Noir: The Expert's Expert Choice

By Narbeh Minassian &
Christopher A. Pape

As many of you will no doubt know, the final stretch of this year marks the 25th anniversary of Resident Magazine and this is a landmark for which we express the greatest pride in reaching. In a time of recession and an ever expanding social media, longevity is as remarkable as it is elusive; particularly in this concrete heart of the working world we call our home.

In celebration of this milestone, we have invited the entire Resident nation to a party on November 7th, which is a night we have been planning for since the start of summer. It therefore goes without saying that we underwent a meticulous shortlisting process to select the location for this momentous night in our history, and, given our evident expertise and know-how of the New York restaurant and nightlife scene, one can take confidence in our choice being one of the most outstanding places in Manhattan. The Party will take place in Noir Restaurant and it is not difficult to see why.

Noir is more than a restaurant, indeed the Noir personnel could be aptly described as welcoming waiters, excellent barmen, outstanding event planners, and all round ambassadors to the hospitality field. One of their fortes, and deciding factors in our final choice, is their unrivalled ability to plan and host events of all different kinds. They do not only guarantee the highest service in hosting the event on the night, but they discuss your event down to the last detail, ensuring that they never lose sight of the aim of the event and can make arrangements accordingly.

They offer two levels, measuring up to 10,000 square feet and accommodating a capacity crowd of 468. Two full service bars plus an upstairs lounge and cocktail area dispel any worries over competing for drinks with the said 468; to that end, they have the much celebrated ‘mixologist’ and beverage director Adam DelGuidice, who is considered the most inspired bartender by the United States Bartender’s Guild in Miami. Their lounge is a close space, with lavish booths and a bottle service alternative should you choose a table. Add to all this their upgraded, state of the art DJ booth and sound system, and you have all the party energy of a Manhattan nightclub with the intimate elegance of a restaurant.

It is perhaps a strong indication of Noir’s high standing that it has taken nearly half a thousand words before I even mention the food. Their contemporary American menu is the creation of French head-chef, Jean-Yves Schillinger, who is also the owner of JYS, a Michelin star restaurant in his hometown of Colmar, France. His was a vision to combine classic French techniques with seasonal local ingredients to cover all mealtimes.

Their menu has something for virtually all different tastes and preferences. They have smaller dishes available from the bar, which act as an ideal snack or starter, the best of which include their NOIR Kobe sliders –the renowned Kobe beef topped with aged sharp cheddar, red onion, crispy lettuce, and a signature sauce- and cheese platter, which is as good as you can expect from a native of the cheese capital of the world.

Their main dishes are distinctly separated as land and sea based. From the former category, their roasted chicken comes with the highest recommendation -which is unsurprising given that this is a chef who combines the cuisines of two nations that know better than most how to serve chicken- while the classic steak tartare is of course always a great option. In the latter, the tuna tartare is something of a speciality, with house made horseradish and soufflé quinoa with pink peppercorn.

The dining area is at the back and carefully positioned so that the sheer vivacity of the lounge and bar areas around the curved staircase do not drown out the conversation over dinner. The general theme of the atmosphere is in keeping with the restaurant’s name; darker lighting, with candlelight providing much of the visibility. Its opulence and charming décor make it equally appropriate for romantic, business, or social visits.

If there is one drawback to being a New Yorker it is that we are often too spoiit for choice, to the extent that decision making is more difficult than anywhere else; yes, this may well be the most shameless of first world problems and we won’t hold our breath for any sympathy. Nonetheless, it is difficult to master the greatest city in the world. This is something that we at Resident have learned and overcome. We have a virtual sixth sense when it comes to the best of New York, which has been honed over the better part of the last quarter century. For this reason we were perfectly poised to select a place in New York that will do justice to a great cause for celebration, and, simply put, Noir was the choice du jour. •