Spice Market
Finally made it to Spice Market (Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Asian fusion venture in the Meatpacking District) for lunch today. I had been wanting to go there for awhile.
Was it worth the wait? I suppose so, although I wasn't blown away. The restaurant is worth visiting for the decor alone. Set in a cavernous former warehouse, the design is both airy and heavy, blending traditional Asian fabrics and designs with elaborate French fixtures and stark modern flair.
Some of the food was outstanding, but some was merely good. Of special note were the Vietnamese spring rolls, fried to a perfect crispness without being overly oily. The flavors were well blended, and were nicely complemented by the spicy dipping sauce. The spicy green papaya salad was also a treat, garnished with cherry tomatoes and cashews.
The main course was somewhat less satisfying, for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. The green vegetable curry was disappointingly under-flavored, and the vegetables were not particularly high-quality. The baby corn andbroccolii was excellent. Meat-eaters judged the chicken curry to be good, but not better than what is available at good Malaysian restaurants in Chinatown for a quarter of the price.
Dessert was excellent, however. The house specialty is the Ovaltine kulfi, garnished with caramelized banana, whipped cream, and caramel corn, which packs enough calories to be its own meal.
On a whole, it's a place worth checking out for the decor and some of the good dishes, but I don't think it would crack my top five restaurants of the summer.
Was it worth the wait? I suppose so, although I wasn't blown away. The restaurant is worth visiting for the decor alone. Set in a cavernous former warehouse, the design is both airy and heavy, blending traditional Asian fabrics and designs with elaborate French fixtures and stark modern flair.
Some of the food was outstanding, but some was merely good. Of special note were the Vietnamese spring rolls, fried to a perfect crispness without being overly oily. The flavors were well blended, and were nicely complemented by the spicy dipping sauce. The spicy green papaya salad was also a treat, garnished with cherry tomatoes and cashews.
The main course was somewhat less satisfying, for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. The green vegetable curry was disappointingly under-flavored, and the vegetables were not particularly high-quality. The baby corn andbroccolii was excellent. Meat-eaters judged the chicken curry to be good, but not better than what is available at good Malaysian restaurants in Chinatown for a quarter of the price.
Dessert was excellent, however. The house specialty is the Ovaltine kulfi, garnished with caramelized banana, whipped cream, and caramel corn, which packs enough calories to be its own meal.
On a whole, it's a place worth checking out for the decor and some of the good dishes, but I don't think it would crack my top five restaurants of the summer.
posted by N at 3:42 PM
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