Well Fed On the Town

Tucked away in the lower level of Rockefeller Center, The Sea Grill, is the Center’s premier dining space. Overlooking Rockefeller Center’s Ice Rink (ice is set in November; otherwise its outdoor dining), the view offers prime entertainment (be wary as the skaters can see you too and notice your every giggle at their stumbles). Starting in mid-November when the Center’s Christmas tree can be seen from its windows, there is nothing more festively modern than this dining space.

My dining companion and I entered the tiny soothing blue welcome hall, checked our belongings and were promptly ushered to our seats precisely at our reservation time. We were offered a seat off to the side and cozied in. But before we could even pick up a wine list a window seat opened up and we were asked if we would like to move. We did, into a full windowed seat.

As the name suggests, the menu centers on seafood, but is unafraid to abandon surf for turf. A long sleek dining room creates an underwater feel, complete with bubbly floor tiles and frosted blue glass interior. You might be as hard pressed as I was at choosing just one entrée, but no fear, our calming and attentive waiter presented a solution: a tasting menu.

Sous Chef Yuhi Fujinaga stated tasting menus are great fun in the kitchen. They allow the kitchen to play around with ingredients and experiment a little bit more than the fixed menu does. If you truly want to put no thought in to your dinner, or simply can’t decide, the tasting menu is a great option and can be accompanied by a wine pairing as well (if you have the means).

There are positives to the (slowly) changing weather. The fall turning to winter is prime truffle season. The Sea Grill is currently offering a $1000 white truffle tasting menu of eight dishes. If you can afford it, the price might well be worth a taste of this succulent “diamond of the kitchen.” The menu will be offered for another few weeks, highlighting the pungent aroma and umami flavorings so get it while you can. After that, the chefs will take on the black truffle and a whole new menu.

If the $1000 is too deep for your pockets do not despair. Other irresistible items appear on the menu at much more reasonable prices (entrées range $30-40). A small plates collection is also available (just under $70 per person) and if you’re up for a grand event, without being too opulent, a general tasting menu, which we had, is excellent (priced around $300 per person including wine pairings).

The menu changes according to season and the comfort foods currently offered are pure delight. We were lucky enough to attend at the height of white truffle season and with that, were offered the truffle in a small handful of our dishes.

Our most pleasant fare was a simple Kumamoto Oyster topped with Caspian caviar and served with a Moet Vintage 1999. We knew we were in the hands of the skilled and as we sipped our champagne and popped our oysters, we smiled at our good fortune. The oysters, imbued with the perfect amount of ocean water, offered a fresh, salty kick, an exciting contrast to the dry champagne.

Butter poached lobster tails were delightful. Sweet, smooth and full of unexpected flavor additions from the passion fruit glaze to the honey-like vanilla oil and the celery foam.

The stunner of the evening was the Okinawan sweet potato. A royal purple potato that is sweeter than the traditional sweet potato we are familiar with (and even more decadent when white truffle has been added)—This potato would make a stunning addition to any holiday meal.

Sea scallops, served atop a bed of white truffled mashed potatoes with truffle shavings on top arrived mid-meal. Hiding under a ceramic dome, the aroma of the truffles nearly knocked us down once revealed. Earthy, sweet and buttery, this dish simply melted in the mouth. I assure you, by this point, my courageous dining partner and I were stuffed to the gills, but with so much flavor and purity in each bite we had a difficult time not licking the plate clean (mind you, we were in public so we simply scraped it bare).

With the truffles out of sight and tucked into our bellies a long pause passed. Ah, it must be a break before dessert. Alas, a stronger red wine was presented and my loyal companion’s lips began to quiver. We looked at each other… meat?! Sure enough, a thimble-sized bone marrow soufflé accompanied by 28-day dry aged prime NY Strip was delivered. “I can eat no more!” I declared—after finishing off the deliciously fatty soufflé and half the steak.

We cowered in our chairs praying that dessert would soon arrive. As a fawn yellow bottle materialized we smiled at Lady Luck: a pleasantly thick and sweet Sautèrnes was offered with no less than two servings of cake, a key lime pie– the house specialty, a bowl of warm powdered Madeleines and an artist palate of homemade ice creams and sorbets. Of course, not wanting to offend we tasted all, dipping the final Madeleine in cappuccino for a grand finale.

I have left out a few dishes. The above mentioned were by far the standouts. Miniature cracker cones full of tuna tartar started our evening. Though good, they were missing a binding. A wild Alaskan black cod was nutty and delicious, but the accompanying muscles and sea scallops were overcooked. The steak and soufflé alone would have sufficed but were served with a pasta that even Sous Chef Fujinaga felt the need to defend.

Unfortunately, I have forgotten the name of most of the wines we were served after the champagne (I blame this on the steadfast waitstaff’s lightning refill ability that never left a glass nearing empty). A delicious Gamay from Fluerie, Burgundy accompanied our lobster. Rich and elegantly laced with dark cherry. There was a Pacific Northwest Cabernet with “Elixir” and Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man printed on the bottle that was full and robust. Each pairing suited its dish well, adding character to every bite.

While most families would not tote their children to such extravagance, Chef Edward Brown understands families enjoy a good holiday meal together. If little Susie and Mikey tire of looping the ice rink and decide to dine with Mommy and Daddy, Brown has established a children’s menu, perfect for the family’s Thanksgiving dinner which includes crispy cod fingers (rather, fish sticks).

I dined on a Tuesday night and found mostly a business crowd with a few solo diners and cheerful groups scattered throughout but would expect more couples on weekends. The setting is pure romance, especially if a window seat with a view of the Rockafeller Center Christmas tree is obtained.

The Sea Grill is highly recommended, just try not to bust the bank.

The Sea Grill is located at Rockefeller Center
19 West 49th Street, lower level
New York City
212.332.7610