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 with a house made sauce studded with jalapeño, cucumber and avocado.  

King Crab dressed with crème fraîche, Asian pear and red sorrel; this was 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.

Unfortunately, the Yuzu Tare Angel Wings were a disappointment.  The bright yuzu flavor was no where to be found and the pork was tough and dry.

But the dish of the night was the incredible Shrimp Toast; four triangles of sesame encrusted milk bread stuffed with shrimp and 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.

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