The Musket Room - New York

An Exquisite Blend of New Zealand's Flavors and New York's Elegance Rating: The Musket Room, a charming enclave in the heart of New York City, offers a delightful exploration of New Zealand's culinary landscape. This Michelin-starred establishment presents an inviting blend of innovative dishes, an elegant setting, and attentive service, making it a standout in the city's dining scene. Stepping into The Musket Room, guests are greeted with an ambiance that combines contemporary sophistication with a touch of rustic allure. The tastefully decorated interior, featuring warm wooden tones and soft, inviting lighting, sets the stage for a memorable dining experience. The menu at The Musket Room is a testament to the rich and diverse flavors of New Zealand. Each dish is skillfully crafted, showcasing a harmonious blend of traditional ingredients and modern culinary techniques. The New Zealand Red Deer, a signature dish, is a perfect example of this, offering a succulent and flavorful experience that's both unique and memorable. Not to be overlooked is the restaurant's selection of wines, which includes an impressive array of New Zealand's finest. These wines, carefully chosen to complement the menu, add an authentic touch to the dining experience and provide a wonderful introduction to the country's renowned vineyards. The service at The Musket Room matches the high quality of the cuisine. The staff is knowledgeable, courteous, and attentive, ensuring that every aspect of the dining experience is taken care of with professionalism and care. The four-star rating acknowledges a few considerations. While the culinary creations are exceptional, the pricing and portion sizes might not align with everyone's expectations, especially for those accustomed to more generous servings. Additionally, while the menu is adventurous and exciting, it may present a culinary leap for those with more traditional palates. In conclusion, The Musket Room offers a unique and delightful taste of New Zealand in New York City. Its combination of exquisite cuisine, elegant ambiance, and impeccable service makes it a must-visit destination for food enthusiasts and those seeking a distinctive dining experience.

I thought the experience was perfect except for the fact that I felt they rushed us into service after we had just ordered two cocktails. The flavor of these did not match the food at all, they could have either waited or told us to simply go for the wine pairing (which at $115 is not cheap). Food was amazing. Acoustics where we sat were not optimal, but this may be different at other tables. Overall a very good evening and if they get the small glitches sorted out probably an even better experience. The wagyu beef is out of this world by the way.

My favorite dish at The Musket Room was the breads and spreads. The house-made sourdough boule wasn’t much bigger than the water glasses and came pre-cut into four chunks. We slathered smaller pieces in briny anchovy butter sprinkled with flakey sea salt, whipped ricotta and olive oil; and chicken liver mousse. I sunk my teeth into the chewy crust. The croquettes capped our round of Musket Room appetizers. We used forked pieces to mop up the smoked saffron aioli, refusing the leave anything for the servers to take away. I expected potato, but rich bechamel oozed into my mouth (nearly burning me and onto the plate. The Musket Room certainly didn’t skimp on that jamon Iberico sliced thin and folded on top. The two people I was with didn’t like The Musket Room’s Matsutake mushrooms with sunchokes and heirloom rice. I had jockeyed for it and felt bad that this was the dish I’d chosen to share with everyone came out cold and two-noted: earthy mushroom and overwhelming sour cream. At least the island of wild rice was swimming in the tangy sauce (I love sauce . I had hoped for more Matsutake, but wasn’t so lucky. The Musket Room’s duck was perfectly cooked. The seared crust was the best part, and the inside was succulent and juicy. It came with a classic cherry sauce, little dots of labne, and tiny chunks of white turnip. The server spooned an au jus over the duck at our table. After the miniscule entrees, the expected “sooo…anyone want to hit up dollar pizza after this?” half joke happened. To “fill up”, we ordered three spoonfuls of panna cotta. Excellent spoonfuls, but spoonfuls. The piped ruffle of chocolate panna cotta went perfectly with the charred banana puree. Garnishes-wise, I can do without eating gold, but thank goodness for the flaky sea salt. Still not full (because of course not we ordered a slightly larger dessert (four spoonfuls instead of three : sweet potato with mousse, smoked molasses, and rum. I don’t particularly care for plating and food styling, but the pastry team at The Musket Room made the dish so pretty. A wide ribbon of meringue curled around puffs of airy light orange sweet potato mousse, and three or four circles of sweet potatoes prepared in some mysterious way (maybe cooked and slightly dehydrated? . Without the smoky molasses rum semifreddo on top, it tasted like a deconstructed sweet potato pie. With the semifreddo, it transformed into a sweet potato s’mores kinda deal. The Musket Room had amazing appetizers, and the desserts interesting, but the entrees were underwhelming

Delightful tasting menu experience, would strongly recommend. Everyone at our table had the omnivore tasting menu. Dietary allergy (shellfish) was well accommodated by the staff for a friend. Excellent timing of courses. Unhurried pace. Lovely experience all around.

Overall, the tasting menu is excellent. The Kristal Caviar was out of this world and the star of the show. The squab and pork dishes were cooked perfectly. Cocktails were well-balanced and tasty. The jerk ice cream was an interesting twist.