Description: Aquavit
13 West 54th Street
New York City, NY
212/307-7311
I had one of my most surreal dining experiences at
Aquavit with two of my friends. It was herring week in New York City, so we had the best table in the house -- facing their cascading waterfalls -- at the right time.
The service was extraordinary; two waiters were looking after our needs and another one always made sure we were having a good time. Our reservation was at 8pm, which is prime dining time, but we were never rushed -- we stayed until 11:30pm.
The chef and co-owner, Marcus Samuelsson, is the youngest chef ever to receive a three-star restaurant review from food critic Ruth Reichl. The James Beard Foundation has also awarded him "Rising Star Chef" in 1999 and "Best New Chef in New York City" in 2003.
With a bottle of Gigondas, we each went for the three-course prix fixe. Between the three of us tasting each other's food, it was like having nine courses, plus the three other tasting plates the chef sent up. Check out some of the photos below but here's a run-down of our meal:
1. Lobster roll with pistachio and lemon yogurt, salmon roe, and homemade ginger ale
2. Herring Plate served with Aquavit and Carlsberg beer
3. Squab with potato purée and pearl onions
4. Konbu cured duck and braised leg with nut salad, kasha, bok choy, water chestnuts, and coconut-red beet sauce
5. Smoked dry-aged New York Strip with Kobe tongue, lily bulb salad,
and Japanese potato in bone marrow emulsion
6. Trio: sweetbreads, pork sausage, and lobster -- and odd combination but talk about decadence! I love sweetbreads!
7.Peanut butter parfait, sautéed banana, and
kalamansi sorbet (
Kalamansi is the lime from my country, the Philippines, so I was very impressed the chef used it.)
8. Arctic Circle: goat cheese parfait, blueberry sorbet, and honey tuile
9. Warm chocolate with orange creamsicle and citrus salad
Just like his eclectic food creations for the Scandinavian-owned restaurant, the chef also has a very interesting background: he's Ethiopian and was adopted by a Swedish couple. He has apprenticed in Sweden, Switzerland, and Austria.
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