Manhattan’s abundance of restaurants can be daunting, but with an amazing views, there are no wrong choices. Courtesy of Allison Russo
By Allison Russo
I am always on the hunt for a great view. Whether it is waterfront views from Brooklyn Flea or skyline views from the Roosevelt Island tram, a beautiful vista is even better with dinner or a drink in hand.
Though there are plenty of outdoor dining spots in NYC in warmer months, it is difficult to find an enclosed rooftop or waterfront spot that won’t leave you freezing this time of year.
I recently had dinner at Robert, the restaurant inside the Museum of Art and Design (MAD). It is located at Columbus Circle, and serves drinks, dinner and weekend brunch. I chose this restaurant primarily because of the view it offers of Central Park and Columbus Circle.
While I’m sure this view is beautiful in daylight, the nighttime views made even NYC traffic look stunning. Brake lights and green lights along 59th Street made for the ultimate urban view, and our window seat looked out on pre-war apartment buildings below. The live piano music and video art made for a very refined, modern atmosphere.
Robert’s menu definitely has something for everyone, and I enjoyed sampling a variety of dishes. The portions aren’t enormous, but the food is high quality and obviously gourmet. I definitely recommend getting bread service, which features three different kinds of house-made bread, butter and coarse salt.
For starters, I had the butternut squash risotto that was parmesan perfection. The risotto itself was quite traditional, creamy and cheesy with some strips of crispy butternut on top. It left me wanting a more sweet squash flavor, but it was a great way to start the meal. I also tasted the squid ink pasta, which was served in a light cream sauce with fresh shrimp. Squid ink is an acquired taste, but black spaghetti makes for an offbeat culinary experience.
Next, I had the branzino, a European seabass that is served skin-on. It came with a roulade of tomato, onion and olives, and was served on top of mashed potatoes. As a New England native, I’m always hesitant to order seafood in NYC, but the branzino at Robert was incredibly fresh and perfectly cooked. My dining companions ordered duck breast and filet mignon, both of which they highly recommend. The filet is the most expensive menu item, but the portion was enormous.
While overall it was a lovely dining experience, my biggest complaint about Robert is the drink menu. The wine and cocktail prices are obscene, even for Manhattan. While this is definitely a restaurant for special occasions (especially for college students), I was disappointed that a glass of wine would set me back $20.
It was also difficult to get a reservation. I called a week in advance, and had to take a table nearly two hours later than the time I had wanted. While we were lucky to get a seat with a view, it definitely was not the best one Robert had to offer. If you have a special occasion coming up, you should definitely plan on making reservations several weeks in advance.
