Tag: Downtown Manhattan

Estela *

Estela
47 E Houston St 1st floor
New York, NY 10012
(212) 219-7693
Official Site

Bistronomy is a term coined in the early 2000s by French food critic Sébastien Demorand—a fusion of “bistro” and “gastronomy,” describing high-quality, creative cooking served in a more relaxed, casual setting. In essence, it delivers fine dining caliber food without the formalities traditionally attached to it. In New York City, one of the most notable examples of this movement is the one-Michelin-starred Estela in NoHo.

Opened in 2013 by Uruguayan-born chef Ignacio Mattos, Estela quickly became a critical darling, earning a two-star review from The New York Times and securing its Michelin star in 2019, which it has maintained ever since. Before striking out on his own, Chef Mattos trained at Chez Panisse under Alice Waters and worked with Argentine celebrity chef Francis Mallmann. He later moved to New York, spending time at Il Buco before opening the acclaimed Isa in Williamsburg. With Estela’s success, Mattos went on to launch Mattos Hospitality, which also operates Altro Paradiso.

Estela sits along Houston Street, tucked above a bar known for its inexpensive happy hour specials. Upon entering, a marble bar immediately comes into view, setting the tone before the space opens into a compact, lively dining room that can get quite loud. Tables are tightly packed in a mix of formats, paired with hard wooden chairs, while the worn wooden floors creak with nearly every step—adding to the restaurant’s unpolished, downtown charm.

Open for dinner seven days a week and lunch on weekends, the restaurant offers an à la carte menu with a solid range of options. For two diners, our server recommended ordering five to six dishes—a suggestion we gladly followed. We began with a Sourdough miche with butter and olives served warm. Priced at $7 and not complimentary, it delivered a deeply crusty exterior with a satisfying chew, while the olives provided a simple, briny counterpoint.

The Oysters with yuzu kosho mignonette, at $5 each, were exceptionally fresh. They carried a clean marine brininess, lifted by bright citrus notes and a gentle heat that lingered pleasantly. The Beef tartare with elderberries and sunchoke followed, offering a balance of freshness and depth. The elderberries introduced subtle sweetness and acidity, while the sunchokes added a mild earthiness that grounded the richness of the beef.

A standout was the Mackerel with smoked torpedo onion and caviar. The fish itself was firm yet tender, with a luscious oiliness. The smoked onion contributed a soft sweetness and gentle smokiness, and when combined with the caviar, the dish became an intense, satisfying burst of flavor.

The Fried arroz negro, squid, and romesco—one of the restaurant’s signature dishes—was Estela’s take on the Valencian classic. The rice had a crisp texture while remaining approachable, delivering a deep, oceanic intensity that made it one of the most memorable plates of the evening. The Ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and pecorino sardo offered a softer, more comforting contrast: pillowy, cheese-laden dumplings bathed in a delicate leek broth, layered with thinly sliced mushrooms and sharp pecorino.

The Crescent duck with stuffed cabbage and date was beautifully executed. The duck was cooked to a perfect rosy pink, tender and succulent, with concentrated flavor. The accompanying stuffed cabbage, filled with duck, reinforced the richness, while the dates added a welcome touch of sweetness to round out the dish.

For dessert, we sampled two offerings. The Chocolate cake with sesame ganache and cream was deeply decadent—rich, dense, and thoroughly indulgent.In contrast, the Poached pear with pistachio and sobayon leaned lighter, with natural fruit sweetness complemented by a silky custard-like sabayon and a nutty pistachio finish.

Dining as a pair allowed us to experience a broad cross-section of the menu. The cooking at Estela is deceptively simple in appearance but layered in technique and thought. Each dish feels restrained yet complex, with a clear focus on flavor. Overall, the meal was cohesive, creative, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Service matched the tone of the restaurant—casual yet polished. Our server was warm, personable, and attentive, offering clear explanations of each dish with genuine enthusiasm.

For dinner for two, including two glasses of wine each, the total came to just over $400 with tax and gratuity. While certainly on the pricier side, the quantity and quality of the eight dishes we shared left us fully satisfied.

Bistronomy, at its best, offers the luxury of exceptional cooking without the weight of occasion. There are nights when one craves food of fine dining caliber without the ceremony, and Estela delivers precisely that. It’s a reminder of why New York City remains one of the best places in the world to dine.

