Soho Grand is a classic New York staple – with a lively jazz bar, casual al-fresco dining stop, and one of our favorite bars, we’ve done everything here but spend the night (a little harder to justify if your apartment’s a few blocks away). The glitzy bar on the second floor debuts for the spring summer season with a revamped menu, and The Knockturnal wanted to stop by and take a peek.
Chelsea shines a little bit brighter with the addition of Marsanne, a mediterranean restaurant opened a few months ago by Michelin-starred Chef Zivko Radojicic. It’s the kind of place that effortlessly blends sophistication with a welcoming charm—a rarity in the city’s ever-evolving dining scene. On a rainy evening, I stopped by with high expectations, which Marsanne delivered in spades.
Stepping into the storied Hunt & Fish Club in midtown Manhattan feels like what you imagined New York City to be like as a little kid – tall, gilded ceilings, white tablecloths and velvet-lined booths, champagne cooling in a table-side marble bucket. Let’s just say it – we were thoroughly impressed when we walked in and were escorted to our table.
If you’re looking for a great meal or just a good time in the Theatre District, look no further than La Pulperia! A Latin-American fusion restaurant with a vibrant heartbeat, La Pulperia offers hard-to-find dishes and unique cocktail experiences. From their ceviche and steak to their incredible churros, a trip to La Pulperia will be a meal to remember.
Earlier this year, we got to check out Plan Do See’s famous Bubusan and Azabu New York. On Saturday, we went back to Azabu for their premier dining experience. The bottom level of the restaurant boasts a world-class Omakase experience: The Den. Nestled into a quiet street in Hudson Square, the New York location of Azabu Sushi draws inspiration from its wildly successful Miami counterpart while bringing in elements of New York charm.
It boasts a new name, new menu, and new space: Azabu New York aims to transport guests to Tokyo’s Azabu neighborhood, known today for its laid-back, chic vibe but originally as a hub for merchants and traders.
The interior of Azabu New York’s space is inspired by Buddhist and Shinto aesthetic qualities, with calming, simple decor, a hidden sliding-door entrance, and Noguchi lamps. Architect Ian Bentley of NOISE was the creative mind behind the new design. The Den emulates Buddhist design and Azabu captures Shinto elements, with its soft blonde wood counters and touches of cobalt blue.
We stopped by their happy hour launch a few months ago to sample some cocktails and excellently crafted nigiri, and learn more about the revamped Azabu’s mission. Sake, white wine, and red wine were served in beautifully designed cups as guests attending the launch settled into the clean, cozy space. We loved that happy hour, and were highly anticipating the opening of The Den, their second concept location of the Michelin-starred omakase speakeasy inside Azabu Miami Beach.
Our meal at The Den was an expertly crafted experience, led by Chef Toshihide Terado, who has over 20 years of culinary experience across the globe. The meal consisted of a series of appetizers, a toro tasting, chef’s choice seasonal nigiri, and finished off with miso soup and dessert. We started off with a carafe of Suijin Junmai sake, which was served in ornamental aluminum cups designed to conduct and maintain the temperature of the drink. It was the refreshing palate cleanser I craved and kept reaching for throughout the meal.
The few courses were a delish spread of crab salad, a mackerel preparation, squid and mantis shrimp. Each was bursting with flavor, both sweet and savory, and watching the careful creation of each dish took eating it to the next level. The nigiri portion of the Omakase began with a toro tasting: Akami (lean tuna), Chu-toro (medium fatty tuna), O-toro (fatty tuna) came out prepared with real wasabi, soy sauce, and sudachi (japanese lime). We had about 4 more pieces of nigiri which all blew me away, but my favorite was the Sanma which is also a type of mackerel. We wrapped up the meal with my favorite course of the night: uni rice topped with salmon roe and more firm uni. Decadent, creamy, and briny, this dish combined two of my favorite seafood items into one delicious flavor profile carried by the rice. After those amazing courses, we had some light and fluffy japanese omlette, comforting miso soup, and finished off the meal with the most juicy melon I’ve ever had.
Eating at The Den is an experience that treats all the senses, and it’s clear to see why the original Miami location earned a Michelin star. I loved all the dishes and the Chef’s explanations, and can’t wait to try more of Azabu New York’s offerings.
Utsav, a second-floor restaurant located directly opposite the Diamond District, and not far from Times Square, initially gives a quiet impression. There is no corporate overture, no grand entrance, and no boastful accomplishments smeared on the walls, as seen in many of Utsav’s competitors.
