Asiate Menu

Asiate Restaurant Review:

Want a view with that precious pan-Asian dish? You’ve got it at this posh restaurant, located on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental in Time Warner Center. Even if you are not crazy about glass, aluminum and steel spaces, you can't help admiring this one. It succeeds in infusing some degree of warmth into this metallic ultra-modern spaceship environment. The vision of thousands of wine bottles smoothly lit, sleeping in their transparent cellar under their purple corks, probably offers immediate comfort to the diner when he steps into this high dining 21st-century arena. Whether you are seated close to the glass wall or further away on the mezzanine, you can't miss the bewildering panorama. At night, the ghostly shades of the high-rises transpierced by a myriad of lights stand guard over the dark mass of the Park; sheer magic and an ideal showcase for the display of extraordinary food. Very wisely the menu avoids too conspicuous or worn-out assemblages. Read carefully; your dinner can borrow from different avenues. If it is French that you want, pick the foie gras terrine with huckleberry, pistachio and fennel as an appetizer, and as an entrée, wild striped bass with heirloom squash, pumpkin seeds and béarnaise sauce. If Asian is your choice, then favor the hamachi sashimi with hearts of palm, avocado and yuzu dashi, before following with the Wagyu beef tenderloin. The wine list is composed without ostentation and is reasonably priced --- a commendable example is the flowery Croze Hermitage. Wine pairing with the Chef’s Tasting menu is an additional $128. Don't expect an Asian thrill from the dessert menu where the only exotic touch is hidden in a soufflé that combines passion fruit and mango, and served with ice cream.