We went in October. It was her 30th birthday. We were met with warm smiles from everyone. They all made it a point to congratulate us. The character of the restaurant is given breath by the simple and unique culture of the staff. They are a well oiled machine and have done their homework. They are passionate about their focus. They are a family. This was our second time to Aska. Fredrik Berselius and the Aska family provided an incredible experience, from beginning to end, that will be a lifetime memory. From the first steps in, we felt taken care of. The design of the entire space is clean and elegant and dark. It felt right; cohesive with depth. The upstairs dining layout is spacious and well suited to ensure that you can focus on you. The kitchen is exposed offering a glimpse at the artists at work. There is also an outdoor space We kicked things off at the downstairs bar, enjoying delicious cocktails and the attention commanding decor. We returned upstairs to our table and the 10-course symphony began. I could talk for days about each dish but I am going to pass. I suppose it's more important to tell that Chef Berselius' vision has matured and extends throughout each dish to create a comprehensive, connected experience. It was one plate of genius after another bringing flavors, textures, colors, and contrasts that I have never explored. It was beautiful. The product is there and it is art. This will be a yearly visit for sure. read more

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Aska is clearly in the top 5 restaurant experiences of my life. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and provided excellent service throughout the entire experience. We enjoyed the 15 course tasting menu with wine pairings. Both soms we interacted with provided us with great details on each wine pairing. I will certainly recommend Aska to anyone traveling to NYC or BK. Thanks for providing us with such a great experience! read more

It sort of pains me to right this review since I took my boyfriend here for his birthday as a surprise - he had wanted to go here for a while since we had both heard extremely positive things about Aska. Unfortunately, to our disappointment Aska did not impress. Let's start with the long wait time - if I am dining at a 2 Michelin starred restaurant and paying $$$$ for a meal, I do not expect to have to wait 30 minutes before being seated. I did not mind the length of our meal (we did the long format 19 courses, so the meal took several hours), but I think having to wait that long to be seated is unacceptable. As for the food, we enjoyed roughly 1/2 of the items, with only about 1/3 of them blowing us away. Again, for a restaurant of this calibre, I expect to have a memorable meal and not be served forgettable dishes. In addition, I believe the servers could have provided a bit more description about what exactly they were serving us. In my mind, a tasting menu such as this is a story, an epic even, with each dish being a chapter which enchants you even more as you progress. One of the few positives was the sommelier introducing us to a funky Hungarian wine which we enjoyed. We had described the type of wine we wanted to try, and she came back with a rather surprising choice which turned out to be a highlight of the meal. A thoroughly disappointing experience overall; I don't think I'll be coming back to Aska :( read more

I had dinner at Aska with my mom and my cousin last month, during a gluttonous trip to New York. It was an extraordinary experience, with immaculate service and wonderful food. I ate several things here that were completely new to me, even familiar ingredients presented in surprising ways. We reserved a table for three a couple of weeks in advance. Aska requires payment for food at time of booking, a system I've only ever seen from super fancy restaurants, where a dinner reservation is like a ticket to a show. We opted for the abbreviated tasting--about ten courses for $185, as opposed to $265 for 16 to 18--and chose the earlier seating, at 6:00. When it turned out my cousin couldn't leave work that earlier, we were able to move our reservation to 7:30 over the phone. My mom and I arrived first, and we waited for my cousin on the lovely, peaceful patio. We moved inside for dinner, to the stylish dining room, where our table was set with crisp black tablecloth, soothing candle, and tiny potted plant. There was an open kitchen, where we could watch the busy cooks putting together all those complicated dishes. Service was outstanding. Our server Morgan was the consummate host, guiding us through this elaborate dinner with warmth and absolute competence. We started our night with cocktails. I got the Wild Negroni, a perfumed negroni with chrysanthemum gin, Salers Aperitif, and Cocchi Americano. My cousin had the Teak, a dry and pleasantly medicinal mix of Amontillado sherry, dry and blanc vermouth, and aquavit, served in a teak cup. The three of us then shared a wine pairing with our meal, and this was fun and well conceived, with something like six wines, mostly whites, to go with our food. The first two courses were bite-sized snacks, paired with a pour of Riesling. Crispy twigs of dried bladderwrack seaweed came dotted with blue mussel emulsion over a bed of kelp and rocks (we were instructed not to eat the kelp, which us Koreans definitely would've eaten otherwise). Then, beautiful half-moon wedges of kohlrabi, marinated and compressed with linden leaf oil and linden flower vinegar, finished with radish flowers and cucumber powder. I can't really describe the flavor or texture of this exquisite bite--it was unlike anything I'd ever had before. After this, we had our first bread service: fresh manitoba bread made with buttermilk and IPA, dotted with sunflower seeds and served with cultured butter. I'm not especially into bread, but this was phenomenal. Glidden Point oysters came next, with a nice 25% pinot blanc champagne. The oysters were small and sweet, served off the shell with pickled green gooseberries, swimming in a gooseberry vinaigrette dotted with juniper oil. Clean and refreshing--I think I low key drank up the vinaigrette like soup. The second bread was as good as the first: brown rolls made with malt and spices, rolled in fennel and caraway seeds, served with whipped pork fat dusted with dried yarrow powder. For the next course, we had the option to upgrade our roe to caviar for $50 a plate. We decided to stick with the roe, and I can't imagine this was a poor choice. The Vendace roe was spectacular, every tiny orange egg briny and bursting. It came with thin sticks of asparagus, asparagus powder and oil, lemon verbena, ramp capers, and a frothy sauce of fermented asparagus juice mixed with whey. Our last seafood course was a silky, delicately meaty poached skate wing, plated with turnip purée, fire-roasted turnip glazed in lovage leaves, white currants, lovage purée, and a light green sauce made with smoked fish stock, white wine, and lovage oil. This was unbelievable, every element flawless and delicious. It came paired with a Napa Chardonnay. Our next wine was a palomino, described as somewhere between a white wine and a sherry. It accompanied a dish of fried reindeer moss with caramelized cream, pickled chanterelles, and spruce needles in a spruce vinegar and mushroom broth. I took a liking to this lichen, an unusual offering with a light, flossy texture and plenty of flavor, though some of that might have been the aromatic broth. For our final savory course, we had 120-day dry-aged beef, served with black and red currants, blackberry jam, and vinaigrette of berry juice and rendered beef fat. This was a perfect piece of meat, buttery and richly flavorful. I enjoyed it with a splash of pinot noir. A lush, sweet 1994 chenin blanc took us through our desserts, which were, of course, fantastic. A clean, cool raw milk sorbet came with this year's wild strawberries and a fermented juice of last year's strawberries. Then, we had sweet, earthy birch bark ice cream with black trumpet and woodruff. Who knew mushrooms could go so well with ice cream? The night closed with two bites of fudge: blood fudge dusted with rosehip, and white chocolate fudge with Swedish Punsch and sourdough malt powder. They tasted like nothing else I'd ever encountered. A fitting end to a dinner rich with marvels. read more

