Location: 557 3rd Avenue, New York, NY
Cusine: American
Best Dish: Hands down the Pork Belly Risotto was the star of the evening. For any pork lover, this dish is more than worthy of a visit to Hendriks. The meaty belly is sliced thick and served in a generous portion that you will want to devour…slowly. And we devoured it, nice and slow.
Price: $$$
Overall: A hidden gem of a restaurant that you won’t be able to keep to yourself. An ideal venue for a delicious meal or premium cocktails.
We must have walked past Hendriks over a thousand times. Located just a few short blocks from Grand Central Station it is in a prime location for foodies at any corner of the city. This cozy unassuming bistro was opened in 2013 and features a sumptuous menu of European and American dishes. The decor is warm and simplistic with exposed white brick walls and a modern feel. The rear of the dining room through the kitchen is a classic speakeasy called, The Atrium. It is the perfect spot for hosting private events and enjoying a cocktail or three. The hidden bar is best accessed through its own separate entrance on 37th street.
The Feast
Calamari
The menu describes this appetizer of Fried Calamari as Rhode Island style. This style is identified by the breading and frying of the rings and tentacles served with hot peppers. Hendriks takes this a step further by also frying the peppers which creates a sort of foodie roulette in their dimly lit dining room. While most bites will be of crispy squid you do get the occasional spicy fried pepper which is unique flavor sensation.
Rack of Babyback Ribs
The tender Baby Back Ribs are served with creamy mashed potatoes and a smoky sweet bacon corn succotash. The ribs slide right off the bone and are basted with a zesty barbecue sauce.
Grilled Black Angus Steak
Black Angus is often considered a prized meat source heralded for its superior quality. While we can’t confirm or deny its superiority over other cattle, we can tell you this steak was phenomenal. We ordered it medium-well and it was juicy, succulent and melt in your mouth tender. The steak was well seasoned and served with fresh asparagus and Potatoes Anna. Potatoes Anna is a rustic French dish of thinly sliced potatoes and butter.
Pork Belly Risotto
If you love pork belly you have to have this dish. If you have never tried pork belly you need to have this dish. If you can’t have pork for any reason please accept our condolences. You dear friend are missing out on an amazing dish that can not be duplicated with any soy-based meat lie. Risotto on its own is pretty tasty and if adding bacon would make it better. Adding pork belly the mother of all bacon takes it to nearly orgasmic heights. This was hands down our favorite bite of the evening. It took us forever to finish this one plate because we simply did not want it to end. The pork belly was smoky and tender with a perfectly magical ratio between fat and flesh. The Risotto is also topped with a generous helping of sauteed mushrooms which imparted their woody nutty umami flavor. The complexity of flavors and textures made for an exceptional experience.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
We followed our scrumptious meaty meal with a decadent slice of flourless chocolate cake. The cake is moist and delectable with a fudge brownie texture. The cake is served with a rich creamy vanilla ice cream and drizzled with salted caramel.
The Cocktails
Cruel Intention and Pink Sunset
Bourbon’s warmth is perfect for the winter season and Hendrik’s Cruel Intention is bourbon cocktail with the sweetness of fresh fruit juice. The flavor is similar to a classic Amaretto Sour. The Pink Sunset as its name suggests is a breezy refreshing cocktail. This vodka-based beverage has the bittersweet flavor of pink grapefruit and the tart kick of cranberry juice.
In the creative and competitive landscape of NYC restaurants, it is rare to find good simple food done well. Without relying on trendy gimmicks or over utilized ingredients, Hendriks gains momentum serving up tasty comfort food. Overall, our experience at Hendriks exceeded expectations. The service was friendly and attentive, The drinks were robust and the food was divine. The menu at Hendriks is seasonal and curated to make the most of the freshest ingredients available. Having enjoyed meals at several locations in the area we can say with certainty that Hendriks is worth a visit. Their offerings are simplistic and well prepared. Best of all, the portions are hearty enough to be filling but not gluttonous. Drop by and enjoy a meal you can pronounce made with fresh ingredients you’ve actually heard of. Kudos to Chef Jaime Munoz on an amazing menu. Cheers!
Hendriks is located at 557 3rd Ave. between 36th and 37th streets. Hours of operation Monday-Thursday 11:30AM-11PM. Friday-Saturday 11:30AM-12AM. Sunday 11AM-10PM.
The Atrium is located around the corner from the Hendriks with a separate entrance on 37th Street. The Atrium’s hours of operation Tuesday-Thursday from 5PM-11PM Friday-Sunday 5PM-12AM.
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