CLOSED: Dinner at The Hurricane Club
*All photos from this meal can be viewed on Flickr
Set within a space that used to house a casual Brazilian churrascaria (steak house), sits Manhattan's newest, most transporting food/drink experience. From the moment that you set foot within The Hurricane Club, you can't help but wonder, "Am I really in NYC right now?" Imagine the glamour of Honolulu meeting the exotic splendor of Bali, set amidst a theatrically large space adorned with twinkling crystal chandeliers, tropical flora, and some of the city's best "beautiful people" watching.
Photo: Zagat
When my sister and I arrived for our 8:45pm reservation, we were informed that there would be a bit of a wait to be seated. "You may head to the bar, if you'd like, and a hostess will come find you when your table is ready." And we did just that.
Had the bar area not been so crowded, I would have snapped a photo of my cocktail. "#38," as it was called, was a frozen concoction containing strawberry, passion fruit, and Puerto Rican white rum infused with lemon grass and ginger. While the flavors were robust and tranquil, overall, I found the beverage to be overly-sweet, which is a conclusion I rarely come to (I love sweet drinks!).
Lil' sis enjoys her bourbon-based cocktail
After my sister and I finished drink #1, we scored two seats in a crowded, pseudo "waiting area" located to the left of the hostess stand. Seconds later, a gentleman carrying a small tray with two amply-filled champagne flutes, approached. "Ladies, please take a glass and accept our apology for the wait," he said. Major service bonus points. Just as my sister and I toasted one another, a hostess approached to whisk us off to our two-top table.
Since the menu emphasized sharing, my sister and I chose to order our meal under that notion. Please find each dish's description captioned under its respective photo, below:
Table scape
Le menu
Snapper Ceviche with Strawberry & Jalapeno: this "pupu," or "appetizer," came four to one order. Had it not been for the kick of the raw jalapeno, this ceviche would have remained rather boring and tasteless.
Croque Monsieur Spring Rolls
Croque Monsieur Spring Rolls - a look inside: accompanied by a whole-grain mustard dipping sauce, I found these spring-rolls to be quite a clever and unique take on the signature French sandwich. The crispy exterior gave way to a warm, gooey interior filled with specks of salty ham, gruyere cheese, and a kiss of Bechamel sauce.
Miso-glazed Lobster Tail: I was in awe by the sheer size of this 10-ounce hunk of crustacean. Cooked shell-on, the exposed flesh was finished with a sweet miso glaze before spending time under the broiler. Thinly-julienned tarro crowned the lobster.
Pork Spareribs: definitely on the spicier side of the spectrum, these morsels produced an almost fall-off-the-bone-tender meat. The tamarind-chipotle BBQ sauce that accompanied the ribs added a welcome sweet and sour component against the spicy rub.
Coconut Basmati Rice: my sister and I loved this dish's presentation. The rice was served within a hollowed coconut shell, leading us to believe that this was the restaurant's justification for its $12 price tag. Flecked with shaved coconut, the rice evoked a sweet and nutty flavor which proved to be the perfect accompaniment to our lobster and rib entrees.
Steamed Baby Bok Choy: during my trip to Hong Kong, I fell in love with bok choy, which was a vegetable that I was never too familiar with. The Hurricane Club's version was simply steamed in bamboo, and served with the most incredible mushroom sauce.
Coconut-caramel soft serve (ice cream): dinner ended on a very sweet note, courtesy of The Hurricane Club's house-made ice cream. The mild flavor of coconut was enhanced by the caramel's rich burnt-sugar essence. Toasted coconut flakes topped the dessert.