Congrats! Michelin 2* & Michelin's best new restaurant in NYC. Never been to the original Aska, which received numerous accolades from prominent food critics and a Michelin star. Executive Chef Fredrik Berselius just opened up his Nordic restaurant in another location right across Williamsburg Bridge. You can just walk across the bridge, and the restaurant is right there. Left very, very impressed; Overall, wonderful tasting menu (18-courses) from beginning to end. Highlights: All (Not going into details; Very creative & delicious, some using unique techniques & preparation). You just have to come & try it yourself. = Culinary genius Excellent wine pairing (& reasonably priced). Impeccable service. Wonderful/very friendly staff. Chef Berselius came by the table often. Big thumbs up for playing some great tunes from The Smiths (Arghhh.......I'm so old.). Gratuity included. No tipping here. Highest recommendation. : 10 calendars Note: They also have a casual outdoor dining area (with separate, inexpensive, but limited a la carte menu) - no reservations required for that one - and a bar downstairs. read more

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The chefs delivered an icredible dining experience bolstered by an excellent team of waiters/hosts. I didnt particularly enjoy every single dish (2 I didn't like) however every individual course was truly unique, regardless of my satisfaction. Can go into extreme detail for each course but that would be corny as hell. True to every dish were the various layers of flavors, even in a single bite. Some don't even hit till you begin your second bite, then you go hey... Waitstaff was incredibly attentive and friendly, was trying to think about something to write and just realized I don't even remember them clearing out the plates and cutlery between each course. Do remember the setting of cutlery and the presentation of each course, very theatrical, however the transition between each act, very ninja-esque. Dinner is pre-paid when you make a reservation, so there is an added bonus of feeling like the meal was free. Btw totally worth the price if you don't feel the freebie-ness of it. Lastly, don't plan anything too close to your reservation time, dinner took us a little over 4 hours. A quick 4, not the draggy kinda 4 read more

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Such an amazing dining experience! We did the $145 tasting menu and it was one of the most creative meals I've had this year. Everything was delicious, well balanced and thoughtful; totally unique and unlike anything I had eaten this year. The service was great. They had heard we had dined at the old Aska, when it was still in kinfolk studios and every server we talked to wanted to know how we had liked our experience, etc. I can't wait to go back. read more

Aska - Blixen - gin, Campari, dry vermouth, absinthe, rosehip and seltzer. This is hygge. - Scandinavian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The most delicious, delicate, imaginative food. Exquisite dining but with an authentic, friendly and easy atmosphere. Tasting menu was the perfect amount. Wonderful being able to see the chefs at work in the kitchen. And the best cocktail I've ever had (couldn't find the name on their website, it contained a chanterelle vinegar among other delights). Overall price may be just for special occasions for sure, but we'll be back at least for a cocktail at the bar. read more

