Aquavit Restaurant Review
65 E. 55th St. (Park & Madison Aves.) 
Send to Phone
New York, NY 10022
212-307-7311 | Menu
Aquavit Restaurant is one of our 2012
| Top 10 NY Chef's Table Restaurants
| Top 10 NY Heart-Healthy Restaurants
|
Cuisine
Open
Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner nightlyFeatures
- Heart-healthy dishes
- Romantic setting
- Private room(s)
- Full bar
- Reservations suggested
- Jackets suggested
* Click here for rating key
 Marcus who? Marcus Samuelsson may be long gone from this Midtown institution, but another Marcus --- chef Marcus Jernmark --- has taken over the kitchen and made one change: he brought the food back to its Scandinavian roots, closer to the restaurant's original menu. Out is the worldly flair and in are ingredients that reflect Scandinavian eating habits (if rather elevated ones). In addition to à la carte options and a three-course prix-fixe menu at lunch, for dinner there are two choices: a seven-course chef's tasting menu or a four-course prix-fixe. Start with a herring dégustation, caviar-topped steak tartare, or Maine lobster and peekytoe crab. Chef Jernmark should be applauded for taking a cuisine that's about as exciting as tundra and instilling some creativity into it while still keeping it confined to its roots. Sweetbreads, for example, are juniper-smoked and complemented by shiitake mushrooms, milk-poached garlic and apple cider juniper jus; Chatham cod is steamed and served with heirloom egg, anchovies-glazed root vegetables and horseradish; and hen of the woods mushrooms are in a Västerbotten cheese beurre blanc. For entrées, the roasted pork loin and belly, doused with a foie gras broth, and the diver scallop and shrimp with sea urchin emulsion and ocean bouillon are standouts. Signature cocktails take the same route; the Red Horse, for example, is a play on a Bloody Mary: horseradish-infused aquavit and muddled cherry tomatoes, black pepper, and a celery salt rim. The wine list has some unusual (a Riesling from Michigan) and affordable options. One Marcus has replaced another, but Aquavit is still very much on its game.
|
- Subscribe to Receive the 2012 Edition of our Annual Restaurant Issue, and Check Out the Winners from our Current Restaurant Awards!
- Find the Best Restaurants for Celebrating Valentine's Day
- WOW HER THIS VALENTINE'S. Don't Settle for Less. Save up to 30% with 1800Flowers.com. No promotion codes needed!
What's Hot
RESTAURANT AWARDS
Subscribe to receive the 2012 edition of our annual restaurant issue, and check out our current Top 40 U.S. Restaurant selections, and more!
DINING ON A BUDGET
Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area. Also, check out our picks for the Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S.
