Coming from Australia, it’s always fascinating to see just how different hospitality concepts are over in the USA. Particularly New York City.
I always return with ideas on how to change a city like Sydney and make it much more the world-class destination it pretends to be (it’s getting there, just not there yet). But, of course, I’m a journalist. I don’t nearly have nearly enough revenue to even start to make an impact.
That said, it’s a novelty for me to see such an interesting blend of hospitality and retail like Nordstrom NYC.
Located on W57th Street, the megabrand’s flagship is a multi-floor behemoth of quiet luxury and stunning design. But also restaurants to match the premium-but-not-unattainable approach the department store has thrived on for years.
There are a few bars, a pizza joint I’ve heard is quite underrated, and the subject of this piece: Wolf.
Like a lot of great things in the US retail and hospitality sectors, Nordstrom was born in Seattle. And its Pacific Northwest legacy demands a Pacific Northwest restaurant, no?
Wolf is somewhat of a sequel to How To Cook A Wolf, Chef Ethan Stowell’s nationally celebrated Seattle restaurant in the city’s upscale Queen Anne neighbourhood. ‘How To’ has been highly regarded for years, building Stowell – a three-time James Beard Award nominee – an enviable reputation, which is all the more impressive when you know the chef never even went to culinary school.
What’s It Like Eating At Wolf?
Scandinavian design doesn’t necessarily to bright, monochrome colours and sharp angles. It can also mean sleek and sexy, which Wolf does incredibly well.
It doesn’t feel like I’ve just stepped off a bright retail space once I burrow my way into the venue, which is framed by pale wood accents and pulls New York City’s bright lights in through large floor-to-ceiling windows. The 33-seat bar is inviting enough, but there’s also a row of comfortable table seating closer to the windows. The ambiance is simple and satisfying, moving away from that corporate feel of a typical retail spot and feeling like a genuine escape.
Italian-Scandinavian with a Pacific Northwest sensibility is the pitch, I guess. It’s executed well, especially since you wouldn’t really find anything similar in New York City.
Service is exceptional. My waiter talks to me like an old friend. It’s my first night in New York City for 2024, having had the best time of my life in Manhattan the year prior. I’m excited. I’m buzzing. I can’t wait to really sink my teeth into a month in the Big Apple. My waiter doubles as a cheerleader, excitedly suggesting places I should go and listening intently as I tell him where I’ve already been.
This is the kind of service I love. Nothing stuffy and mechanical, nothing intrusive and overdone. Just enough.
My waiter clearly knows his way around wine too so I leave the suggestion to him. He nails it. I like those big, dramatic Russian River whites so he brings out a bottle of Riesling-adjacent Roero Arneis 2023. The Arneis gives the wine plenty of weight and complexity. It’s brilliant. He didn’t just lazily bring me a Chardonnay, which is what a lot of sommeliers would have done after hearing my preference. I can tell this guy actually cares, which only makes me more excited to try the food.
And the feast starts off beautifully.
A baguette served with a light fennel honey butter with roasted garlic and aged balsamic on the side sits side-by-side with a generous plate of prosciutto with puffy little torta fritas. The chef is pulling on a bit of South American here and the produce is beautiful.
Even better is a dish of grilled asparagus with a split soft cooked egg running over the perfectly cooked vegetables. It’s the most surprising plate of the night and much more satisfying than the burrata, which is served with English pea smash, blistered sugar snap peas, pinenut bread crumbs and mint. Too much overpowers the burrata’s refreshing texture and so I save some stomach space for mains instead.
But not before I tear through the grilled octopus, served with potato, saffron aioli, blistered pepper relish, smoked paprika, and cilantro. Nothing as showstopping as the asparagus but texturally perfect and a must-order for anyone who loves octopus as much as me. The aioli, however, maybe isn’t spread thick enough and doesn’t add as much to those tentacles as it should.
My eyes widen with excitement as my waiter starts shaving cheese onto the king crab spaghetti. And then more cheese. And then more. I’m surely in Rome at this point, so my love for indulging in guilt-inducing cheesy pasta is satisfied.
There are only four desserts on offer. I’m not a fan of doughnuts and cheesecake seems like an obvious choice in New York. It’s between the hazelnut cherry tart and peach cake for me. I choose the latter. A nicely priced ($14) slap of thick, dense cake oozing with a peach reduction, complementing the sweetness of almond creme anglaise and a scoop of fior di latte gelato. It’s an excellent dessert but I’m more shocked on how Ethan has managed to keep the prices reasonable and still provide such great quality.
In fact, the entire menu is priced incredibly well. Pastas are $25-$30 and plates are around $19-$20. It adds up, of course. Manhattan is an absolute punish on the wallet, especially for Aussies with the shockingly poor exchange rate (0.66 cents at time of writing).
Highlights: Grilled asparagus, king crab spaghetti, peach cake, service, wine selections
Address: 225 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The author flew to New York City on Delta Air Lines and explored the city as a guest of NYC Tourism.
Interior shots by Connie Zhou.
