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Forbes
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Uptown French Food, Downtown Decor: Maison Nur Opens In New York
The florid, exuberant design of Maison Nur. @2025 Liz Clayman It's an edgy location: on the Bowery, surrounded by funky galleries, the speakeasies and cool kid cafés of the new version of the street and the holdover kitchen supply stores of the old days. But once you enter the week old Maison Nur, you're very much in its own unique world: an everything everywhere all at once design, florid and fanciful, infused with music, serving refined but boundary-pushing uptown French food tweaked with American touches. As indicated by the fact that he's put his name on it, it's the world of hospitality impresario Nur Khan, the culmination of what he's been aiming for in his 30 year career. Nur Khan (right) and Richard Farnabe. @2025 Liz Clayman Nur is well known for his in-demand, exclusive bars including two that he recently opened in this neighborhood: No. 79 Bar & Terrace and Bar Tetto Rooftop. Others in his CV that were incredibly hard to get into unless you were A list: Wax; Rose Bar in the Gramercy Hotel; Butterfly Soho; Sway; Hiro Ballroom; Kenmare; Electric Room at the Dream Downtown and TAO Downtown Lounge. Tuna Tarte with wasabi cream, shiso and ponzu. Liz Clayman To go to the next stage and open a restaurant, he approached a chef he'd long admired: Frenchman Richard Farnabe, a veteran of top kitchens in France followed by Jean-Georges, Mercer Kitchen, Daniel, Petrossian Restaurant and Picholine in New York. But as much as Farnabe was schooled in classic French technique, what Nur wanted was to let him loose to devise dishes that incorporated touches not seen anywhere else. Parmesan Wrapped Spaghetti with Reggiano Sauce. Liz Clayman Clearly, he's responded. Ingredients may be similar to ones other top restaurants are using such as sushi grade tuna, Colorado lamb, Baby Gem Lettuce, Dover Sole but the dishes that appear are a surprise—in a good way. It might sound odd to have spicy peanut butter included in a Baby Gem Salad but it blends in without calling attention to itself and gives the overall salad an extra hit of richness. The Tuna Tarte arrives as an impression of a pizza with a circle of top grade tuna sprinkled with wasabi cream, shiso and ponzu, incredibly tender Colorado Rack of Lamb is surrounded by crispy Maitake mushrooms and bone marrow bordelaise. But the dish that is truly unmissable is Parmesan Wrapped Spaghetti with Reggiano sauce that works as seduction by cheese, drawing you in gently without biting. Anyone who thinks they'll split it with a dining companion will selfishly take the offer back. Colorado Rack of Lamb with crispy maitake mushrooms and bone marrow bordelaise. Liz Clayman Desserts sound like they adhere more closely to French classics with choices such as chocolate bombe with hazelnut mousse. But there are also surprises here: cannelloni with white chocolate sake and a luscious Paris-Brest with little hats of praline popcorn, luscious on their own. Botan ebi crudo (spot prawns) with ossetra caviar. Liz Clayman The Cocktail Menu Cocktails are also topflight, as would be expected with Khan's background. As devised by British mixologist Charlotte Voisey named U.K. Bartender of the Year and now Executive Director of the Tails of the Cocktail Foundation, offerings include Last Days of Disco composed of pisco, lemongrass, fresh lemon and bubbles; Beautiful People composed of rosé wine, passionfruit, fresh lime, tamarind and bubbles and Smoke Show, which actually is one composed of tequila, mezcal, agave, lime, tamarind and smoke. The Decor The bar at Maison Nur. @2025 Liz Clayman A definite link to Khan's background is the décor which he designed along with Jason Volenec of Volenec Studios with whom he collaborated at Butterfly Soho. The large, hypnotic Damien Hirst kaleidoscope spirals on opposite walls of the dining room came straight from Khan's home; he also created the chandelier which looks like it was pieced together with shark's teeth. There are mohair banquettes, patina walls, flickering candelight, a marble bar bordered by electric green stripes and green bar stools with gold fringe. He also created the playlist that- rare for New York restaurants-provides an interesting background but still enables guests to be able to talk. A New Nightspot This restaurant, though, is not the only room. Downstairs, Khan is putting together a cozy lounge with perfect acoustic speakers and a ceiling of dancing optics. It will be a place for music, for VIP hanging out after dinner or with a separate, hidden entrance, for slipping in as a late night gathering spot. It seems that given his background, just creating the restaurant wasn't enough; Khan had to give New York another nightspot as well. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes Gjelina And Opto Are Serving Some Of The Liveliest Food In New York By Laurie Werner Forbes Sublime Cocktails, Food And Design: The Bedford Stone Street In New York By Laurie Werner Forbes New York's Joomak And Hear & There: 2 New Asian Tasting Menu Displays By Laurie Werner Forbes Great Food In New York's Theater District: Danny Meyer's New The View By Laurie Werner
New York Times
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Cuerno New York Brings Carne Asada to Midtown
Opening Carne asada has made a comeback to what was known as Time & Life Building in Rockefeller Center. It was on the menu when La Fonda del Sol opened there in early 1960s. Like its predecessor, Cuerno occupies the ground floor but with a Josper charcoal oven used for grilling steaks. There are ceviches and other seafood preparations, tacos assembled tableside, and dishes like charcoal-roasted cauliflower by the executive chef Oriol Mendivil. Folkloric touches and a vibrant mural enliven the dining room, which seats 102 (plus another 100 or so at the bar, on the lower level and outdoors). 1271 Avenue of the Americas (51st Street), 332-269-0094, Midtown and the Upper East Side are no longer the sole hotbeds of top-of-the line French dining in New York. The latest addition is on the Lower East Side with the chef Richard Farnabe, who has put his stamp on many restaurants during his three decades in New York, including Mercer Kitchen and Picholine, in charge of the kitchen. It's the work of Nur Khan, who has a number of places in his quiver. The French menu with American elements includes tuna tartare, mushroom mille-feuille, gem lettuce salad with peanut dressing, Dover sole, duck breast and steak au poivre. The candlelit art-filled room is outfitted with plush banquettes and a marble bar. (Thursday) 217 Bowery (Rivington Street), 646-668-7738, An alternative to driving out to Montauk for a seaside supper is this City Island spot, where diners on a waterfront deck shaded by an awning can savor clams in white wine, hamachi tiradito, crab cakes, braised short ribs, lobster ravioli and paella marinera. But don't count on a lobster roll. The spacious restaurant, which also has indoor seating, is by Rafael Robles, who owns Vistamar nearby, and Josh DeCuffa, a City Island resident. The chef is José Castillo. 555 City Island Avenue (Cross Street), City Island, Bronx, 646-375-3133, The chef Peter He's Williamsburg restaurant has added an indoor-outdoor extension on the eighth floor, with a retractable roof and great views along with Sichuan sizzle. Small plates fired up with dan dan noodles and tamed with vegetable dumplings, among other dishes, can be paired with drinks like the Dragon Lagoon combining mezcal, lychee, lime and ginger. (Wednesday) Coda Williamsburg Hotel 160 North 12th Street (Berry Street), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 516-960-1936, A 10-course omakase lunch on the run (one hour) is $60, and 15-course dinner (plus an appetizer, 90 minutes) is $100. It's owned by Denise Chung and her daughter, Ayana Chen, who have put the chef Jason Lin and his team at the 20-seat sushi counter. Dessert is extra and the bar is limited to wine, beer and sake. 1695 Broadway (53rd Street), 917-993-4528, Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
