Having recently visited Copenhagen, I decided to come back to Aquavit for lunch. My overseas visit definitely helped inform this meal and made me miss that incredible city and its wonderful people. And for sure - the food! This type of cuisine - simple but deep and refined - is truly my favorite. Extracting maximum flavor from minimum ingredients is such an incredible skill. 

My first visit here was memorable - and not simply because my brother showed up unexpectedly. The food, the service - it's impeccable.

This visit really made a mark, though. Service was perfect. I walked in with a few small bags (my train home was after lunch) and the hostess immediately reached for them to effortlessly take them off my hands. (Atomix should take note.  :) ) Every person that visited the table was excellent, especially my main server who exuded so much joy in what she does for a living.

And the food! Every dish was stellar. Perfect. The menu arc was awesome. From conception to execution, sourcing to presentation...there simply was no flaw or weak spot. They are at the top of their game.

Standouts were the crab tart and that Darjeeling and mandarin orange sorbet. Wow!! And of course - their signature Arctic Bird's Nest dessert. That should be on your culinary bucket list, for sure.

They just recently began this lunch tasting menu, and I'm glad they did. For under $145, this may be the best value in NYC for high end dining. This is an easy reservation to get. The restaurant was maybe 25% full. I'm not sure why this place is overlooked (in comparison to so many others).

They are delivering at the highest level. Treat yourself. You'll thank me - and more importantly, them - for such a sublime experience.

As I enjoy dining at this level with greater frequency, I am struggling with a dichotomy. Am I getting more used to cooking at this level, and therefore less impressed? Or am I getting more refined... educated... aware, therefore able to differentiate between outstanding cooking and the truly unique? Recent visits to Joe Beef and Atera demonstrate that I can still be blown away by great food, but the former must also be in play.

This struggle presented itself at the 2 Michelin star Aquavit. This restaurant is top notch. Service was nearly impeccable, the atmosphere was excellent and the food is refined and delicious. The head chef comes to meet each table with a very warm, friendly and genuine appreciation that you have visited her restaurant. While COVID has understandably stunted many restaurants in their arrival back to full form (see Per Se and Blue Hill), Aquavit seemed to not miss a beat. The restaurant had the right "rhythm" and was firing on all cylinders. In this day of staff shortages and supply chain disruptions, that fact alone demonstrates very high level achievement.

The food was excellent and diverse. We had the larger 8-course grand tasting menu and the meal's arc was outstanding. Dishes were generous without being overwhelming (a misstep fully embraced by Jungsik). I was very full at the end, but never wincing at the thought of the next course. Wines were well matched throughout the pairing.

The highest notes were kombo-cured fluke (super well conceived with top-notch execution) and the treatment of the king crab, the cook of which was literal perfection. The sweetbreads also showed a high level of understanding of how to treat this ingredient combined with superior execution and delivery. Their well-known signature - a dessert known as the bird's nest - lives up to the hype both visually and in diverse flavor. The sheer number of elements was astounding, yet merged into an authentic whole, matched with a truly superb and well-paired dessert wine. 

So what's the problem, right? Here is my concern.

Which dish will I dream about? None of them.
What dish would I come back to have again? None of them.
Which made me giggle? None of them.

For the price point of this experience (which was at the high end), I should be begging you to go have this dish, or insisting that you try that one. And I am not.

Hence...my dichotomy above.

Aquavit is fully worthy of it's 2 Michelin stars. It is an extremely well-executed concept and belongs in this echelon of restaurant. At 2/3 the price, it would be stellar. At this price, it falls a just a bit short, held back not by its few and minor missteps, but by high points which did not reach high enough.

It is 100% worth a visit, but not worth a return. That seems a reasonable expectation at this level, does it not?