Hudson Restaurant Week was fun, but New York City Restaurant Week, I discovered, is a whole other level. Similar to Hudson Restaurant Week, NYC Restaurant Week is a bi-annual event where restaurants show off their food with a prix-fixe menu. The list for New York was overwhelming, to say the least, with over 350 restaurants participating from all over the five boroughs. There are cuisines that range from Austrian to Thai, with all of the restaurants seeming to have at least four stars on Open Table. It’s definitely impossible to try even half of all the locations before the two and a half weeks are over, but if only!
There were many choices, but ultimately I chose a spot and cuisine that was new and unlikely for me. I had first encountered this restaurant while in the city with a friend. We had wandered into the store that it is attached to, ABC Carpet and home. There you can find a seemingly normal table priced at over $300. Headache-inducing price tags aside, there were beautiful (and boujee) home decor items. Near the back, we noticed and smelled something. FOOD! We took a peek and looked into the fancy, dimly-lit area longingly. We vowed that when we made it, we were going to eat there one day.
I don’t know if we made it, but thank you Restaurant Week! I was warned that I’d most likely need to make a reservation, and thank God I did. Although about a week in advance, I was only able to secure a table at 2 p.m. on the day I could go. I later found out that ABC Kitchen is owned by Michelin starred Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who strives to offer the freshest organic and local ingredients possible to customers. When I arrived, it was packed. So packed that it was impossible to squeeze through between tables and someone actually knocked over a flower vase trying. Compared to Liberty House Restaurant, the audience was much younger and more hip, but definitely still boujee (I’m extremely glad I learned from the first time and dressed well).
When our server came with the menu, my party and I were greeted very politely, offered assistance if we needed help with ordering, and the choice between house (which I also learned these past few weeks is just the normal water), bottled or sparkling water. We ended up collectively ordering a few different dishes. For appetizers, we ordered the Shaved Raw Fluke with gooseberries, serranochilies and lemon and Chicory and Roasted Winter Squash Salad. For entrees, the seared salmon (not my order this time since my last traumatic experience) with bibb salad, market vegetables, spicy buttermilk-herb vinaigrette and grilled portobello sandwich with arugula, parmesan, jalapenos, and rosemary mayo. And finally for dessert, the chocolate cake with malted chocolate ganache and toasted marshmallow icing and the lemon tart. The menu is a bit different from their everyday prix-fixe menu and about five bucks cheaper. The service was equally as on top of everything as Liberty House as well – the waiters seemed to constantly hover and offer to refill or clean.
Now time to explain the food I couldn’t stop talking about for a week. First came the appetizers. I took a look at my fluke and thought “hm, interesting.” It was a very pretty, colorful, but strange dish. I had never had raw fluke or fish with fruit. I took a modest first bite and there was an immediate firework of flavor. I’m guessing it was the gooseberry; it was an indescribable sour-sweet flavor that contrasted with the soft, slightly salty fluke. I love raw fish, sashimi, sushi, all of the above. But I had never had a raw fish dish quite like this one. I tried some of the winter squash salad, again skeptical because of the squash (another traumatic experience from Liberty House), but I loved it! The squash was a bit dried so it didn’t have that mushy texture I dislike but instead gave the salad a bit of sweetness, which went well with the cheese that was also sprinkled on the salad. Again, a type of salad I had never tried, but it ended up exceeding my expectations.
Next came the entree, although the entire table agreed that we were already satisfied enough after the appetizers. Everyone had ordered the salmon except for me, and all responded in unison. It was the best salmon they had ever had. I stole a bite from a friend and began questioning if I had ordered the wrong dish. On the plate, the salmon looked pretty small and like a plain salmon. However, after that first bite, it all made sense: juicy, tender, perfection. Crying, I took a bite of my own sandwich, which resulted in even more crying. I was worried that a mushroom between two buns wouldn’t be enough for a meat lover such as myself, but I was so wrong. With every bite, juice spilled from the mushroom. I was fully aware that there was no meat, but for some reason, the mushroom, some veggies, and mayo tasted great alone between two buns! That day I said, “if vegetarian or vegan food could always taste like this, I can start that diet today with no regrets.”
The servers then brought out the dessert and we were not let down. The lemon tart was light, sour, and tart, a good ender for a full customer. But the chocolate cake really stole the show. Not only was the presentation gorgeous, but the deep richness of the chocolate in every moist bite made finishing the whole slice an easy task.
Needless to say, ABC Kitchen was a palate-changing experience. I wouldn’t call myself a food critic because this was the first time I had probably ever tried food on this level, but I am your average broke college student who can tell you if I’d spend $30 on a meal like this one (I would, but probably on a special day or during restaurant week!). I’ve told everyone since going, I don’t usually have American-French cuisine, but this was the best food I’d ever had. I was so impressed by all three courses and kept thinking there was no way it could get better. I would definitely recommend ABC Kitchen for someone looking to celebrate a special occasion or looking to splurge after a first paycheck. Oh, and get the salmon!
Pro Tip: RESERVE RESERVE RESERVE!!! (Also have restaurant week friends so you can try ALL the food!)
Cost-
Obviously, this was a very pricey lunch, but we have to remember that for the service, quality, and number of courses, it was quite worth the price. But I don’t see myself going out for a three-course lunch more than a few times a year!
3/5
Location-
Again, it’s not in Hoboken. However, it’s quite close (a walkable distance) to the 23rd street PATH station!
Convenience rating: 3.5/5
Service/Service Speed-
Great service, although there was this one awkward instance when the server completely missed the cup when pouring the sparkling water. Don’t forget your reservation!
Service Rating: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
What more can I say? Might have to name it my favorite restaurant to date!
Food Rating: 5/5
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