Aquavit
65 E 55th St
New York, NY 10022
(212) 307-7311
Official Site
The average life span of a restaurant upon its first day of opening in New York City is three months. During that time it will either make it or break it. Aquavit, on the other hand, has withstood the test of time in this city’s competitive dining environment. For 25 years it was the premier Scandinavian restaurant as well as a fine dining establishment in New York City. It has received numerous accolades and rave reviews throughout the years.
This restaurant was once home to celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson who made a name for himself while manning its kitchen. During that time Chef Samuelsson received a three star review from The New York Times making him one of the youngest chefs to accomplish such a feat. Now, Aquavit’s kitchen is under the helm of Marcus Jernmark (who was the executive sous chef up until Chef Samuelsson’s departure in 2010). His modern interpretation of Nordic Cuisine was recently awarded a star by the Michelin guide’s 2013 edition.
Aquavit has a lovely modern interior and an unconventional layout that is complimented with a wonderful Scandinavian fixture that was popularized by IKEA. This restaurant in Midtown East has a long lounge area with high ceilings visible as soon as you walk in. It has clusters of Danish designed egg chairs and aquavit jars displayed on the wall. Towards the back is the bar followed by a series of rooms that are used for private events. The medium size dining room in the front is decorated with beautiful chandeliers, dark wood flooring, and numerous round space tables in the middle along with arm less oxford and elbow chairs. Uncovered dark Mahogany table tops with comfortable leather booth seats are on opposite walls while the windows with street views serve as a back drop to Fortune 500 diners that mainly occupy the room at dinner time during weeknights.
In order to truly experience Chef Jernmark’s seasonal cooking; the $85 four course (an extra $55 for wine pairing) dinner is my personal recommendation. It allows the diner s to design each course from the menu. During lunch, a three course set menu is available for $35 dollars as well as an a la carte option for both times.
The kitchen has a few surprises to start up the dinner, like the chilled truffle soup served in a canning jar that when it’s opened it resembles a waterfall of smoke that is a prelude to the amazing things to come.
The Herring is a staple food to every Scandinavian country, so I had to have the Cold Smoked Holland Herring. I liked the smoky taste and zesty sourness from the pickled onions. The Herring Trio was pretty good as well as the Gravlax for starters. Then there was the Nantucket Sea Scallops that was presented beautifully on top of the shell inside a wooden box. The sea urchin with the scallops made this deep oceanic dish delectable.
The Day Boat Cod with cauliflower and caviar has a deceitful look of an uninspiring plate of whiteness, but once you have had a taste of the cod, with the cauliflower against the saltiness of the caviar it has a remarkable flavor combination. The Wild Mushrooms with poached eggs was another dish that was surprising. I loved the mushroom and the poached eggs were just an added goodie that made this plate more than delicious.
Meat dishes like Wagyu Beef “Rydberg” where the pieces of meat were juicy and the truffle jus created an earthy fondness to it. Then, there is the Swedish Meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. The meatballs were very moist and the lingonberries provided a touch of tartness as well as sweetness. While poultry options like The Crescent Farm Duck Breast with Foie Gras was also very good. The fatty foie gras with the tender duck meat went very well together and a similar style dish, Penobscot Chicken Breast, was pan fried perfectly.
There isn’t much selection when it comes to dessert s, but the Peach and Pistachio and the The Apple and Rye with caramel is an excellent way to end a meal with something sweet.
Aquavit has an extensive wine list that is derived from different parts of the globe. I once requested the Sommelier to pair my dinner with wine and it was done amazingly to my liking. But the flavor of the infused aquavits is a must to try here. There is a plum flavored aquavit for those that prefer a little sweetness, a Horseradish for a more potent taste, or an Asian Pear for those that enjoy a more fruity drink.
Way before the explosion of Nordic cuisine in New York City and the US, Aquavit had established its brand here. It is a pioneer and an institution in this city. I once dined at this restaurant a few years back and I vaguely remember anything, but I have enjoyed my recent visits .The staff are attentive and professional. Chef Jernmark’s brilliant technique and precision are seen on every plate that comes out of the kitchen. Having no recollection of a dish that I disliked, I realized how Aquavit has withstood the test of time.
For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be considered. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication set to treat few ailments. What do you have to view about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your pharmacist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In supplement, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may include erectile disfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other men even if their state appears to be the same as yours.