Jaison, the General Manager
Instead, a walk past a quaint bar and up a flight of stairs led straight to the lobby of the restaurant; elegant but modest, and not at all overdone. Classic Indian decor lined the walls, adding to the delicate story of the scene without being ostentatious. I was greeted by Jaison, the General Manager, and before long, I was seated at a cordial table with a view gazing up at several towering skyscrapers located right across the street.
At the table, I was given a food and drink menu, and I began examining my options. What delighted me at once was to see carefully denoted vegetarian options, separated from those with meat, which made it easy for me to find what I could eat. Being familiar with Indochinese cuisine, I found some familiar favorites, like Chili Paneer and Hakka Noodles, as well as several new items I had not before encountered, such as Crispy Chili Babycorn. Every item looked deliberately chosen, and nothing seemed in excess or without purpose; in a relatively short Indochinese menu, all bases of the cuisine were covered for any preference. Soon, Nandita Khanna, the owner of the restaurant herself, came to greet me. She was extremely friendly, but also chose her words carefully and seemed to peruse over each sentence before delivery. We discussed the purpose of my visit, and then she began explaining her story.
Nandita comes from a long line of restaurant owners, in a family where food is a deeply rooted tradition worldwide. Despite her grandfather owning nineteen restaurants in Tokyo, they had had their beginning in Calcutta, India, Nandita’s home city. “Calcutta is the Indochinese center of the world,” she told me. “This is where the best dishes come from.” She explained how Utsav is the only restaurant owned by her family in America, and thus, she has no other members to assist her in its daily operations. “It was tough for the last several years, especially with Covid. We lost a lot of business. I didn’t even have money to pay my landlord sometimes,” she explained grimly. However, unlike many other specialized restaurants that closed during the pandemic, Utsav was able to prosper once more. “It’s rare for a female owner to make it in the restaurant business. We recovered from Covid, but I have not reached my goal yet. There is still more work to be done.”
To begin, Nandita asked me what I had tried previously at other restaurants, and what dishes I preferred. She made recommendations utilizing my responses.
Chili Paneer
Crispy Chili Babycorn
After I told her I am a big fan of paneer, she implored me to try her Chili Paneer. “You’ll also love the Cauliflower Manchurian and the Crispy Chili Babycorn,
I know it’s exactly what you’ll like,” she stated vehemently. Trusting her judgement, I obliged. I appreciated her effort in catering to my preferences, and simultaneously bringing me out of my comfort zone to try something I would have otherwise missed. Nandita also recommended several original cocktails, and I chose to try a turmeric-ginger one, and after assuring her that I could handle the spice, a jalapeño coriander one.
Indian-inspired cocktails
The drinks were delivered to me, and I realized I could not in fact handle the spice. Still, they were light and refreshing, and I welcomed the Indian twist. The appetizers also began to trickle to my table, and I noticed there was special care taken in the presentation—each dish was beautifully lain, with sauces and garnishes perfectly arranged and appealing to the eye. All three plates were great: the babycorn was crispy and perfectly seasoned (I wish it was available at movie theaters), the manchurian’s gravy was succulent, spicy, and thick, and the chili paneer was the highlight, with the paneer cooked to the perfect consistency and the sauce tangy and flavorful. The appetizers left me with anticipation for what could be next.
Nandita already had some entrées in mind when she came back to my table. Recognizing that I absolutely loved the paneer appetizer, she suggested I order the Paneer Szechuan for the main course. She also added a Manchurian Vegetable, a Burnt Garlic Coriander Fried Rice, and for something more familiar, a Vegetarian Hakka Noodle. After ordering, I conversed with her further, learning that she would be traveling back to India the very next day. “You picked the perfect day to visit,” she told me. “After today and I would not have been present to serve you.” She explained how she had not been home to India since prior to the pandemic, and she would be going back for the first time in three years. “I do not have any family here, everyone is back in Calcutta.”
My food arrived, and if the appetizers shocked me, the entrées were on a whole different level. Deeply enriched with various spices and sauces, and possessing a definite inspiration from traditional Indian-Chinese cooking, but with a tantalizing modern presentation, each dish was a journey to behold. The aromatic gravy of the Szechuan Paneer, with sautéed onions and peppers mixed in, was unbelievable.
Burnt Garlic Coriander Fried Rice
Not being a fan of rice, I was still unable to help myself to the garlicky pangs of flavor emanating from the coriander rice, and the Hakka noodles and Manchurian left little to be desired. Each plate, carefully crafted with an eye for detail, left me with a different experience; each had a story.
