The Modern is a contemporary two Michelin-starred restaurant located in the Museum Of Modern Art – MoMA. It’s part of the Union Square Hospitality Group founded by Danny Meyer, a giant of the restaurant industry in NY.
It has a spectacular setting with high ceilings and bay windows overlooking Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, which you can admire during the daytime.
For those familiar with the movie Sex and the City, this is where Carrie Bradshaw announced to Charlotte and Miranda her marriage to Mr. Big!
Dining at The Modern, we legitimately expect a high level of service and an exceptional quality of food, and we get them both and more. I was maybe expecting a bit more boldness in the conception of the dishes as we were at the MoMA, but all the dishes were creative and beautifully presented. Chef Abram Bissell showed his artistic side with the honey glazed foie gras tart with poached rhubarb and basil: a wonderful combination of taste and texture.
Last time I had dinner at The Modern, a four-course menu was offered for $168 per person. Now they only serve a seven-course set menu for $228 per person. However, you can still order à la carte in The Bar Room, a more affordable and casual setting.
The hamachi tartare we had for the first course just melted in your mouth. It was marinated in radishes and a dashi flavored vinaigrette.
The seared langoustine seasoned with yuzu juice and toasted pistachios was absolutely exquisite. The combination of herbs and yuzu was well balanced.
The second course was even more impressive and surprising:
White asparagus with slices of scallops and green almonds.
Raviolo of white polenta and zucchini flowers with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
We’ve chosen Chablis premier cru 2015 to start the tasting.
Followed with a succulent fillet of sea bass.
It was slow-cooked and the combination of celtuce and horseradish was unique.
The roasted lamb saddle, although a bit traditional, was a delight. The meat had the right cooking and temperature. The glazed morel mushrooms and mustard greens were the perfect accompaniments.
When dessert time arrived, pastry chef Jiho Kim took over to impress us with four different, fascinating pastries. They were so pretty and tasty, I can’t even say which one was my favorite.
The passion fruit curd with sweet pea cream and matcha castella was so elegant; it looked like a basket of yellow flowers.
The carrot cake mousse with walnut crunch and crème fraîche sorbet was colorful and nicely presented.
The brioche bread pudding with crème anglaise – custard – and golden pineapple was spectacular. Inside of the cylinder, there were different layers of flavors and textures.
The gianduja chocolate ganache with buckwheat sable and frozen milk might have seemed a bit simple but it was well executed. If you’re a chocolate fan, you’ll love it!
The Modern offers a special tasting menu in the heart of the kitchen for four guests: The Kitchen Table. A unique experience in the middle of the kitchen’s buzz!
The Modern
9 W 53rd St, New York
📞 212-333-1220
Price: $$$$$
Lunch: $138 for a three-course menu or $178 for a six-course menu.
Dinner: $228 for a seven-course menu.
Hospitality included in the price.