Aska - Scandinavian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Frederik Berselius is keeping Williamsburg incredible. My heartfelt dining experience is from how genuine Aska is: from food, staff, services, ambience, space. Food- They truly speaks for themselves. Frederick is so talented, the food absolutely lives up to the hype and more. I was able to recognize familiar ingredients as well as exotic Scandinavian dishes that was completely mind-blowing (ie: blood pancake? SO GOOD.) Staff & Service - I loved how Frederick was able personally come table-side to EVERY one of the tables during service. It was another high point to see the artists at work right in front of me! Ambience & Space - The best way to describe the setting might be a dark theater or gallery with spot lights directly in the kitchen. Very very interesting play of space, I felt I was part of an audiences watching a big production unfold. Frederik took my boyfriend and I to the downstairs bar area after our meal and we chatted casually about our experiences and he spoke to us about his idea to make the downstairs bar as a neighborhood place. I can't say I've had a similar experience dining anywhere else in the past. It was high-end, yet artistic, yet neighborhoody. This place is sincerely incredible. read more

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Food was on the salty side but presentation was 10/10. Make sure you are 30% full before dining as the portions are tiny. It was a good experience but I won't recommend it unless you just have to try a 2 star restaurant or love caviar. Service is 11/10. read more

Bar review only. My wife and I went to the bar downstairs on a Thursday night. It was an amazing experience and we cannot wait to go back. The atmosphere is incredible, like hanging out in a friend's amazing Scandinavian den with cool music and great food. We sat on a couch and they brought two of the best cocktails we have ever had. They were complex, light, and beautiful - hard to describe but if you love cocktails like we do, you must try the Edda, a great gin based drink. The bar manager came over and she even gave us cold shots of the Black Death, Iceland's Brennivin. A gem of a bar for South Williamsburg! read more

Aska - Amazing bar downstairs! Some of the cocktails in NYC! - Scandinavian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I love it. We met the chef here and their food is super nicely curated. Fresh taste, magic combination, beautiful! I started to understand why the food are plated like it is after seeing the chef - he's from Stockholm :p read more

Aska - Scandinavian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Kinda disappointed actually. 3.5-4 star to me. I had a very high expectation for this Scandinavian Michelin 2-star restaurant, but the result actually turned out to be just around average level. I went there in summer time around May in party of three. We opted the 16-course tasting menu, however both of my friends and I felt not full after the dinner.. The place located in Brooklyn, a long way from the city to go. But given the reputation, it's still worth going. The ambiance and the waiter services are perfect 5 starts, very decent and elegant with the dark tablecloth. We had a window seating table, where we saw the sunset during the dinner, from daylight to night. The food itself, honestly I felt at an average level, and portion is pretty small. The 16-course (13 dishes, 3 desserts): The Manitoba is very special, with oat and beer and cultured butter. I also like the Oyster, with green gooseberry, orpine, oil made with juniper needle. The quail is great as well, it's roasted, from Vermont with summer truffle. The white asparagus with caviar is one of my fav dish. I do not like Langoustine, tasted weird and dry... But I do love the desserts here, the strawberry milk sorbet, birchwood ice cream, caramelized white chocolate, all perfect. I think the meat, ingredients here are all at decent level, but the sauce or the cooking style is not something I expected. But the service and setting does worth a try. read more

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One of my top picks for dining in New York. Every dish was outstanding and prepared to the highest level. The chef sources the finest ingredients from Scandinavia to the Northeastern region of the United States. The chef is a master of sauces and each dish was accompanied with a beautiful combination of of flavours and highlighted the meticulous technique of chef Berselius. Everyone who worked there was warm, friendly and knowledgeable. A very memorable meal. read more

A very neat environment in Brooklyn. Their dishes are arts, really beautiful. Even though the taste is nothing surprised. The deserts and ice cream is good though. read more

Went here for my boyfriend's birthday for the abbreviated tasting menu. I had MAJOR subway delays and got to the restaurant a half an hour after our reservation - I found my bf enjoying a cocktail in their beautiful garden, and when I got there, they didn't rush me at all. In fact, they let us know we could take our time outside and just let them know when we wanted to come in and get started, which I thought was so nice and pretty rare. Every single thing we tasted was phenomenal. I am a vegetarian, and they were able to accommodate a separate vegetarian tasting menu for me (while my bf was able to enjoy the regular tasting). Each dish was unique, with purposeful elements and surprising flavors. We thoroughly enjoyed our entire meal here. The wines we tasted were phenomenal - I only wish they had a few more affordable options. All in all, this is a great place for a special meal. Definitely an NYC must-eat. read more

Came here on our wedding day with my husband. I was so glad I chose Aska for my special day. The tasting menu provided us a great feast that night. The dishes were tasting and creative and even looks like an art. I was satisfied with all of them. read more

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Appearance without substance. The art of high cuisine is to combine presentation, taste, and texture. They got the presentation but seem to have forgotten about the taste and texture. All show and pretense, without the actual pleasure. I've dined at most 2 and 3 Michelin starred restaurants in NYC and this was the worst. read more