Odo **

Odo
17 W. 20th St.
New York, NY, 10011
Official Site

Outside of Japan, New York City arguably has one of the largest concentrations of Michelin starred Japanese restaurants in the world. In the latest edition of the Michelin Guide New York City, Japanese cuisine continues to be strongly represented. The options are abundant, from world class sushi counters to sophisticated kaiseki restaurants. Among them is Odo, the two Michelin starred kaiseki restaurant in Manhattan’s Flatiron District.

Odo is the namesake restaurant of Chef Hiroki Odo, who was born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, and trained at several kaiseki restaurants there. He moved to New York City in 2018 and became the head chef of Kajitsu, a restaurant specializing in shojin cuisine, where he earned a Michelin star. He opened Odo later that year, and the restaurant received its first Michelin star in 2019. In 2023, Odo was awarded its second Michelin star.

The restaurant is tucked at the end of the bar at The Hall, a Japanese-influenced gastropub also owned by Chef Odo. A nondescript door opens into a small and intimate dining space, centered around a handsome blond-wood sunken counter with just ten chairs, each covered in crisp white cloth. Soft lighting and the absence of music create a hushed, serene atmosphere.

Odo is open for lunch and dinner six days a week. Lunch features a six course kaiseki menu priced at $150, while dinner is $270 and consists of eight to nine courses. This particular visit was for lunch. Before any food was served, I started with a highball, a simple and refreshing drink that prepared my palate for what was to come.

The meal began with the Sakizuke – Fresh summer flavors with Chef Odo’s selection of seafood. It consisted of Hokkaido hairy crab with spaghetti squash, dashi and eggplant mousse. My server instructed me to mix everything together before eating. The combination was terrific, with all the components working in harmony. The delicate sweetness of the crab was complemented by the dashi and the earthy character of the eggplant.

That was followed by the Owan – Summer broth to clear the mind, body and spirits. The clear broth, made from tuna flakes, kelp and ginger, contained sesame tofu, amberjack and scallions. The seafood broth was delicate but flavorful, with a clean tuna presence. The sesame tofu had a pleasant nuttiness, while the amberjack was soft and almost milky in texture.

Next came the Hassun – Small bites of the summer harvest, a beautiful assortment of small dishes designed to be enjoyed in a few bites. The A4 wagyu was terrific, tender and deeply flavorful. The wheat cake had a pleasant mochi like texture, while the eggplant with house made red miso and sesame oil offered a subtle sweetness with a touch of spice from the peppercorn sauce. The panko battered asparagus and edamame cooked in a light kelp broth were both very good. A small cup of Hokkaido scallops with deep fried tofu, broccoli rabe, miso vinaigrette and peanuts was particularly impressive. Every item on the plate offered a different flavor and texture, yet nothing felt out of place. It was an impressive showcase of seasonal ingredients.

The main course was the Oshokuji – Chef’s chirashi, which consisted of two dishes presented together. The first was a chirashi rice bowl topped with sashimi of shima aji and chutoro tuna, salmon roe and shiso leaf. This was wonderful. The chutoro was rich and fatty, while the shima aji had a buttery texture. The salmon roe added a burst of saltiness, while the shiso provided refreshing herbal notes that kept the dish balanced. The second dish was one of the restaurant’s signatures: house made soba noodles served in a cold kelp and tuna broth with thin slices of A5 wagyu beef. This was equally impressive. The broth was subtle but carried a distinct tuna presence, while the thin slices of A5 wagyu from Kumamoto were exceptionally flavorful. The combination of cold soba, delicate broth and richly marbled beef made for a luxurious yet restrained dish.

For dessert, I was served the Kojita Tea – Hot and Cold. The contrast in temperature worked particularly well. A warm spring roll filled with kiwi flavored sweet bean paste was pleasantly sweet, but its sweetness was tempered by house made milk ice cream topped with koji tea cream, which had roasted green tea notes. It was an excellent dessert and a fitting ending to the meal.

This lunch kaiseki was superb. Each plate was visually appealing, vibrant and colorful, while the multiple components came together cohesively to create layers of subtle flavors. The use of high quality seasonal ingredients and Chef Odo’s adherence to the Japanese ethos of allowing those ingredients to shine without unnecessary manipulation were evident throughout the meal. That restraint requires a high level of precision, and the technique was on full display.

Service at Odo exudes Japanese hospitality with a distinctly New York presence. The staff were kind, hospitable and engaging without ever becoming intrusive. They were confident in explaining each course in detail and readily answered questions about the food with clarity. The polished yet approachable service complemented the intimate setting.

