If you have a passion for contemporary architecture and fine dining, I have a perfect recommendation for you. Make a reservation at Lincoln Ristorante at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Chef Jonathan Benno, who was the chef de cuisine at Per Se for six years, opened his modern Italian restaurant in September, 2010. Lincoln is located underneath the dramatically sloping Illumination Lawn, which was designed by Diller Scofidio + Refro and FXFOWLE Architects, and is situated between the reflecting pool on one side and West 65th Street on the other. Diller Scofidio’s pavilion is steps away from the symphony, theater, opera, ballet and Fashion Week shows. The Lincoln Center Film Center is located downstairs from the restaurant. But, it is not imperative that you combine a dining experience at Lincoln with a cultural excursion. The restaurant is its own destination.
Dining at Lincoln during the day is a different aesthetic experience than at night. For lunch, the transparency of the floor to ceiling windows allows daylight to flood the interior and enhances the striking contrast between the serenity of the reflecting pool and monumental Henry Moore sculpture on one side and the cacophony of the kitchen on the other. I arrived early and the host offered to seat me right away. If you are an architecture buff, I highly recommend requesting a table in the middle of the restaurant between the reflecting pool and kitchen. This part of the restaurant allows you to truly appreciate the dynamism of the sloping roof. Seating areas on either end of the restaurant are still dramatic but in the middle area, you feel that you are completely subsumed in the space. In the evening, Lincoln is cool and sleek. Neither visit will disappoint.
The cuisine will not blow you away as much as the design, but Chef Benno’s interpretation of modern Italian cuisine is impressive. The Restaurant Week 3-course menu was very good and the portions and presentation were perfect. The staff was professional, attentive and friendly. I started with the grilled calamari, braised potatoes, castelvetrano olives and caperberries. It was spicy but I enjoyed the different textures and flavors. My main course was the rigatoni with heritage pork, sage, cremini mushrooms and pecorino romano. This course hit the mark. The bosc pear and cranberry crisp with almond cream was good but not memorable.
I recommend Lincoln because of its synthesis of striking architecture and fine dining. The severely modern design makes Lincoln a unique dining destination.
Next up in the Dining Challenge: Maialino.
Diller Scofidio + Renfro: http://www.dsrny.com/
FXFOWLE Architects: http://www.fxfowle.com/
Lincoln Ristorante
142 W. 65th St.
New York, NY 10023
212.359.6500
http://www.lincolnristorante.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment