Went to Gaonnuri for Restaurant Week with 6 people, we got a nice table by the window,…read moreunfortunately we had a huge column in the middle of the table, despite this it was still a nice table! We got to enjoy the beautiful evening sunset views of NYC. We all ordered from the RW menu which had some excellent options! We got all of the apps, even a few we got 2x more. The stand out dish was the japchae noodles! I really enjoyed this. The fried chicken was ok, had heavy crispy breading and the root veggie salad was only a few small pieces of beets. The Tuna tartare was also ok too (I did not try this but I got the low-down on this dish), others commented on the spiciness level of this dish. For our mains, we ordered 4 BBQs, which were all cooked at our table by a server, who was good. However, my only complaint was that I had to ask for extra spinach, kimchi banchans several times. So he was not quick in getting us extras. Maybe he was told there would be a ration? I don't know. Either way, it took a few times of asking to get these extra banchans. However, he did spend extra time with us to make sure our meats were cooked well (especially for me as I was only eating well-cooked!) We got the Wagyu steak, Prime rib, Galbi, and the pork. Note the Wagyu steak and Prime rib were both extra upcharges! And honestly, I did not really love the prime rib. The Wagyu was OK (but not worth the $25 upcharge). The BEST bbq cut was definitely the Galbi! We all raved about how delicious, tender and had the best marinate! And I was not a fan of the pork either. On top of these BBQ dishes, we also got 2x of the Black Cod Gui (a must! So delicious!) For dessert, it included black sesame ice cream or strawberry. We got both flavors. Loved them both! Overall, I was very happy with the Japchae, galbi BBQ, black cod Gui (must get!). All the others were good too, but nothing I would run back for. I would definitely run back for those 3 dishes!

I went to Gaonnuri for a work event and they already had a family-style dinner set planned out for…read moreus. It included BBQ meats that were already grilled for us. Started off with several delicious appetizers. The tofu salad featured fresh veggies and soft, chewy bite-sized tofu in a pear vinaigrette. The bossam was very solid with a savory, shrimp-forward sauce. The fried chicken was also tender, crispy, and spicy. I would have preferred the beef japchae to be less saucey. For the main meats, we only got to try the NY strip and chicken breast. The former was a little overcooked, and the latter was a little dry although well-marinated/seasoned. This may also just be in the setting of a corporate dinner and the set meal is supposed to cater to a wide variety of people instead of customizing with a grill myself. The veggies (zucchini, mushroom, asparagus) were all grilled very nicely and well-seasoned! The bibimbap was good too; loved how we can adjust how much sauce to mix in ourselves. I would have preferred a higher ingredient to rice ratio. For dessert, we got a sesame ice cream with mini madeleines. The views are amazing - perfect for visitors, tourists, and transplants alike! It was a little hard to find the entrance but there is a door next to Tiger Sugar. I went from the Nomad Tower entrance and the security guard was nice enough to walk me through lobby that connects to the elevators. Staff at Gaonnuri were also very polite and attentive. The room easily fit 10 people and was quiet enough compared to the rest of the dining area. I'd be interested in coming back to check out their other meats and sides!

My sister and I came on a Sunday evening after watching a show. We made reservations ahead of time…read morewhich is highly recommended especially if you don't arrive at opening. They have a happy hour during their opening hour for limited wine and cocktail options. The restaurant has sit down tables on the left and bar table seating on the right and some special private rooms in the back. We opted for the bar table because we like high stools and were planning on just getting drinks. Upon seating, we were provided the happy hour and regular menu and were asked if we wanted sparkling, still, or tap water. After reviewing the menus, we decided to try one of the specialty cocktails instead of something on the happy hour menu since they were more unique. However, we could not decide which to get as there was a huge variety! Luckily, the bar tender came to help! We told him what kind of cocktails and flavors we normally liked and he provided his recommendations and explanations on each type of drinks. I got the Bee-Bop which is one of their top drinks that won an award. It consists of brown butter washed barr hill, lemon, grapefruit, honey caramel tuile, and egg white. It's a very unique flavor and considered one of the lighter cocktails. My sister got the Princess Mononoke which consists of siete misterios, derrumbez, ancho pepper kabosu, agave, yuzu kosho, and shichimi rim. It spicy and reminds me of a margarita. Of course, after getting our drinks we realized we actually need some snacks. The bar tender highly recommended the Radagon Chips. It came pretty quickly and it was devoured even quicker. We had to another another one. It's basically sliced lotus root sprinkled with the house curry salt. My sister and I were a bit hungry so we decided to try one of their larger bites. I was stuck between the carpacio and croquette and my sister chose the croquette. The Kani Cream Croquette comes with 2 pieces and is absolutely delicious. It's filled with snow crab, mushroom cream and a tartar sauce dipping. Absolutely melts in your mouth. Then, the bartender recommended another bite which is the Wagyu Toast. It's Tokachi beef with house made tonkatsu sauce, shiso, parmigiano-reggiano, and milk bread. It comes with 2 pieces and it's sooo good. Will definitely be back to try more light bites and drinks. And amazing service!! FYI - There are two unisex restrooms in the back for customers.