At $150, lunch at Odo is an excellent value for a two Michelin starred restaurant of this caliber. Factoring in a glass of wine or sake and a beer with the meal, my total came to less than $300, including tax and service. That makes Odo relatively approachable compared with many other two Michelin starred restaurants in the United States. Lunch is undoubtedly a great way to experience Chef Odo’s cooking, while the $270 dinner menu also remains comparatively reasonable for a restaurant at this level.

After this lunch, I will definitely return to experience the dinner menu. If lunch was any indication of what Odo can deliver, I would not be surprised if dinner proves to be even more impressive. Nevertheless, Odo is a solid two Michelin starred restaurant that delivers refined, thoughtful and beautifully executed kaiseki. For anyone looking to explore Japanese fine dining beyond sushi, Odo is well worth a detour.

Casa Mono *

Casa Mono
52 Irving Pl,
New York, NY 10003
(212) 253-2773
Official Site

For more than twenty years, the Spanish restaurant Casa Mono has been a fixture of Gramercy Park, just a stone’s throw from the bustling Union Square Market. The restaurant is part of the B&B Hospitality Group, owned by celebrity restaurateur Joe Bastianich. From day one, Chef and patron Andy Nusser has been at the helm. Chef Nusser, who also served as the opening chef at Babbo—the group’s flagship restaurant in the West Village—launched Casa Mono in 1994. Under his leadership, the restaurant has consistently held a Michelin star since 2010 and earned a prestigious three-star review from The New York Times.

Casa Mono’s space is small and lively, featuring an open kitchen, closely arranged tables, and floor-to-ceiling windows that open to the street on nice days. A bar offers additional seating, while wine-lined walls and mosaic tile floors create a warm, Spanish-inspired setting. It can get noisy when crowded, but the energetic vibe only adds to its charm.

Casa Mono offers a single menu for both lunch and dinner, with a selection that is extensive yet not overwhelming. The Pulpo – fennel, grapefruit, and olive tapenade was a standout. The baby octopus was both crispy and tender, with the grapefruit adding a bright, bitter zest, while the olive tapenade contributed a briny depth. The Chopitos – smoked eggplant and squid ink featuring expertly fried cuttlefish, offered a delightful contrast of textures, with a crispy exterior and a rich, smoky undertone, balanced by the deep maritime essence of the squid ink sauce.

The Creamy Eggs – sea urchin, walnuts, and ancient anchovy oil, were executed flawlessly. The eggs had a silky consistency, enriched by the sweet brininess of the sea urchin. Another highlight was the Arroz Negro – fluke a la plancha and piparra emulsion. The fluke was delicate yet firm, resting atop squid ink rice and a vibrant lime basil sauce that married acidity, herbal freshness, and a hint of vegetal bitterness, complementing the dish beautifully.

The Bacalao Croquetas – orange aioli and orange zest offered a classic Spanish tapa with a refined twist. The crisp exterior gave way to a perfectly seasoned, salty interior, with the citrusy aioli providing a bright counterpoint. The Scallops – serrano pepper curry and minted cashews were wonderful. Their natural sweetness was layered with a subtly spiced curry sauce, while the cashews added texture and depth.

For something heartier the Duck Breast – maitake mushrooms and miel de Jerez, was impeccably cooked. The skin was crisp, the meat succulent, and the sauce carried a delicate sweetness, balanced by earthy undertones. The Braised Oxtail-piquillo peppers was meltingly tender, falling off the bone with ease. Served piping hot, its robust flavors begged for extra bread to soak up every last drop of the sauce. If there was one drawback, it was the portion size, which leaned on the smaller side.

Casa Mono’s tapas offerings were consistently delightful. Each dish was thoughtfully composed, expertly cooked, and brimming with bold, inventive flavors. The menu struck a balance between classic Spanish staples and elevated interpretations, all best enjoyed with selections from the restaurant’s award-winning wine list, featuring an extensive range of Spanish vintages and locally sourced Spanish beers.

Service at Casa Mono was exemplary. The staff was warm, attentive, and effortlessly hospitable, their laid-back approach complementing the restaurant’s relaxed and vibrant atmosphere.

If there is any caveat to dining at Casa Mono, it is the price. The portions could be slightly more generous, and with servers recommending three to four dishes per person, the bill can quickly add up. However, for those willing to indulge, the experience is well worth the cost.

Longevity is rare in the ever-changing landscape of New York City’s dining scene, where even the most celebrated restaurants can shutter within months. Casa Mono has defied the odds, thriving for over two decades while maintaining a standard of excellence that cements its status as one of the city’s premier Spanish dining destinations. Its legacy endures, and its success continues to this day.