Wolf

Wolf Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: New York City’s Nordstrom flagship hosts a collection of restaurants. Its signature venue, Wolf, located on the second floor, has a 33-seat bar, an open kitchen, pale wood accents, and an abundance of windows. In what could feel like a corporate space, the place manages to create an intimate, inviting feel. Chef Ethan Stowell channels the Italian cooking with a Pacific Northwest twist from his Seattle spot, How to Cook a Wolf.

Likes: Atmosphere; king salmon crudo; rib-eye; malted chocolate budino.
Dislikes: Gnocchi.

Food & Drinks: Starters range from classics such as citrus and thyme marinated olives and beef tartare to more creative dishes like a fried duck egg with wild mushrooms and crispy polenta fritters with ricotta, honey and sage. King salmon crudo and fried oysters with chili aïoli harken to the Pacific Northwest – and both are first-rate. Spaghetti with uni butter and leeks arrives ideally al dente and full of umami, but potato gnocchi, while light, are overly salty. It’s not all pasta all the time; an American Wagyu rib-eye cap with herby salsa verde is luscious and satisfying. For dessert, try the malted chocolate budino covered in malted whipped cream. The wine list features many lovely selections from the West Coast.