The Bazaar By José Andrés
When The Bazaar, a signature restaurant by award-winning chef José Andrés, opened in August in The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, I was excited to give it a try. I had been to The Bazaar in Los Angeles over a decade ago and still vividly remember the food and the experience. I knew that this meal would be better enjoyed with company, so I invited a few friends to join me on the culinary journey.
First stop, the Bazaar Bar, which is topped with a beautiful botanic canopy and has a warm interior — designed by Spain’s Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio — creates a welcoming blend of old and new, fusing modern and traditional materials in this unique space that, on the night we visited, was overflowing with a trendy crowd.
As I watched the bartender make a Margarita De Graná, a stunning cocktail served in a delicate, softly curved Manhattan-style glass, I understood this would not be a run-of-the-mill dinner out with friends. The blanco tequila and a pomegranate-hibiscus-red wine reduction base was topped with a fluffy salty white foam. It was love at first sip as I tasted the layered but not-too-sweet base. As the foam settled, it melted into the liquid, providing a subtle, but equally enjoyable, flavor shift.
After finishing our cocktails at the bar, we ascended a stunning floral motif tiled staircase to the second floor. The main dining room, which seats about 100 guests and is decorated in shades of deep blue and natural wood, is accented with stunning lighting fixtures, including oversized deco-style chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and fringe-trimmed lanterns on the tables. Another bar — this one just for mixing (no mingling) — anchors the space with amber glass, mirrors, and brass fixtures.
The menu draws on an eclectic pairing of Spanish and Japanese cuisines and is inspired by chef Andrés’s Spanish roots and his study of the life of samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga, the first Japanese ambassador to Spain. This unique culinary fusion results in a highly creative menu, one that expertly combines, layers, and serves ingredients in imaginative ways. Executive chef Victor Riviera stopped by our table and explained that the food is prepared in three separate kitchens, each utilizing a different culinary technique. One is for live fire, another for pastry and tapas, and the third he described as the “real kitchen.”
Our dinner began with The Jamón Experience. A cart, holding an Iberian black-footed pig leg, rolled up to the table. Our server shaved off razor thin pieces of the dry cured pork and plated it in an artful wreath shape. The melt-in-your-mouth bites are served with a Catalan-style bread topped with fresh tomato.
The menu is divided into six sections ranging from Little Starters, featuring whimsical bite-size options, to a variety of small plate, main course, and dessert selections. There are two tasting menus: The Bazaar Experience which offers 12 tapas size choices and The José Experience which offers 15. To best appreciate The Bazaar, I strongly suggest everyone at the table order the same meal because — unlike a typical dinner conversation — the food at The Bazaar will “be” the conversation.
Our Little Starters included a José Taco which was carefully assembled table side. A delicate sheet of nori was layered with a slice of Iberian ham, a sunny side up quail egg, Ossetra caviar, and gold leaf. The delicious ingredients paired beautifully and the dish was followed by a parade of similarly unique and notable bites. The Caviar Cone, a perfectly proportioned delicate and crisp shell filled with horseradish crème fraîche, chives, and Ossetra caviar topped with gold leaf, and the Neptune Pillow, which we dubbed a “puffed pillow of perfection” filled with spicy tuna, sesame, and fresh wasabi are two worth noting.
The next course (and one of my favorites) was a persimmon and seaweed salad — a perfect balance of marinated sea lettuce with olive oil yogurt, sesame, and kombu dressing. We also sampled the Patatas Bravas, which we deemed a “spicy wake up” of fried pressed potato sticks topped with a chili powder.
The menu articulated by chef Andrés and his kitchen staff exceeded all our expectations. Each dish elevated the table and drew on years of culinary expertise and unexpected — but remarkable — flavor pairings. The Wild Black Cod served with a tomato miso froth and fermented black bean rub, and the Bluefin Tuna and Fried Egg taco with soy dashi, were exceptional. And our table couldn’t help but rebrand the Salmonette Crudo as “fish candy.”
I highly recommend the Croquetas de Pollo,a creamy mix of béchamel and chicken fritter with black winter truffles, and the Short Rib and Piquillos, a braised short rib steak with a side of creamy potatoes. At this point in the evening, I was so full and so satisfied that I wasn’t sure I could eat another bite, but the perfectly seasoned and delicious Kobe and Wagyu Beef bites were too tempting to pass up.
We ended the evening with a magnificent Pan con Chocolate, an almond tart covered with what looked like chocolate spaghetti and topped with an olive oil ice cream, and a Mochi Valenciano, consisting of a mandarin semifreddo, vanilla yuzu mochi, matcha cream, and mandarin oranges.
Each dish was a work of art, plated on beautiful, customized dishes and served in a theatrical style. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and passionate as they expertly explained the sometimes unfamiliar ingredients.
Throughout the evening, sommelier Kara Daving introduced us to a variety of bottles from the expansive wine cellar which is filled with a hearty mix of sake, Japanese spirits, and a selection of over 400 Spanish wines. The pacing of our three- hour meal was impeccable, allowing us to savor each bite while never feeling rushed.
While the dining experience at The Bazaar is undoubtedly a treat for the senses, it does come with a price tag that reflects the level of kitchen craftsmanship and quality of service. The value, however, is undeniably justified. Our table shared an entertaining night out, where the food, presentation, and service dominated the conversation. As we were leaving, the hostess asked if I tried her favorite dish — the Honey-Miso Eggplant — I confessed I had not. And now, as if there ever was any doubt, I have more than enough reason to come back.
For more information: www.thebazaar.com/new-york-city