Great place with 12 courses of fantastic food. The chefs present each dish and there are some table side preparations. I'd definitely go back as it is worth the price. There needs to be a some refinement in the service and the chefs presentations, but great experience. read more

I came for my birthday dinner and we had a 19-course tasting menu with the wine pairing. I'd like to think we're adventurous and relatively well-eaten* and even with our food vocabulary, we were still surprised by several of the dishes. Example 1: the bread comes with a cultured butter and then another white dish filled with what the Hubs said tasted like "meat soup". Turns out it's whipped pig fat. Whoa. Both delicious and disgusting. I'll eat that all day. Example 2: Langoustine dish that came with nail scissors to open the lavender satchel with. I don't know how those little guys were cooked (or not cooked) but they were delicious, plump, succulent, and beautifully floral. Nice job. Example 3: Lamb heart. But turned into powder. If they had profered a metal straw, you could've snorted it. Super weird but powerfully flavorful (in the mouth, not through the nose). Let's just say all the food is delicious and you should try it. Service here is amazing. The hostesses all wear very scandinavian tunics and up-dos but exude the warmth of a thousand mugs of hot chocolate (with marshmallows). They patiently answer any question no matter how stupid and will hang around and chat with you about wine if you so desire. They also magically take plates and glasses away like culinary ninjas. The hoard of cooks in the kitchen is a perfectly timed dance troupe. They bring out these beautifully plated dishes and explain the sometimes quite exotic ingredients and it's more like a show than a meal. The best part is that when you make the hard-to-get reservations, you get the table for the whole night. No one awkwardly hovering over you trying to get your table turned over to squeeze in more people. Totally deserving of those 2 Michelin stars. Thanks Hubs! ------- * a version of "well-read", I'd like to think. read more

The exquisite attention to detail on every bite is what makes this such an exciting experience. We loved the freshness of the ingredients and the total surprise in the flavors. Definitely one for the bucket list. read more

Dining at Aska was my first time having Nordic cuisine. I know it has been the hot thing for the last decade or so but I really was just not interested. The idea of eating mosses and things didn't sound appetizing to me; I am glad I finally tried it though. Although there might be some moss like items, they certainly aren't the main event and they actually do add interest to the dishes. The menu is an extensive tasting menu 12 plus courses and all were creatively presented, contained numerous complimentary ingredients and were delicious. The entire meal was certainly a journey and experience that left know doubt that the young chef and his team spend endless amounts of time planning, creating and plating each spectacular course. We had the wine pairings which were masterfully matched with the courses. I would highly recommend giving Aska a try if you can get in. read more

Good fine dining place! Somehow i find the dishes were a bit heavy in texture and form. I didnt feel light and energetic at the end of the tasting menu but rather heavy and sluggish. But it was good to try at least once since there are not that many two Michelin star restaurants in new york anyway. read more

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I can not quite call this a meal, as it was more of an exploratory and sensory experience. The combination of ingredients and presentation was a delight to all of my senses. The food looked and tasted amazing. Each bite varied a bit, depending on what parts of the dish were scooped up into the fork or spoon. Some dishes felt like they were taken straight from the cuisine of some mythical land where dragons roam the earth (lamb heart). Others looked and tasted like they were brought forth from an enchanted forest (lichen). Overall, this was a superb experience. read more

Aska - 9 out of 19 courses. One better than the next. - Scandinavian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Just came back from a trip in Iceland, so I was delighted to secure a reservation for this new Nordic restaurant that recently eared two michelin stars. Prepay at reservation, gratuity and tax included. Interesting system. Sure makes a lot of things simpler. I had high expectations for this restaurant, and Aska not only met it but was better. Nineteen course meal too about 3 and half hours. Food is inventive and interesting. The servers will tell you the ingredients, but it is likely that more than half of it's not something you've heard of before. I'm not complaining as I take a lot of joy in trying new things. Many courses will wow you, some will be just ok, but all are original and creative. I was blown away by lamb's heart dish. Burnt to ashes but it was lamb's heart nonetheless! Ambiance is a huge factor here. Black ceiling, black walls, black furnitures. Staff dressed in black. It seems really dark at first, but then again it's as if the chef wants you to focus your senses entirely on the food. My party of four were fortunate enough to get a table right next to the kitchen area, so we could observe some action from the sideline. It was a pleasure to see everyone work in harmony, yet in complete silence most of the time. It was amusing to see Chef Fredrik completely in focus, and he wasn't saying much but his presence was incredibly strong. He may be a culinary genius. I'm going to have to visit this place again to make sure. read more

Delectable. Gorgeous. Shakespearean. Pastoral. Unexpected. Titillating. Norwegian Punk. Savoury. Sexy. Black Box Theater. Caviar. Lichen. Silky wine. Ibsen. Misty garden. Blue mussels. Cured skate. Lilac. Birchwood. Milk sorbet. Grilled onion. Locally sourced. Farms at twilight. Preserved pine. Blood pancake. Sparkling. Glimmering. Shimmering. Generous. Unforgettable. Midsummer dreams. Exotic cream. Brilliant. Artful. Flowering dill. Spring woods. Mushroom broth. Pork butter. Experimental. Showering during a thunderstorm. Go. read more

