New York has a lot to offer, but I can almost guarantee that the plethora of amazing restaurants easily lands in the top best aspects of living in the city. If you thought the food scene couldn’t get any better – enter Restaurant Week. This year, the winter event spans not just one, but three weeks from January 22nd to February 9th.
If you are (or aren’t) an Iron Chef fan, you don’t want to miss Morimoto NY this year. Nestled in the meatpacking district, Chef Masaharu Morimoto serves up some of the best Japanese cuisine in the city. Morimoto isn’t new to Japanese or the spotlight. He starred in Food Network’s cooking competition series, Iron Chef, and previously acted as the executive chef at Nobu. With an equally tantalizing atmosphere and setting, NYC Go instructs diners to “Visit the 1,500-square-foot exposition kitchen, where diners can watch Morimoto whip up their favorites.”
As explained on their website, “Inspired by such abundance and diversity, we founded FIG & OLIVE to pay tribute not only to the French region, but also to the Mediterranean gastronomic heritage.” This restaurant will have you feeling zen in no time with their minimalist design, a wall of olive oil and peaceful plantscapes. After the fine dining fun, you can pick up your favorite olive oil from the evening in their retail shop.
This locale acts as a bonus for out-of-towners since they have locations in New York as well as Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Chicago, D.C., and Houston.
With a 16-foot Buddha situated above a large reflecting, Tao Uptown makes an impression from the moment you walk in. As a popular choice for celebrities, keep your eye out for a likely appearance from an unlikely guest while you enjoy their pan-Asian offerings. Pulling inspiration from China, Japan, and Thailand, both the decor and dining artful and deliberately inspired.
Still hungry? If you enjoyed Tao – you won’t want to miss this collaboration with Tao Group, the masterminds behind Tao Downtown, and chef Chris Santos. Aside from being a restaurant and lounge, Vandal acts as a stylish experience. Built around a global street culture, the entryway exhibits graffitied walls and a variety of artists. The menu offers a host of multi-ethnic plates perfect for sharing to add to the group-friendly atmosphere.
ABC Carpet & Home and Jean-Georges Vongerichten are the brains behind ABC Kitchen. The global commerce leader focuses on sustainability and fair labor trends in order to change the idea of retail does business. As explained on their website, ABC Carpet & Home aims “To captivate and cultivate a healthy home and a healthy planet for all.” Their fresh, farm-to-table approach makes it a perfect lunch destination to wind down your foray into food this restaurant week and ease you back into your routine.