Love this spot! Drinks are solid and the omurice is perfection. The best I've had so far.read more

I normally never write reviews, but felt compelled to do so after coming here a few time. Staff is…read morereally nice, the dessert is unique and amazing. I also really enjoyed the Mapo Tofu. Loved the vibe at the back as well!

I'm usually a bit skeptical about fancy cantonese spots, since the traditional ones feel more…read moreauthentic and affordable. But I've been telling my friends how much I loved the clay pot rice and yuen yeung ice cream here! While they position themselves as cantonese american, the food menu is straight up cantonese/chinese to me, with classics like chicken pot, lobster yee mein, and har kow. To my surprise, the prices are actually pretty reasonable, and the place looks elevated with vintage posters and neon signs. ＊Roast Duck Clay Pot $26 *** Totally blown away by how good this clay pot rice was! Packed with crispy roast duck (燒鴨), chinese sausage (臘腸), cured bacon (臘肉), and quail eggs. So saucy and flavorful. If I had to nitpick, the bottom could've been a bit crispier. We shared it among three and still had leftovers for days lol. ＊Kowloon Black Pepper Beef $28 * First, can someone explain how this relates to "Kowloon" LOL. Despite the mysterious name, we really enjoyed it. The angus beef cubes were tender and saucy, just like an elevated dai pai dong style black pepper beef stir fry. ＊XO Beef Chow Fun $24 Once again, you can tell the beef is high quality. Though this was more like 濕炒牛河 ("wet" beef chow fun) rather than 乾炒牛河 ("dry" beef chow fun). ＊Satay Snow Pea Sprouts $19 I couldn't really taste the satay, but the garlicky flavor and shrimp paste really stood out. I enjoyed this a lot. ＊Yuen Yeung Ice Cream $9 *** I was most hyped about their 鴛鴦 flavored ice cream, inspired by HK style coffee milk tea and served in the iconic black & white milk tea mug. So nostalgic.

Been wanting to try this for years. I like how the interior is spacious. I wouldn't hear or feel my…read moreneighbors despite knowing they're around me. If you're bigger than a group of 2, you're seated at a longer table which could comfortable fit 6 people. My party of 3 sat in one of those and it was great. I like the casual vibe too. Overall I liked the creative flavors and preparation. Even if I didn't necessarily like everything, I'd be happy to come back to try a different menu. Part of me is bothered but part of me is intrigued the way they don't add in the preparation methods for each dish, so it's a surprise when it arrives. I was here for restaurant week and everyone got the four course option plus shared the fried chicken. Everyone gets rice and banchan along with the main. Appreciate how the three course option would still be three savory dishes rather than app, main, and dessert. They give seaweed chips to start. For the first course, we got fluke and asparagus. Originally we were skeptical about asparagus but it ended up tasting so good. It's deep fried in panko and has a garlicky bright sauce. The japchae in the middle was alright. I'd rather get another stalk of asparagus. Fluke had sweet juicy fresh fish, but I didn't like the granita approach to the omija. I guess I'm sensitive to cold, so the iciness affected my ability to appreciate the flavors. For the second course, we got octopus and mussels. Octopus was soft but I personally didn't like iberico ham or the smokiness of their sauce. Mussels was good with the savory green sauce. The amount of mussels was sufficient. The minced pork was a bit too salty and savory but tolerable when mixed with everything else. Fried chicken came in 6 pieces without bone. Love how hot and juicy it came. Slightly complaint was how the batter was very thick in certain spots. It came with spicy peanut sauce and yangyummy sauce. I like both. The spicy peanut sauce wasn't spicy at all, just a muted warmth. It had such a strong peanut taste without feeling like peanut butter. The yangyummy sauce had ketchup sweetness but also appreciate the brightness and umami. Rice wasn't just plain white rice. It had seaweed (?) powder mixed in and dressed in sesame oil. It was very nice to even by itself. However the sesame oil was too heavy and pooled at the bottom. It was too oily for me to finish the last few bites of my rice. Their banchan was cucumber and broccoli rabe or mustard green kind of thing. They were both intriguing and funkier than typical places. I had a few of each but overall not my thing. For third course we got salmon and pork jowl. Pork jowl had smoky flavors that I didn't particularly like. The green sauce helped balance it out for me. The meat was a bit too fatty for me at parts too. Freekeh at the bottom seemed repetitive since they give us rice anyway. Salmon was smoked which was unexpected. The white kimchi foam and orange zest was fun. For dessert we got the granita and perilla oil cake. Granita was too cold for me similar to the comment I had for the first course. The yogurt and burrata combination was too heavy for a dessert. I might be ok with this for a breakfast or snack instead. My friends didn't like this at all and couldn't finish it. Perilla oil cake was warm and comforting. The rice ice cream had gentle flavors and provided good contrast in temperature. The jelly was interesting but the perilla flavor overpowered it. The cookie crumbs were nice and loose too.