To be fare, I should probably give it 3.5-4 stars for all the good things on those dishes. However, the service was so bad, that I am still pissed. The service charge was included in the prepay, that could explain the lack of management. I believe everyone could be at your service, and it created problems. For example, I asked for sparkling water, but my glass was filled by still water for once. This is the only restaurant where I could not get half of waiters' course introductions. It is true that they used lots of difficult plant names, but the distance they kept, volume and tone they speak were really the problem. There were hardly any eye contact. Course, lines, sauce, walk away. The booking site suggested the 14-course to be a 2-3 hours meal. I have called the restaurant and was told they could definitely make it a 2 hours one, all I needed to do was notify my server. At the day of my reservation, server checked with the chief. He came persuading me to push my other appointment, which was not really possible but i do appreciate his professionalism. He told me 2 hours could be done, but I just had to eat really fast. Yes he denied that preparation required longer time, and offered to remind me when I eating pace fell behind. As a result I ate super fast, and ended up waiting longer than one usually would. Comparing with another table that came 15min earlier than we did, we were served under a normal pace, no rush at all. The last 3 dishes were all deserts, which were served all together by other fine restaurants. They made me wait 10 min for each of these bits. I ended up staying about 3 hours and still missed the last dish. I believe it was supposed to be a chocolate, and I waited 15 min for that it. I admit I should have make myself more available, but the servers attitude really pissed me off. After two hours, and with 3 courses left, I asked the server if they could speed it up. One male server, who had been slacking it off, suggested that I should just leave. Being offended by his answer, I stopped talking. He started pushing me to say "ok" so that they can stay with their current pace. One bond female server was well trained and keeps asking if I could give them more time so I could taste the rest of those dishes. The other dark hair female kept lying it usually took 3-4 hours and 2 hours was such an ask, but they were making those dishes faster and I should be GRATEFUL. She asked me how was the meal, I teasingly answered late. She started at me as if I said something ridiculous, then she repeatedly asked the question until my friend gave her an answer that satisfied her. Waited 15min for the last course, I stood up and asked for my coat. Nobody greeted me along the way. Initially I thought I would come back for the delicateness put on each dishes, but after 2 hours, I knew I would never come again. Other cons: awkward height of the partition wall, one restroom. read more

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This restaurant is completely restored my faith in high-end meals in NYC. I'm sure one can dissect each course in detail in the other reviews, but all I will say is the tastes you will experience here are somehow both unbelievably delicious, and so novel they feel as if they are out of a dream. Imagine taking the amazingness of toast and putting it in the form of a soup... or taking the woodsy flavor of mushrooms and maple syrup and assembling it into ice cream......or combining a chinese plum with chocolate and serving it on a small twig ...these all happen at Aska. In comparison to a recent excursion to another newcomer to the NYC restaurant scene, Gunter Seeger, another michelin winner of this past year (albeit single star), Aska is so much better I feel the money I spent at Gunter Seeger might as well have been flushed down the drain. Sometimes, at these more conventional "fancy" places it seems as if you pay ridiculous amounts for tiny, pretentious courses with random assortments of ingredients blended, liquified, and dabbed on a plate. Aska could not be further from this. This restaurant is what I thought these kind of restaurants could be. The preparations are not only purposeful, but so surprisingly interesting I have no idea how anyone could have thought them up. Aska is worthy of all of it's recent accolades. Of course, service and setting, etc is great too, if you care about this sort of thing. read more

My wife and I had dinner on a Friday night. The food was great, and in particular the grilled langoustine and the scallops were truly amazing. Our biggest complaint was the serving tempo- we sat down at 8:45pm which was our reservation time, ordered a drink each which was promptly served, but then... the first dish did not come out until it was nearly 9:50pm. As many others here have noted, it took nearly three hours to finish the meal. No matter how good the food was, we were pretty worn out by the end, given it was nearly midnight. The desserts were also underwhelming, consisting mostly of cookie-type food that was okay, but not really the level you would expect at a two Michelin-star restaurant. read more

