounding look no further than the Lucky Bee. This eccentric and bold dining destination is perfectly located in the stylish Lower East Side. Marketed as Southeast Asian street food, the Lucky Bee menu features meals that are categorized as ‘small plates’ or ‘large bowls’ with imaginative dishes such as Tuna Tartare with Popped Wild Rice and Coconut Braised Beef Short Rib. The Lucky Bee has a fun and stylish ambiance with the seating in the restaurant surrounding the black and white striped bar in the center of the room with florescent pink splashed throughout the décor.
What to order:
It’s hard to go wrong with your choice of food at the Lucky Bee. Each dish is bursting with unique flavors as a result of imaginative pairing of ingredients. From the smaller plates we recommend the Tuna Tartare, Roast Chili & Shallot, Lime, Popped Wild Rice. From the larger plates they serve a delicious mussaman with a bit of a twist; Spiced Mussaman Curry of Lamb Shoulder, Kipfler Potato, Pineapple Vinegar.
Momofuku Nishi
Another branch of the famous Momofuku restaurants opened this year under the direction of David Chang. This time he approaches Italian cuisine through Korean and other Asian cooking styles. The new establishment is located in Chelsea, which of course is located on the west side of Manhattan (‘Nishi’ is Japanese for west). The menu is heavily noodle orientated and features an extensive selection of smaller plates, encouraging its diners to feast on the largely appetizer-based options. This ‘no-tipping’ eatery possesses the same qualities as its sister restaurants; great food and a loud and bustling atmosphere!
What to order:
Momofuku Nishi’s menu features an appetizer section, a myūn section, a 2 choice entrée section, side dishes and desserts. A selection of options from the appetizers and myūn section is the way to go here. The most popular dishes from the myūn part of the menu include; Clams Grand Lisboa – chow mein oregano with cabbage and Chicken and Dumplings – broth, torn noodle and smoked shitake. We also recommend the Spanish Mackerel Tataki and the Shaved Winter Vegetable from the appetizers.
Indian Accent
The original Indian Accent opened in 2009 in New Delhi, India, under the direction of restauranteur Rohit Khattar. In February of this year the second home to the restaurant became Le Parker Meridian in Manhattan. Unlike any other Indian restaurant in the city, this fine dining destination features recognizable, traditional Indian dishes that have been completely reinvented under the creative culinary direction of Chef Manish Mehrotra. He explains that the menu draws inspiration from the diversity of India’s different regions with the most popular dishes in the New Delhi restaurant being featured here. Additionally, Mehrotra has created some dishes to compliment and pay tribute to the restaurant’s new Manhattan home, note the pastrami naan.
What to order:
Indian Accent’s prix fixe style of menu is offered as a three course, four courses or chef’s tasting. In an establishment that has such an exquisite attention to detail in each dish, a chef’s tasting option is always the right choice. For those a little less daring, some of many incredible dishes in each course include; Sweet potato shakarkandi, kohlrabi, crispy okra from the first courses; Baby squid, crispy rice, everything chutney from the second courses; Tamarind sea bass, herb barley, spinach poriyal, kerala moilee from the third courses; and Besan ladoo cheesecake, amaranth from the sweet section to finish your meal.
April 18th 2016