Aquavit

[jogoode]

I was browsing Aquavit's Web Site and noticed that they serve a tasting menu that they call a Bite Menu. Tommy said he tried it and was served 14 courses! He also said it was far too much food.

Do any other restaurants in NY have similar menus? WD-50 is one. Any others?

[jeunefilleparis]

I had my first meal at Aquavit during restaurant week of 2002 and fell in love with it then. I went back the next year too for lunch and this past december I had a great dinner there.

The food is always excellent, the service wonderful and the space is just beautiful and serene. I especially like sitting near the water fall! Don't forget to try the Artic Circle for dessert, its amazing! I m sorry I cant be more specific about other details but I had too much aquavit to drinkl;)

L

[rlibkind]

The space (built as an extension of Nelson Rockefeller's townhouse) is gorgeous with that interior waterfall.

But hurry up. They'll be moving to new quarters a few blocks away in less than a year, I believe.

[tommy]

to clarify, i said it was "too much food". that quote was from over two years ago, but taken out of context, it sounds like a negative. it wasn't. it was fun and excessive and that's just fine by me.

hindsight, as clear as it is, i'll say that i recommend it to anyone, but you should know what to expect. i'll do it again next time at aqauvit, or anywhere that offers!

Edited February 23, 2004 by tommy (log)

[jogoode]

to clarify, i said it was "too much food". that quote was from over two years ago, but taken out of context, it sounds like a negative. it wasn't. it was fun and excessive and that's just fine by me.

hindsight, as clear as it is, i'll say that i recommend it to anyone, but you should know what to expect. i'll do it again next time at aqauvit, or anywhere that offers!

Yikes. Sorry, Tommy.

How long does a meal like that last?

[tommy]

oh that's ok. i just didn't want anyone to think that i didn't like it for whatever reason.

it took a few hours. faster than you might imagine though. probably quicker than the french laundry's tasting. my limit is about 2 hours, 2.5 hours. after that, i get uncomfortable.

[Daniel]

But are there any other places that do have something similar to aquavit's tasting menu in the city?

[jogoode]

Even if no restaurant features a like option on their Web site or menu, I wonder if you could convince the kitchen to extend a tasting menu. Or are these kinds of multi-course tastings too labor intensive for a kitchen to put together on the spot?

[mikeyrad]

Was just there for lunch during Restaurant Week. Still fabulous. Service was also first rate.

[newguy]

I always wanted to go there, but always chose another place of this. My wife and I had the bite menu last May at Aquavit. Probably one of the best meals of my life. Absolutely sensational. Lot's of fish courses, the foie gras ganache which is great, and a venison last course. It was 15 courses I believe, with the 7th course being a "breather" which was a glass of Aquavit.

There was only one complaint. I told the waiter it was our anniversary, bring a candle in something. So out comes another food runner with an extra for us, and says "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

I had to turn to my wife and say "anniversary."

[jogoode]

I always wanted to go there, but always chose another place of this. My wife and I had the bite menu last May at Aquavit. Probably one of the best meals of my life. Absolutely sensational. Lot's of fish courses, the foie gras ganache which is great, and a venison last course. It was 15 courses I believe, with the 7th course being a "breather" which was a glass of Aquavit.

There was only one complaint. I told the waiter it was our anniversary, bring a candle in something. So out comes another food runner with an extra for us, and says "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

I had to turn to my wife and say "anniversary."

That's too bad! I hope she understood...

[newguy]

We both laughed. The meal was so good it didn't matter.

I'm a cook, so I just chalked it up to some miscommunication. I can see where people would be mad, but I don't care about stuff like that.

[silentbob]

Is the $45 all-you-can-eat brunch the only option available on Sundays? I couldn't find a menu on their website.

[fitz]

We were just there a couple weeks ago for lunch, and everything was wonderful, just as it had been the last time we were in NYC in April 2003. Our table started with the herring plate; two folks ordered the salmon for lunch and loved it; I had the Beef Rydberg (which was kind of fun, since I'd just made it at home in TX several weeks before and wanted to see how close mine was to Aquavit's version...). Don't remember what my husband had, but everyone loved their food, and the service was excellent as usual.