For dessert, I was reluctant to try something new. I had ventured into the realm of Indian sweets before, and I had never been impressed; the overly sugary confectionary taste was not for me. Nonetheless, Nandita assured me that her classic Mishti Doi would be perfect for me. She told me it was a Bengali delicacy, and with little other information, I trusted her judgement and ordered it. I also ordered a traditional Ras Malai, an Indian milk-based dessert that I was fond of, as backup.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Mishti Doi. A family recipe, Nandita explained what the name means: mishti is “sweet” in Bengali, and doi was analogous to “dahi”, a word for southeast-asian yogurt. The dish was sweet-yogurt indeed— a creamy, reddish-orange hue curd presented in a chilled clay pot. It was simply delicious, with a lightly sweetened taste that was not at all overbearing. Of course, the Ras Malai was perfect as well.
Thoroughly having enjoyed my meal, and bidding Nandita and her servers farewell, I began to reflect on the insight I had gained about the restaurant.
Iconic Decor
Utsav has been open for nearly 23 years, almost a quarter of a century. After it was opened in 2000, it has been giving every restaurant goer a taste of what it means to not only serve good food, but to have a purpose behind the food. Nandita wishes to share her culture and heritage, the very essence of her upbringing in the city of Calcutta, with each of her patrons, and this is clearly evident.
You can see it in the excitement she has when suggesting a dish, or the way her eyes light up when explaining what it consists of. She is a living testimony to presenting food as an art form—a piece only becomes art once there is a story behind it.
I cannot recommend Utsav enough, and I implore anyone that is in the area to visit it at the corner of 6th Ave and W 47th street in Manhattan.
Did you know you can experience Imperial Chinese Cuisine right here in New York? Chef Guo, an immersive space nestled in a corner of Midtown east, transports you to another world by activating all of your senses. Although the food draws customers in, the ambiance, carefully explained cultural insights, and attention to detail all come together harmoniously to create the perfect in-depth culinary experience.
I arrived early for my dinner at Chef Guo, and my server Caroline taught me about an ancient Chinese instrument they have displayed that was only played by the nobility. The instrument showcased in the restaurant was specially made as a high honor for Chef Guo by the Chinese government, and getting to try playing it felt like a privilege. 5 stone statues line the restaurant’s exit pathway, each representing a different season and different direction: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, and North, South, East, and West. The fifth and most beloved statue is the baby dragon, which represents abundance. Guests are encouraged to rub its head before they depart post-meal to be blessed with wealth and prosperity.
After a tour of the space, I sat down for my meal. Chef Guo’s dishes are served on royal yellow ceramics bordered in 24K gold. This is a unqiue color reserved only for emperors in ancient China, chosen to make guests feel special. The Chinese character for happiness appears throughout the restaurant, and on the dishes as well.
The first course was a silver needle tea, meant to stimulate the appetite. Its warmth and aromatics definitely readied my palate as the next three appetizers arrived: a selection of cold hors d’oeuvres and a dish called The Butterfly Falling in Love with the Flower. The hors d’oeuvres captured the four major flavor profiles: sour beans, sweet radish, bitter gourd, and spicy anchovies. Combining these flavors resulted in the most delightful taste sensation. The Butterfly dish was a work of art: seafood, vegetables, and chinese sausage were carefully arranged to resemble a nature scene of florals and butterflies. The final appetizer was slow-cooked tofu in scallion sauce topped with caviar – so fresh and satisfying on the palate. I was amazed by the depth of flavor in the scallion puree.
Starting off with Magic Elixir and the Fruit of Longevity made of peach jelly, the next set of courses continued to wow me. The elixir was a peach jelly to invigorate the blood, and served in a delicate eggshell. The Big Red Robe Tea came out next, and Caroline explained its rich historical legacy to me: this tea was integral to US-China relations, and was served to President Nixon by Chairman Mao Zedong in the 1970s. It’s “worth more than gold” and is used as a palate cleanser throughout the meal, meant to be taken as a single sip between courses. The next course was Taiji Black Truffle, a soup presented as a Yin Yang symbol. The orange soup was chicken based, and the green soup was beef based, and each side was topped with a circle of shaved black truffle. This dish represents the Chef’s desire to modernize his cuisine – truffles are typically not an ingredient in Chinese cuisine, but his use of it enhanced the dish tremendously. Pan Fried Foie Gras Au Jus arrived next, which was crisped on the outside and served with blueberry sauce and veggies. The combo of this decadent dish served with fresh flavors kept it light, yet indulgent. Next, the Chef served Mustard Green, Black Rice, and Premium Lobster Tail, Contrasting local cold-water lobster, this lobster tail comes from warm oceans and therefore had a sweeter flavor and firmer texture. The final item of this group of courses was the Hundred Happinesses and Eight Treasures in a Pouch Bag. Each of the 8 ingredients are hand-picked by the Chef and unique to each person, so only you and the Chef know what’s in your pouch. It’s served in a wooden box inscribed with the Chinese character “Fu” which means happiness – the theme of the restaurant.
