Hortus

Hortus is one of the most recent openings in Nomad, helmed by Suhum Jang of Jung Sik and Chef Seungjoon Choi of Blanca.  This Asian infusion spot boasts a long sleek bar downstairs overlooking a beautiful open kitchen and a 2^nd floor dining room for more formal occasions.  The menu is broken down into five different sections; Raw Bar, Cheese & Charcuterie, To Start, To Share and Sides.   

We began with the Shrimp Cocktail, four pieces of the freshest, most flavorful shrimp I've ever experienced served alongside house made sauce studded with jalapeno, cucumber and avocado.  

King Crab dressed with creme fraiche, Asian pear and red sorrel; a beautiful bite of cream and citrus.

Onto the Starter portion of the menu, Calamari Tempura with Korean Shiso and spicy mayo.  I loved how they prepared both the rings and tentacles in two unique styles...

...but unfortunately the Yuzu Tare Angel Wings were a disappointment.  The bright yuzu flavor was no where to be found and the pork inside the wing was tough and dry.

However the surprise dish of the night then arrived, the incredible Shrimp Toast; four triangles of sesame encrusted milk bread stuffed with shrimp with a spicy sweet tobanjan sauce for dipping.

These were absolutely delightful; light and airy but packed with so much sweet, nutty flavor it was almost impossible not to order another round.

Seafood to Share~ steamed cod, mussels, scallops and shrimp served with thai basil and kaffir lime.  This was a clean and classic Thai style seafood dish.

Mr. T and I loved our evening at Hortus.  In addition to the fabulous food and decor, we were happily surprised by the wine list which had a small but fantastic selection from around the world. This is a great new spot in the Nomad neighborhood for having a few drinks and sharing some bites with friends. 

Hortus
271 5th Avenue at 30th Street
New York, NY 10016