The Breakdown:
Location: 251 West 48th Street at 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10036
Cuisine: American (Locally sourced)
Items: 3 Small Plates, 3 Cocktails
Price: 0 (20% gratuity added)
Overall: A rather luxurious dining experience, imagine the courtyard of Louis XVI. Perfect place for a night on the town or an after work treat.
Paris may have its sidewalk cafes with views of the Eiffel tower, but NYC is the place for dining in the clouds. Rooftops are the hideaway of choice for some of New York’s most exclusive restaurants, and we at JSD were invited to review one of the trendiest spots, XVI. Located on the 16th floor of west 251st the venue on a Friday night is positively swarming with professionals and socialites. On this particular evening we enjoyed the sounds of DJ Pace, who spun an eclectic string of pop and dance hits. He is but one in a rotating assortment of DJs who will grace the locale in the next few weeks.
Scantily, yet tastefully uniformed waitress milled about the couch littered inner sanctum laden with some of the venues gourmet delectables. We started our evening with a round of cocktails. I opted for the Knickerbocker Special, a refreshing mix of rum, raspberry syrup and lime. My companion took a walk on the wilder side with an El Diablo, a heady mix of Resposado Tequila, Lime and a splash of ginger. Both items served chilled over ice, were a perfect compliment to the light summer breeze.
We sipped and admired the opulent decor. Modeled after the estate and lavish lifestyle of King Louis the 16th. Louis legendary decadence and overspending eventually cost the despot his head, at the guillotine. If your a fashion and decor geek like me you will appreciated the custom furnishings and columns. The golden accents, rugs and seating are all reminiscent of France’s most luxurious and infamous period. In addition to the beautiful surroundings the equally lovely and cheerful waitstaff roam the venue eager to grant you every request. It’s very much like being an invited guest in the King’s court.
It wasn’t long after the last sips of our beverages that we felt the urge to sample the edible offerings. XVI is not the place for a multi course sit down dinner. It is instead the right space for small plates sized to share with a lucky companion or 2. We started with the Smoked Duck on flatbread. The thinly sliced duck rests on a bed of molten goat cheese and herbs. This was our favorite dish, savory and divine!
We followed the Duck with the Salumi tray. The Salumi and Artisanal cheeses are served in a personalized assortment of your choosing and accompanied by Ficelle, Cornichons and Grainy Mustard. Delicious and decadent finger food at its best.
Lastly we tempted our palates with the Lobster and Basil Crostini. Succulent lobster meat is placed gingerly on toasted bread with a generous sprinkling of fresh tomatoes. This is a perfect dish for a seafood lover, especially if cerviche is a favorite.
Great tasting food relaxed atmosphere and comfortable surroundings add to the charm of this beautiful venue. With the official opening still weeks away the space has already been featured in photo shoots, a video and will be the locale for a corporate gathering and movie screening. Created as a taste of the luxurious lavish France of Louis the XVI the venue is everything one would want for a glamorous event, or just an evening as it were. Be forewarned this is not a space for penny pinchers, opulence does not come cheap. Trust us, when we say, XVI is worth every penny.
Tell them John Simon Daily sent you 🙂