NoMad opened on the corner of Broadway and 28th Street in late July, and the Ritz-Carlton, New York is firmly on the list of New York’s hottest hotel openings. But just three months after opening, the 50-story building, built to house 219 hotel rooms, 31 suites and a spa, has grown into more than just a place to spend a few nights. thanks to a partnership with renowned Michelin-starred chef José Andrés.
The entire culinary program of the hotel, led by Andres and his team, will soon include three main products. Zaytinya, a bright, lively and popular restaurant on the ground floor serving small portions of Turkish, Greek and Lebanese cuisine, opened alongside the hotel in July, with another long-awaited Andres concept coming this winter (more on that below). most notable is the newly opened Nubeluz, a cocktail bar on the top floor of the Ritz.
Nubeluz, the Spanish word for “cloud” (nube) and “light” (luz), promises incredible views of the city and includes a cocktail from José Andrés himself. I recently went to this bar two nights in a row while staying at a hotel looking through the menu and deciding for myself whether to go to the 50th floor.
To get to Nubelousa, you need to check in with the host on the lobby floor (advance booking highly recommended), who will take you to the elevator and take you upstairs. Once you get to the 50th floor, in just a few seconds your ears will pop as you go up and you will reach the bar lobby and check in with another host. Here, for the first time, you will see the landscape, causing a Pavlovian reaction, reaching for the phone and turning on the camera. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to capture the moment – it’s not every day you encounter a cityscape like this (unless you live in one of the 16 Ritz penthouses downstairs).
From here, you will be led through a door to your seat, where you can choose from a variety of large plush compartments that are leaning against the back wall or closer to the windows. While the appearance of the stalls seems to suggest the bottled service currently offered, the atmosphere here is still one of sipping a cocktail rather than a full bottle of Gray Goose. However, this could quickly change as the bar grows in popularity, and if the occasional rumble of a future DJ set turns out to be true.
Back to viewing. Nubelooze is 500 feet above the ground, and the building itself is in the center of Manhattan Island, offering stunning views of everything south of 28th Street, from the Flatiron Building a few blocks to the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor . This is a spectacle for which tourists pay a lot of money. For views from other directions and a breath of fresh air, enter one of the two outdoor areas of the bar: the small east patio offers stunning views of the Empire State Building, while the larger west patio offers views of Times Square and views of the Hudson -Yards. Fair warning, also not for those who are afraid of heights.
Take a photo of the skyline and now you’ll notice that Nubelous is just as Insta-worthy on the inside as it is on the outside. With an emphasis on precious tones, metallic surfaces and decorative lighting, the interiors create an Art Deco Roaring Twenties atmosphere without a hint of kitsch. However, fully describing the space is a job best left to Martin Brudnicki, the AD100 interiors architect and the person behind the design.
“We want our guests to feel glamorous and carefree in this bar; it’s a destination in itself, so it needs to be different from the wider hotel, but still be in line with the hotel brand,” Brudnitz Key told me. He went on to say that Nubeluz’s goal was to create “a star in the New York sky” and a hotel bar “reminiscent of the iconic Manhattan hotel bar, but offering freshness to modern metropolitan audiences” and a “sturdy bar”. become a modern classic. ”
“If Wes Anderson designed a gay aperitif bar” is the best description of Midnight Cafe, West Manhattan’s new hidden cocktail paradise.
While the sumptuous furnishings are impressive overall, the onyx U-shaped bar steals the show with its warm golden hue. This is where I sat happily on both visits, being able to watch the bartenders work their magic and follow the twinkling city lights. As for the bar itself, Brudnicki drew inspiration from above, telling me, “The architecture of the building and its unrivaled view of the sky dictated how we designed the bar, and we decided early on to design it for a lot of central and interior lighting, making it look like it was floating in the clouds.” . While there’s no doubt you’ll be tempted to order classics like a martini or Manhattan at this bar, it’s a crime to turn down a Nubeluz cocktail menu.
During my two visits, I tried four cocktails ranging from $20 to $26 (pricey, but not crazy since this is New York and you’re at the top of the Ritz). In a conversation with the bartender, I asked what two cocktails had already become bestsellers, and decided to start with them. I got a “bold interpretation of the Moscow mule” called The Apollo #3 (Grey Goose La Poire vodka, white vermouth, St Germain, lemon, ginger, soda) and Salt Air Margarita (Milagro blanco tequila, Combier orange, lime). , Salt Air) for me is “a creative take on a classic topped with an airy cloud of salt.” cocktail while watching the waves break on the rocks and sand on the beach, forming a beautiful foam.
Moving into unfamiliar territory, I tried their next favorite cocktail, Smokies (Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Yzaguirre 1884 Gran Reserva absinthe, Cynar, Aperol, Orange Thyme Aroma Cloud). Served from a glass container filled with dry ice smoke, the drama of this creation always elicits some “I want it too” responses. Next and last I ordered a Coleman with peas (Old Duff Genever, sweet vermouth, fernet, amontillado, sesame) and added a dash of sesame oil for a nutty flavor. Although the latter is not a home run for me, I will definitely return to Smoky Mountain and its content lives up to its characteristics.
For those looking for a night without wine, you’ll be happy to know that the Nebuluz menu starts with a range of non-alcoholic options. More than just creative juice blends, “this is a range of drinks that can rival any other drink on the Nubeluz menu, and we purposefully lead the menu in this category to show our pride in drinks.” — Daniel Grajewski, Senior Wine Director. and drinks at the José Andrés Group, tell me. I have tried two zero proof products, Square the Circle and Niño Melón and I prefer the latter which actually tastes like fresh melon.
Don’t expect to be full of food here as the menu consists solely of small tasteless dishes. However, the ones that are available are catchy and fun, like Labneh with José’s Potato Chips (crunchy chips with salmon caviar, za’atar, avgotaraho, lemon zest and fresh herbs) for $18 and Labneh Cone (Two snack – yogurt and caviar My suggestion? You’re here, it’s trendy, so you might as well splurge on some caviar. Sweet cones are also a must try for all sweet tooths, especially dulce de leche with cherry core Luxardo
In my opinion, Nubeluz is perfect for dates, special occasions, and to impress friends and family with a first-class New York getaway. While the rooftop bar itself is worth a visit at NoMad, combining your visit with dinner at Zaytinya on the ground floor is even more worth it (plan to watch the sunset at Nubeluz before dinner, or go for an afternoon drink to see the city at night). If the Zaytinya menu isn’t for you, check out Nubeluz later this year when Jose Andres opens the outpost of his acclaimed The Bazaar restaurant on the second floor of the NoMad Ritz-Carlton.
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Post time: Nov-02-2022