The Bazaar by José Andrés – NYC

When José Andrés originally opened The Bazaar at the SLS Beverly Hills hotel in 2009, his potent combination of culinary excellence, showmanship, and Philippe Starck-designed dining spaces delivered incredible experiences, reimagining fine dining with avant garde, el Bulli-style creativity as the main attraction. The legendary partnership between Andrés and SLS, a luxury boutique hotel brand, spawned an equally impressive South Beach, Florida sequel with its own menu in 2012, then Bazaar Meat in Las Vegas two years later. A New York City location of the Bazaar was set to open in 2016 at the SLS New York, but corporate changes saw the hotel instead open as Mondrian Park Avenue without a Bazaar inside.

SLS’s loss was Ritz-Carlton’s gain. The Bazaar became a major part of the Ritz-Carlton New York Nomad, creating a first-floor bar open during the day and night, and a new Bazaar restaurant serving only dinners. The restaurant space is on a separate floor, accessible only to those with reservations, and guests of the hotel.

Like many Bazaar locations, the NYC restaurant has its own spin: Japanese-Spanish fusion. Even though the menu superficially looks similar enough to the original Beverly Hills Bazaar or the current D.C. version, most of the dishes have been modified with Japanese ingredients, techniques, and/or presentation; new items have also been added to guarantee some novelty.