Best restaurant of 2016, 2 michelin stars... I had very high expectations and the food at Aska was kind of mind-blowing. I'd never had Scandinavian-style cuisine before, or rather "Modern Nordic grounded in Brooklyn" cuisine as the Chef sort of corrected me. It's very unique, even a little weird, and it's an amazing experience. The restaurant is minimalist, dim, almost unwelcoming, and it took me about 2 courses to start warming up to the spacious room. Mostly because of the staff. The staff were all fantastic, friendly and personal and not too formal. The chefs who work in the kitchen (every table has a great view) each come out to greet you and introduce every course. The Chef makes his rounds as well, and it's wonderful to listen to him talk about his food (listen hard, because he's very tall and softspoken). I was intimidated by the blood pancake - it's rich and almost chocolatey. Still quite strong for me, I didn't finish, but I'm glad I tried it. If you absolutely do not want it then you can request a plain pancake. A course of ash made from charred lamb heart... it sounds crazy but somehow it reminded me of bacon (VERY well-done bacon). Of course besides these, there were many many delicious not-so-crazy dishes. My favorite was lichen, fried and delicately crispy, over a lightly sweet caramelized cream, with an almost briny mushroom broth. Skate was presented on the bone with a luxuriously creamy celery root puree. The 120 day dry aged rib eye has my mouth watering even now. A dessert of fermented then pickled whole strawberries was the best strawberries I've ever had in the middle of winter, spooned over raw milk sorbet that was clean and refreshing. We were told the team actually forages for some ingredients, and these ingredients make quite an impression (mushrooms, moss, flowers). Most ingredients are transformed and used in interesting ways (as opposed to showcasing the simplicity of expensive ingredients). You have luxurious ingredients as well, but you get to appreciate more humble ingredients. Each dish has multiple components which are just okay on their own, but are great when eaten together. I believe this is one of the best values for set menus in New York, as the 19-course menu is $215 inclusive of tip. Highly recommend going for the extended tasting menu. They leave you with a printed menu and a beautifully crafted knife per diner, a little something to remind you of an incredible meal. read more

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Ahhh... Aska is back! The original Aska, a small space in the back of Kinfolk Studios, was on our top 3 tasting menus in New York City. We were greatly saddened when it closed in 2014, but have been waiting patiently for chef Fredrik Berselius's reopening. We dined at Aska opening week, and the menu did not disappoint! Fortunately for us, opening week also fell on our 7-year anniversary, so we made it an occasion. The restaurant is right by the Williamsburg Bridge with quite an unassuming storefront; use to be an old warehouse. When we checked in with the hostess, we were led downstairs to a cellar bar and poured a glass of champagne in celebration of our anniversary. It was a lovely gesture. While we enjoyed a toast, we noticed that the bar serves a more casual a la carte menu as well as wine, beer, and cocktails. As far as I'm aware, they don't take reservations for the bar (or garden); it's first come first served. We were then led back upstairs to the main dining room. Gorgeous space. It was dark and moody, but spacious and intimate with an open kitchen. We didn't do a pairing with our tasting menu, but we ordered 2 cocktails each throughout our dining, which were as superb as you would imagine. The tasting menu consisted of 19 courses, each dish was beautifully curated--visually and taste-wise. Each ingredient is deliberate, and Chef Berselius has foraged some (most?) of it himself. An innovative culinary journey. To give a sense of the menu, I will bore you with the details of some of the highlights: CAVIAR: grilled onion, sustainable finish caviar from Carelian, cultured cream, lemon verbena RAZOR CLAM: razor claim, peas, elderflower and while pea oil BLOOD PANCAKE: blood pancake, cherry, rose and rosehip SKATE: cured skate wing, celery root puree with its leaves, roasted celery root, unfiltered rapeseed oil and flowering dill SQUID TART: tart made with seaweed, charred squid and a puree made from dulse BEEF: 50 day dry aged rib eye, preserved black currant and salted plum from last year, cured beef fat And there were 3 delicious, fresh desserts! The entire experience was about 3 hours. Service was orderly and flawless. The tasting menu is completely and thoroughly worth it. It came as a surprise that at the end of the meal, we learned that tax and gratuity were already included in the price. Outstanding meal and evening! Aska remains one of my top favorite tasting menus in NYC, and I'm excited and appreciate that there is an a la carte dining option now. I hope to be back again soon! read more

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I celebrated my birthday last week at Aska with a few friends. I didn't find any of the dishes I had to be particularly delicious.

Celebrated a special dinner last night and everything was excellent. Compared to the most recent two-Michelin starred restaurant we went to (Jungsik), Aska blows them out of the water. Nearly every dish was executed wonderfully with complex and interesting flavors. The wine pairing was very nice and the sommelier (Missy) was absolutely great. Read the (many) reviews that say people leave hungry after the tasting menu, so we had a little snack before dinner. Whether the snack was what held us over or not, I'm not sure but I felt satisfied at the end of our evening. read more

What a great experience at this newly opened Williamsburg restaurant. The chef is a genius. The food was outstanding. The restaurant space is great. We were brought downstairs for a drink in the lounge before being shown to our table. They have a nice garden space too. The tables themselves are beautiful wood. The kitchen is open so you can see the master at work. I love the new Nordic/Scandinavian cuisine, after a trip to Scandinavia last year. The forward thinking and pushing the boundaries of innovation continually amazes me. We had a 20 course culinary journey. I think I didn't care for one dish. Beyond that they were all very good to fantastic. The plating was stunning. The highlights for me were the langoustine, the oysters, the liken with mushroom, and the strawberry dessert. The chef is a humble and kind guy who spent time talking to us during dinner and afterward. The staff was all very friendly and informative. Obviously full after 20 courses but not stuffed. My friends may disagree. I just had a great time. Not an every day restaurant. But definitely worth the splurge. They also have a bar menu in the garden and lounge that doesn't require a reservation. Can't wait to go back. And oh, there's a cool parting gift. read more