The environment is quite casual with dark lighting. The bathroom is down in the basement past a…read morehallway, a little shady feeling. We were seated right by the kitchen. I should've put my white jacket away as after the meal, I noticed a lot of food/oil splatters on my jacket. Staff were extremely attentive and friendly. The food portions were extremely small. We went for the three course restaurant week menu which was an opportunity to try parts of their usual course menu. I don't think there was significant savings by ordering off the restaurant week menu. For our first course, we both ordered the fluke. It was suggested to be mixed before consuming. Not a fan. It was a weird texture and taste. There was flavored ice on top and then pickles and small pieces of fluke on the bottom. The dish tasted cold and sour. Not a vibe, should've gotten the asparagus. For the second course, we got the mussels and the octopus. The mussels were delicious. Whatever that green sauce was, chefs kiss. Perfect amount of flavor and a little spice. There's also some kind of chicken tasting crumbs. It tastes like the breading off of a fried chicken. The octopus was okay. Nothing too noteworthy but definitely better than the icy fluke. The main course comes with a seaweed rice + some dishes. We got the salmon and the pork jowl. Did I mention the portions are small??? Yeah they're small. The main course portions felt like appetizer portions. The whole three courses were just three appetizers with some rice. I saw a review recommending to ask for the rice earlier to enjoy with the earlier courses but the waitress said it comes with the main course. I didn't really care enough to push for it. The side dish was pickled (?) apples. Weird. Not a fan. The texture of the apple just doesn't hit the same as radish. The other side dish seemed like some pickled vegetables. Overall: I don't know, I'm quite disappointed. Not too impressed. It was a pricy and unsatisfying meal. Honestly, I think you're better off trying some other restaurant week menus.

Last restaurant week spot for this season and It ended with a bang! This spot got on my radar…read morebecause they served BEEF WELLINGTON and I never had it before. And it exceed my expectations. My friends and I left with no comments besides "Wow". We were impressed by all the food (everything was so fresh, delicious and well crafted & we basically ordered the whole menu) and the service was really good! We ordered: Appetizers: Beef Tartare (and I usually can't do beef tartare, it's usually too raw for me. But idk what about this one made me really like it. You will just have to try it for yourself ) Yellowtail Amberjack + Caviar +12 Tomato + Scallop (I would have never dreamed about this combo. So ofc, I had to try it when presented! Idk whether I enjoy this combo but I like tomatoes and scallops, so I'm happy even though I ate it separately) Entree: Branzino +5 Duck (No words besides it was delicious) Beef Wellington +28 ( I finally understand why people like it. It's puff pastry wrapped around a juicy beef tenderloin. WHAT IS THERE NOTHING TO LIKE! And when the chef cooks it this well. I'm just speechless. The puff pastry was perfect level of crispiness and the beef was perfectly medium rare! It is sweet they presented us the Beef Wellington before they cut it for us) Dessert: Molten Chocolate Cake & vanilla ice cream I definitely want to go back! It is pricey and you won't be full ( we legit had to grab food at another spot afterwards) but it's worth it!

