My spouse and I dined at The NoMad for Saturday brunch in
late November 2014. We made a reservation online using the Open Table reservation
system, and the restaurant called us a few days prior to reconfirm. The NoMad
serves breakfast and lunch on weekdays, brunch on weekends, and dinner daily.
The NoMad restaurant and hotel are located in the Chelsea/NoMad
(North of Madison Avenue) neighborhood of Manhattan. The hotel features 168
rooms and suites. Guests must pass through the hotel to reach the restaurant;
there is no direct restaurant access from the street. (The main entrance is
located on Broadway between West 27th and West 28th Streets.)
The restaurant is comprised of a series of rooms arranged around a
glass-enclosed atrium. In the atrium, which is the focal point of the
restaurant, tables are arranged closely together, with tables for two placed in
the center of the room, and tables for four set around the perimeter. A bar and
a library (the latter of which features a two-story space with a spiral
staircase that leads to the balcony) offer additional seating for a quick drink
or snack. Restrooms are located in the basement.
Restaurateur Will Guidara owns The NoMad (as well as nearby restaurant
Eleven Madison Park), and Daniel Humm is the chef. Humm is Swiss-born, beginning
his career in Switzerland and later working in San Francisco before settling in
NYC. Eleven Madison Park (EMP), under Humm’s expert hand, has received three
Michelin stars in years past, four New York Times stars, and has received votes
for Outstanding Service and Outstanding Restaurant. Many of those exemplary qualities
are visible at The NoMad as well. We dined at EMP in October of 2012 (see my
separate review). The NoMad currently holds one Michelin star, which is evident
in their food quality and service standards.
Service was fantastic! Our server was young, but he was
professional and knowledgeable about the menu items, and he offered suggestions
and opinions when we asked. Be sure to inquire and ask details about the menu
options! Because we dined previously at EMP, we knew the chef’s potential, and
guessed that some of the menu selections might be more elaborate than what they
first seemed.
We ordered the pear salad to start, which featured thinly
sliced pears alternating with thinly sliced daikon radish, topped with crumbled
hazelnuts, and finely shredded pecorino cheese. When our server delivered the
dish, we almost told him that we had not ordered it, for the chef plated the dish
to look like what appeared to be an omelet. Next, we shared the scallop entrée,
accompanied by parsnips four ways (pureed, halved, crisp, and raw). We also
shared three side dishes: rectangles of thick pork belly, Brussel sprouts and
leaves mixed with lentils, and wild mushrooms in a light cream sauce. For lunch
service, The NoMad offers only one dessert: their signature creation called
“milk and honey”, which includes components like oat shortbread, honey brittle,
milk ice cream, honey drizzle, and dehydrated milk foam. If a restaurant is
only going to offer one dessert, then let it be a phenomenal one like milk and
honey!
We loved our brunch at The NoMad, and the culinary talents
of Chef Daniel Humm that we previously experienced at EMP were just as
impressive here.