The next course, Sea Bass with Fried Noodle, was served in a traditional sweet and sour sauce. The traditional Chinese dish uses baked carp, so the sea bass brings a modern and global twist on this dish: which is tremendously satisfying due to the delectable sauce. Next was a menu item I’d been anticipating, the Authentic and Traditional Wagyu Beef. It’s the finest A5 available from Japan, seasoned only with salt, and served with a side of apple fries. As someone that doesn’t usually get excited for steak, this blew me away. Every bite was perfectly crispy on the outside yet juicy and tender inside, and the flavors of the fat and salt melted in my mouth. Following up this perfect dish was the Flame Smoked Duck Breast, served with friend onions and almond slivers as pine incense smoke tendrils wafted up from beneath the cut of meat. The Braised Morels with Double Mushrooms is a delicacy, served to represent the guests’ honorable status. Some of the Chef’s star dishes came next: the ChefGuo Signature Pork Chops and the ChefGuo Signature Noodles With Black Bean Sauce. The pork chops won an award against French chefs in an international competition, flavored with chinese pickles in lieu of salt and served with a homemade pocky stick.
The end of the meal concluded with a selection of light desserts. The Tricolor Sea Swallow is a diced fish bone found only under extreme ocean depths, served with 3 flavors: papaya puree, kiwi puree, and greek yogurt. The fibrous, crunchy fish carried each of the flavors so well, and was a delicious and creative dessert I thoroughly enjoyed. Finally, the Golden Orange Sits on a Swing, a peeled orange served beautifully, which is a classic Chinese dessert item meant to rid your mouth of any odors and send you refreshed from your meal back into the world. After that, we had a Post-Meal Tea, which was a delicious Pu’er with a complex and invigorating flavor.
My 19-course meal at Chef Guo was a transformative, educational experience and truly one of the best meals I’ve had in my life. If anyone wants to learn about Chinese culture, both traditional and modern, make your reservation at Chef Guo immediately!
Nestled into Chelsea Market, one of the first fine dining restaurants to grace the ever-popular market boasts authentic Italian cuisine, artisan goods, and more. La Devozione splits into 4 sections. First, their to-go pasta bar emulates the typical grab and go Chelsea Market food scene. Their artisan goods table displays hand crafted plates and cups from Italy, colorful Moka Pots, and Dolce & Gabbana collaboration gift boxes, and the walls are lined with bags full of every imaginable shape of pasta (or at least, far beyond the average American pasta imagination – 126 to be exact). The third part is their chef’s table, dubbed “The Oval,” where Michelin-starred chef Peppe Guida provides an interactive fine dining experience.
Finally, the fourth a part of La Devozione is A Tavola, their casual dining area. Featuring a sprawling set of square quad tables, the space has a modern feel that humbly offers you a taste of a storied 110-year old pasta business. Pastificio Di Martino has been making dried pasta for home consumption for over a century, and expanded into the restaurant scene with takeaway in Naples. Now, their first-ever establishment in the United States opened last November, to guests from all over the world. La Devozione is Italian for The Devotion in Italian, and their signature dish of the same name evokes the spirit of Italian dedication to quality cooking and well-sourced ingredients.
Giuseppe Martino, the third generation owner of Pastificio Di Martino, is the restaurant owner. Along with Chef Alessio Rosetti (Hotel Grand Hotel Fasano in Gardone Riviera, Tony May’s SD26, Black Barn), he developed this menu to highlight traditional recipes based on the best ingredients. Bar Director Cristhian Rodriguez (formerly of NoMad Hotel and Eleven Madison Park) works with the bar staff to develop the unique cocktails featured on the menu, and each gets his stamp of approval before it’s offered to guests.