I recently visited Soogil which is a Korean fusion restaurant that's gained a lot of attention on…read moresocial media and even earned a Michelin star back in 2020. My friends chose this spot to celebrate their birthdays, mainly because they wanted to try the beef wellington dish. The restaurant offers two dining options which are a chefs tasting menu and a prix fixed meal. It's definitely on the expensive side, and honestly, that alone makes it unlikely that I would come back. The portion sizes were also quite small. I'm glad I ate a decent sized lunch beforehand. Otherwise, I probably would've left still hungry. That said, there were some great dishes that I would recommend such as the Jenga tower, the yellowtail amberjack with caviar, the duck and the branzino. Those stood out to me. Service was excellent, which made a big impression on me. Overall, while the food had good points and the service was great the high price and small portions make it more of a one and done type of place for me.

What a cool experience. From the outside, the location isn't that noticeable but when you walk in -…read moreyou get to see why there's a beauty in that. There isn't too much seating inside and seating is limited but it keeps it a very curated experienced. There were two people manning the table and helped instruct us through the courses. Overall I love how they multiple different menu options (spirited, low ABV, or non-alcoholic). We decided to get a mix of the non-alcoholic and spirited. Even though they were different the drinks didn't differ that much and they still tasted great. The liquor they use is sweet and tastes great. The bites were definitely memorable and I love how there were protein options which made me feel full. They also started us with a light gazpacho. Food wise - I love the jammy eggs and the chicken fried chicken. After our timing ended we went to Bar 7 in the back to continue the drinking and that was great, also super low key. Will be back for a cool experience again!

I've had my share of sushi omakase experiences but this was my first time at a cocktail omakase! I…read morehad a great time with creative drinks, interesting bites, and friendly staff. We picked from one of our three menus (spirited, low ABV, or non-alcoholic). For $55 per person, we got a total of 5 drinks (4 drinks, 1 soup) with accompanying small bites for most of the drinks. 1- Started off with the Yokoso, a hot mushroom/veggie forward broth with a strong peppery flavor. Definitely was able to taste the smoked salt and perfect to start the night. 2- The Ember Highball was probably one of my favorite drinks of the night. The smokey cedar wood flavors were prominent and complemented the strong lapsang souchong tea flavors and sweetness of the plum soda. This was paired with a jammy egg that was just a tad overcooked 3- I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes nor tomatillos, BUT I actually liked how refreshing and sweet this drink was - especially with the hints of lemongrass. This was paired with a miso baked clam that I found on the saltier side. I nevertheless did like the miso sauce and the breadcrumbs. 4- My Bamboo Tonic was slightly too strong for me, but my partner's Sushi Sazerac from the Spirited menu was very intriguing. After the initial citrus notes faded, it was almost like drinking sea water, with a seaweed forward taste. This course was paired with a crunchy sweet potato latke with a tasty tofu cream and yuzu-wasabi tobiko. 5-Lastly, the Kogashi and Grain was another highlight for me since I liked the tea and citrus combination. The genmaicha and the lime/pineapple flavors balanced each other out. My partner's Mizunara Negroni indeed featured the woody flavor. This last drink was paired with their super crunch chicken that was crunchy and well-seasoned. Staff were very knowledgable and friendly. Pacing between drinks felt appropriate. I also wanna give a shoutout to their beautiful cups and pottery! It definitely adds a nice little touch. The only major feedback I have is that I wish they had tissues or napkins available with their cocktails/food because the condensation and crumbs can get messy. I am interested in coming back as well as to check out bar 7, their walk-in only bar serving a different Japanese-inspired drink/food menu!

I don't go uptown very often, but I'm a big fan of NR, the longstanding cocktail and ramen…read morerestaurant with very unique drinks that is often slept on and what I would consider a destination-worthy restaurant on the Upper East Side. So it was very exciting to learn they'd be opening a vibey cocktail bar in the West Village, where I spend a lot more time. Walking into the space felt like walking into whatever a caricature of someone from Miami would think of when they think of a cave. I mean that as a compliment! It's a cross between a club and a cave, and I'm here for it. The space was full but there was room for my friend and I to walk in and sit at the bar. I expected a very specific trendy set of people to be dining here but was surprised to see quite a range of characters finding themselves here. The bartender commanded quite a presence, and we watched him make every drink with the utmost precision. I later read that he has some accolades so that explains why the drinks were utterly delicious. I will always order a clarified tomato cocktail when I see it on their menu, and the Shiso Lover's Margarita was so savory with just a touch of sweetness and depth of flavor that the tomato gave it. The Tokyo Banana Punch was slightly sweeter but not overly so. The bar program and ambience are both strong here. I think larger groups would have a harder time getting seats here without a reservation, since most of the space was dedicated to the long bar or smaller tables around the space. But if you can get a spot here there are some tasty and expertly made drinks to be had here.