Excellently prepared meal with unique flavors. We stopped by with a reservation on a Friday evening, and it was pretty quiet meal given that I think it was still its first week and there was definitely space for more tables. There are too many dishes to recount in detail, but all of the ingredients were extremely fresh (although a bit lacking in protein). Among the more memorable dishes included the Maine shrimp, the king crab, the squid tart, and the dry aged rib eye; the latter in particular was an amazingly tender and flavorful piece of meat. We also split a wine pairing between my friend and I, and they poured it into two glasses for us so that we could share both, which I greatly appreciated. Overall, it's a pricey but excellent place for a quiet, refined, not very heavy meal with excellent flavors. read more

My wife and I had our anniversary dinner here this past week. It's been a spot I've been wanting to try for some time, and perhaps there's a little bit of bias involved as well (it is pronounced, if not exactly spelled, like my name). Even though both of us ran a little late, the hostess was more than gracious enough in getting us seated at our table. As the decor at the entrance suggests, Aska's ambiance tends towards the darker side, with an eclectic mix of decor hinting at the space's past - you have some brick walls, as well as some wooden pillars that look a little worse for wear and appear as though they had a bunch of papers taped onto them. There is a small cocktail menu available to choose some drinks from (my 'Wild Negroni' was alright, if not as inspiring as I had hoped), as well as a beverage pairing that you can choose to have. My wife went with the non-alcoholic pairing, which mixed in sodas and juices that I quite enjoyed (in particular, I liked the lingonberry juice and the herb-infused apple juice at the very end); my wine pairing was also decent, if a little bit less of a standout. My favorite was probably the mid-1990s vintage chenin blanc, which had sweetened considerably over time and was very nice as a dessert wine. Otherwise, the others tended to be wines that were a little off the beaten path (e.g. we had a number of Eastern European white wines) - fine overall, but perhaps not as memorable. I also think the timing of the beverages could be a bit more even; as we got towards the end of the meal, the table started filling up with multiple glasses for each of us. The tasting menu clocked in at 16 'courses', although unlike some restaurants that follow a similar length (e.g. Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare), the first few bites were more like amuse-bouche, and the two bread servings are also counted among the courses. Not unsurprisingly given the Scandinavian influences, there is a lot of focus on herbs reflected in a number of the dishes. Shrimp heads - more of an Asian delicacy - is booked with dill and lamb fat and actually is probably the most delicious iteration of this that I have had, in large part perhaps (because?) the very inky, harsh flavor of the brain is either well-covered or removed entirely. Langoustine is served encased in smoked juniper sprigs that you cut open - imparting a nice, faintly woodsy aroma to the meat without being overpowering. Maine oysters are served already shucked and served cool with juniper-infused oil - a very light but delicious pairing. One of my favorite bites was the skate wing, which you pull off the fish bone and dip into the dill-infused sauce - another fantastic bite on its own as well. The quail is served with a lot of pine sprigs around it (and is cooked with pine-infused butter), which I did enjoy but was also a bit on the small side. What really hit the mark for me were the desserts. I'm a strawberry fan, so getting a milk sorbet served with strawberries in fermented (yet still sweet) strawberry juice was a cool, refreshing way to start off the sweet portion of the meal. The birchwood ice cream was even better, though - it was drenched in what came off as relatively unsweetened maple-like syrup, and the candied mushrooms on the top really rounded off a sweet but very forest-y course. Some dishes, though, while interesting, didn't quite hit the same mark for me. The kohlrabi was literally a slice of the vegetable, served as what looked like a very thin slice of apple. While it's a much different take on it (as I am used to boiling / mashing this down, a la a potato), to count that as a course - or really an interesting bite - would be pushing it. The lichen (or 'reindeer moss') had a fun, crackly texture, but it was quite plain on its own. The bread courses were both pretty good, but it didn't stand out compared to some of the other breads I have enjoyed elsewhere. Overall, I'd likely come back for another meal. I really enjoyed the approach to the meal, and if there's one thing that was always executed well, it was just how good-looking all of the food was when each course came out. That said, I wasn't as blown away by the time we had finished compared to another high-end Scandinavian spot in NYC (Aquavit), and the meal goes a (very) long time...it was closer to 4(!) hours by the time we were finished. It's a great experience overall, though, and if you have the time and the money for it, Aska is worth the visit. read more

