New in NoMad: Hortus NYC Offers Pan-Asian with a Twist
Over the years, the NoMad neighborhood has garnered a reputation as a destination for fine and diverse dining experiences. The recent opening of Hortus NYC on Fifth Avenue (between 29th and 30th Streets) will only serve to enhance that reputation. The brainchild of Suhum Jang (Per Se) and executive chef Seungjoon Choi (Blanca), Hortus brings its own unique spin to pan-Asian cuisine with unexpected New American influences.
The Space
Hortus was designed to give patrons the ability to experience a different aspect of the dining experience with each repeat visit. The main floor contains an inviting open kitchen, along with bar dining and a chef’s table where visitors can enjoy special tasting menus. Upstairs is the main dining room, an elegant botanical themed space featuring blue velvet chairs and hunter green walls, along with a real outdoor garden. (“Hortus” is Latin for “garden.”)
The Menu
If you think you’ve tasted the boundaries of pan-Asian cuisine, expect to be surprised. Hortus expands those boundaries by integrating innovative flavorings into the preparations of traditional fare. Try gochujang and plum mignonette on raw oysters, experience calamari with chili mayo, and catch the flavor of spicy Korean ssamjang in the hummus. Even the cheese and charcuterie board provides an infusion of Asian influence with yuja marmalade and rice crackers. The shareable entrees will center the experience for you. While there is nothing unexpected about braised pork belly with bok choy or grilled ribeye with wild mushrooms, Hortus’s entrees are remarkable simply because they are just plain delicious.
Open for dinner six nights a week, Hortus NYC promises to be yet another of NoMad’s more popular dining destinations, winning over visitors and residents alike. Reservations via Resy are recommended.