Beautiful interiors perfect for date night, felt like walking in to a very nice cave lol. Drinks…read moreare the star of the show here, I tried the Wagyu Coke which was delicious - sweet, fruity, and cherry forward. Don't be scared if you're usually not a fan of a jack and coke. Food was decent. Tempura fries were good but nothing special. I've never met a beef tartare I didn't like but the pastrami tartare threw me off a bit by resembling a tin of cat food. The flavor I would liken closely to Taco Bell nacho cheese sauce. Service started out good but they forgot one of our items (the tamago sando which I was most excited about). When we reminded the server, she didn't come back till 10 minutes later to tell us it was almost ready. Then 5 minutes later she came back and said there was some issue in the kitchen and it would be another 10 minute wait. We cancelled it at that point but it was a bit off-putting that they didn't seem to care about missing an order at all. Would come back to try the other drinks and maybe take another shot at the tamago sando.

I went to Dahla recently and honestly really loved it--definitely worth checking out…read more What stood out to me most is that it's not trying to be a traditional Thai restaurant. It feels much more like a modern, elevated take on Southeast Asian dishes, but still really rooted in the owners' background and experiences. There's a clear sense of story behind it without it feeling forced. I had the Manila cocktail, which was super well balanced--slightly tropical but still clean and structured. The modern take on their Khao Soi was probably my favorite--really rich and comforting but not heavy. And the Miang Cara Cara was the perfect starter, and had a bright zesty contrast that tied everything together. The space itself is just really well done--warm, intimate, and thoughtful. Service was great too, very easy and attentive without being overbearing. Overall it just feels like a place that knows exactly what it's doing. Not trendy for the sake of it--just genuinely good and intentional with high standards. I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you're looking for nice ambience with a little more design-forward and thoughtfulness than your typical dinner spot.

4.5 stars. Dahla is an exciting new Thai concept that is bold, sophisticated, and creative. Though…read moreI've had plenty of Thai food in my life, I haven't had it in a fine dining format, so Dahla was both familiar and totally new for me. The menus are incredibly diverse (though I can sadly only speak to the food in this review which truly feels blasphemous coming from a cocktail enthusiast like me) and the food is presented beautifully. It is abundantly clear from the aesthetic of both the food and the decor that there is a meticulous attention to detail that is downright impressive. Came here at 7:30pm as a party of 2 on a Wednesday night. I got here a few minutes before my friend so the hostess sat me at one of the smaller booth tables by the bar while I waited. I honestly liked this table more than where we were ultimately seated, which was in a back room that has just a handful of tables and is less vibey than the main space. The decor is chic, some aspects more minimalist and streamline with floral accents throughout that gives it a bit more intrigue. As I mentioned, I didn't try the cocktails and I need to just process the immense FOMO on my own. I had already decided I wasn't drinking during this dinner so it is my own fault for choosing a place with such a painfully enticing cocktail menu that the world seems to rave about. Now that you've gotten a window in to my emotional anguish, onto the food... We ended up ordering oysters and two entree-sized dishes which was not quite enough food. That said, our server said we chose some of the smaller/lighter dishes, so I think it depends on what you go for. I was with a small-appetited (an adjective I just made up) individual so I didn't want to push too much on other dishes. Everything we got was excellent so the only thing I'd change about the spread was adding another plate or two. Eats, below: Oysters w/ greem chili nam jim, Thai chili jam, crispy shallots These were so fun. A little bit of a kick and some texture added from the shallots made these a delicate but flavor, unique and memorable dish. Khluk Kapi: charred octopus, shrimp paste riceberry, green apple, sweet thai sausage My only issues is that I wanted more of the octopus! The dish was overall well-balanced but I ultimately found myself wanting more of the proteins an less of the riceberry despite the fact that the riceberry was also fantastic -- definitely more of a personal preference thing. Lhon Golden Sea Bream w/ tamarind-coconut cream sauce, trout roe Super delicious, definitely on the smaller side for an entree and served in an interesting way. The plate was just the piece of fish surrounded by all of the broth, and then served with a side of lettuce cups in a separate bowl with which to scoop up sauce. Made the presentation a bit odd but maybe this is more typical than I realize and it's only a first for me. Service was overall very efficient except when we wanted to pay -- one con of being stowed away in the back room. But otherwise, no complaints.