We stopped by on Wednesday to sample some of their authentic cuisine – starting off with drinks, we ordered the Redwood, a cherry and gin combo, and the Fantasma, a pisco-based lemon and strawberry drink. Each had distinct and unique flavors that were the perfect intro to our meal. For our appetizer, we had to try one of their highlights, the Lollipop Di Macaroni, a breaded macaroni and cheese lollipop with truffle-hazelnut sauce. With flavors both familiar and comforting from the mac n cheese and enticing from the truffle and hazelnut, this appetizer was incredible!
Next, for our main course, we had the restaurant’s namesake dish La Devozione. It’s spaghetti cooked in tomato sauce and fresh basil – their take on the classic spaghetti al pomodoro. The standout ingredient in this dish is tomatoes from Sorrento, which are harvested in the summer and canned to send to the US in the fall. In contrast to San Marzano tomatoes, these are richer and sweeter, giving the sauce an extraordinary flavor. The store will start selling these as soon as they arrive from this summer’s harvest, so stay tuned for their arrival on the shelves!
We finished off our meal with a nightcap and some dessert – their Figli Di Fiori cocktail, a cappuccino, and their Paris-Brest dessert. This gin and elderflower cocktail is one of their summer specialties, and was the perfect fizzy and light drink to top off a meal of delicious pasta. The cappuccino was strong yet perfectly palatable, with that satisfying espresso flavor rounded out with creamy, frothy milk. Finally, our dessert had layers of fluffy pastry, hazelnut chocolate creme, and was topped with hazelnuts. Each bite was perfectly creamy from the pastry, sweet from the creme, and crunchy from the nuts – the ultimate combo for a dessert. We loved our meal at A Tavola and can’t wait to come back to try The Oval. We even grabbed some of their signature pastas, the item that made them famous across Italy, and have our eyes on the Dolce & Gabbana box for next time
Make your reservation and learn more about La Devozione here!
Antidote, a Dim Sum / Sichuan hotspot in Williamsburg, just launched Jazz Nights on the first and third Wednesday of every month. With a plethora of exuberant cocktails and mouth-watering dishes lining their menu, Antidote has been calling our name for a while now and we couldn’t wait to check it out.
We stopped by on the first Wednesday of August to sample their tasty small plates and catch some live jazz! It was actually the first installment of jazz nights at Antidote, which launched as a new restaurant only 5 months ago, and we had a blast.
We started off our night by ordering drinks from their house menu – the Drunk in Love, a lychee puree-rose cocktail with a gold filigree leaf detail, was absolutely beautiful and tasted sweet, floral, and light. We also tried the Cloudy Enigma, a classic hit for gin lovers with a splash of grapefruit. The Chai-spresso was a unique take on the ever-popular espresso martini, with smoky mezcal and spiced chai to add depth. The last cocktail we tried, the Flu Shot, was our favorite: a yuzu-heavy prosecco cocktail that brightened our meal with its citrusy punch and bubbles.
The first dish we tried was the Sichuan Cold Noodle – a zingy, spicy noodle dish with sesame and green onion, it was an impeccable appetizer. A few bites of this primed us for the flavorful dishes to come, and the spice satisfied that quintessential Sichuan craving. From the dim sum menu, we loved the Siu Mai with Tea-Smoked Duck and the Crab and Pork Soup Dumplings. To freshen up our meal, we tried the Wood Ear Mushroom Salad, which is poached and mixed with chili and lemon sauce.
Another item we tried was the Honey Glazed Short Ribs – the day we went they had a different flavor spin on their menu staple, the Sweet & Sour Ribs. Juicy, tangy, and tender, these ribs were substantial and delicious. Exactly right for when you want an indulgent complement to a light meal. For us, though, the indulgence was about to reach another level. The main event of our meal arrived next: the Dongpo Pork. Scored and glazed to a level of food-magazine worthy perfection, the tender pork layered with rich fat on top absolutely melts in your mouth and is a must-try at Antidote.
After our meal, we learned a bit about the place’s origins from Rudi. The four owners have been in the restaurant business for eight years, and are Indonesian, European, Chinese, and Taiwanese, respectively. They’re all passionate about good fusion cuisine, focusing on making food taste incredible rather than sticking to traditional recipes just for the sake of tradition. To create Antidote, they transformed what was previously an abandoned warehouse near Domino Park into an industrial-chic dining establishment. We can’t wait to go back to Antidote to try some more of the menu items, and if you make your reservation soon, here are some of Rudi’s favorite dishes to spark inspiration:
Wandering through the streets of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, you never know when you might stumble upon a hidden gem – restaurants and bars are packed in on top of each other.