Aquavit Emma Bengtsson Aquavit
65 E. 55th St. (Park & Madison Aves.)
New York, NY 10022
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Cuisine: Scandinavian
This Midtown restaurant takes its inspiration from Sweden and creates a smorgasbord of Scandinavian specialties.
Openings: Lunch Tues.-Fri., Dinner Mon.-Sat.

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Aquavit, New York, NY


Aquavit Restaurant Review:


Even years after chef Marcus Samuelsson departed from this upscale Scandinavian restaurant, he’s still associated with it. But chef Emma Bengtsson, who came on in mid-2014, has added her own stamp. Once the executive pastry chef at Aquavit, Bengtsson expertly pairs seemingly incongruent flavors --- venison and vanilla, for example --- to create harmony on the plate. Start with the lobster salad, which is really chunks of buttery crustacean on delicate kale chips, or the shrimp skagen, a mixture of shrimp and dill mayo gracing pieces of rye bread. Entrées are even better. Roasted salmon presents the crispy blackened skin atop, giving way to a juicy and flavorful piece of fish. Desserts, as expected, are also topnotch, with the molten chocolate cake littered with roasted hazelnuts being the best of the bunch. Or indulge in a six-course tasting menu and sample the best of the season. Among the cocktails, consider the Midtown Martini blending cucumber aquavit and dry vermouth. The wine list has some unusual (a Riesling from Michigan) and affordable options.