Need more stars. Some friends and I did the 19-course (sic) tasting menu here, little private room in the book, for a bachelor party. Fantastic. The ceremony and sense-of-occasion was basically flawless; courses were presented with grace and detail (you WANT that, when you're dropping lots of bucks on a 4-hour meal); the wine pairings were treated with similar care. The level of service extended to _deviations_ from the plan; I'd just come in from a flight and needed caffeine, and there was no sniffiness about working a coffee in between the best suited courses for timing, taste, etc. More substantively, they accommodated the fact that someone in our party (me) chooses not to eat all the meats offered on the tasting menu, and made smooth, tasty, and unfussy substitutions without impacting everyone else's experience. And the food was grand. It was "fun" (cutting open bundles of spices wrapped around langoustines), varied in tone, and had lots of the kind of "earthy" deep flavors one might expect from Scandinavian foodie locavore-ish super-upmarket food of its kind. A couple of the deserts, in particular, stick in mind -- a kind of milk foam raw milk ice cream at the end with crunchy bits, especially. And that langoustine wrapped in herbs (not a desert). This is obviously a (very) special occasion experience. But for something like that: it's absolutely grand, worth it, a treat. read more

Small portions but delicious. Dishes are very social media friendly. More impressive with pics than the actual setting, but still minimalist chic. I didn't do the wine pairing after reading a few reviews and I'm glad I didn't. Wine selection is fair, but the dishes are appetizer portions so no need to pair each with a glass of wine. read more

We had a 7:30 reservation for the long format dinner. First course was seaweed Bladderwrack interesting but unimpressive to me. Potato pancake was delicious. Kohlrabi my partner really liked but I found uninventive. I wished it wasn't one big hunk of cold kohlrabi. I didn't need a refreshing dish this early in the meal I wanted something heartier. Shrimp was also a disappointing course unfortunately, the rose petal ravioli were so little I could barely taste them. The flavors were there but this dish was so tiny. For the first four courses to be basically less than a bite I was disappointed. Manitoba bread course was incredible. Langoustine course was interesting. Loved the herbs and sauce on the side, the langoustine was only "half-smoked" which left it strangely squishy and half raw. Flavors were all on point though. Oyster was an odd dish. None of it came together for me. My partner wasn't a fan either. Another bread course with whipped pork fat, excellent. Now after the first half of the meal I liked pretty much every dish. Usually restaurants put out their best courses first. But I was much more impressed with the second half. Lettuce root dish with caviar and whey asparagus sauce was amazing. Stand out dish. Stunning and unique. Cucumber with razor clams was a beautiful presentation and delicious combination of flavors. Quail with truffles was fabulous. I enjoyed the bonus snack too. Lichen was creative and surprisingly tasty. Definitely never eaten anything like it before. Skate dish was maybe my favorite. The sauce was absolutely delicious. Loved the addition of white currants. Strawberry dessert was incredible. Raw milk sorbet was one of my favorite cold desserts maybe ever and I normally dislike ice cream. the fermented strawberry juice was a perfect accompaniment. Birchwood ice cream with pine mushrooms, candied black trumpets, and birch woodruff syrup was the last dessert. One of the most unique dishes I've ever tasted. I would say I was impressed with half the dishes. About six were total stand outs. Food presentation was 5/5 and I'd say taste was 4/5. Service was lovely. There was only one dish I disliked (Oyster). Rachel served us and she was excellent. The space is beautiful and large. I liked that all the chairs faced the open kitchen. read more

I booked this place for my husband's birthday. There were no weekend reservations available so I took a weekday. I noted on their reservation website that it was for a birthday and any food restrictions and preferences. When we arrived, they said they did not get my notes but noted that it was a birthday. When you walk into the place, it is super dark, but then you see streams of light coming from all around, There are not many tables in the restaurant which tells me it will be quite the experience for every party of diners that walk through the door. There is a beautiful outside garden that is decorated with latern lights. There is also a small back room that can seat I believe 6-8 for a private party? They have an open kitchen concept so you see everything that the chef's are working on. As we walk in, we are greeted but not just 1 person, but everyone on the team which was very nice. We got seated at a corner table by the window which I loved and had a great view of the open kitchen. I cannot say enough good things about the service and the experience we had here. I had booked the juice pairing for my husband (just for him) and the juices were a pleasant surprise and also very unique. it ranged from a rose soda, the an apple lemon juice, to a pair juice, to a green juice, etc. The food came out in a very timely manner. Each dish was introduced by a different chef who actually served each dish to you. You have to either love Scandinavian cuisine or you have to be extremely open minded to all new foods. Most of the items I loved and was surprised by. Other items I felt was a bit strange for my taste and didn't understand too much. The langoustine and caviar were delicious.The beef and fish dish were out of this world, paired with the most delicious sauce that made you want to lick it off the plate. There was a plate in between, a pig blood pancake with a marinated flower combo... this was strange as the the flowers on top were sour. Sour to a point my face cringed. I was shocked since so many dishes before it were so good! There were 2 desserts that were served to us. One was amazing, a ice cream served with a strawberry soup. It was delightful and fresh, a perfect way to end the meal. The second dessert confused me a bit as it was a powder type of ice cream sitting in a pool of syrup with raw mushrooms on top. The birthday aspect was missed as after dessert was served, the server brought out a candle and placed it on the table... I appreciated the after thought but knew it was forgotten. Overall, I would rate the food pretty good; a good experience but I would rate the service 2 thumbs up! read more