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Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1194330
WINTER 2020 77 cocktails like Fortune Favors the Bold and rye- based All Bark and No Bite on the fourth floor. Dumbwaiters send drinks downstairs to the bistro and upstairs to the fine-dining restaurant. "We don't spill a drop," says Le Tohic who insists they have been well tested. For a VIP touch, private liquor lockers line one wall of the space and can be rented monthly by guests who wish to bring their own spirits. O' by Claude Le Tohic As diners ascend ever higher via elevator, so too does the intended dining experience. O' by Claude Le Tohic is the cleverly named fine dining restaurant that is a play on the French word for water—eau— and offers a nod to the "O" in the street address. The decor on the fifth floor takes a turn for a more sophisticated aesthetic with understated hues and dark carpet. Blue and orange velvet-clad chairs add color to the room, and back lit photographic installations come together to create a serious backdrop for the chef's elevated cuisine. Ten-course tasting menus are featured—both a vegetarian version and another including a Caviar Composition of shrimp tartare, unagi and farm egg sabayon, and lobster gelee on toast. An open kitchen and a chef's table allow for intimate viewing of the chefs in action, and the same extensive wine list and spirits at Elements a floor below are available via dumbwaiter to accompany this refined dining experience. An a la carte menu is also an option and includes a sampling of hot and cold appetizers along with entree options. In all, One65 is quite a spectacle. A jewel box-like exterior reveals an interior filled with culinary gems on every floor, dazzling production kitchens, and refined classic cuisine from one very celebrated chef who aims to introduce his guests to all of his favorite French foods. —Tanya Henry Bistro & Grill Two weeks after the Patisserie opened, One65 Bistro & Grill began serving mussels & fennel salad, steak tartare, pommes frites, and frog legs & escargot on the third floor. A selection of sandwiches, and lighter entrees including an omelette cocotte, skirt steak, and half smoked salmon are also available for lunch. Dinnertime brings a more formal experience with heartier items like Magret Duck with Lavender Peppercorn Gastrique and rhubarb salad. Many of the meats are fired in the prized Josper oven—which is both a grill and oven. Beef cheeks, porchetta, and roasted chicken get the grilled treatment in this unique closed-barbecue designed oven. With seating for 60, an open kitchen concept encourages diners to sit at the counter with a full view of the staff. "We want guests to be part of the experience—they can talk to the chefs, ask questions, and learn about the food and the preparation," says Le Tohic, who wants his guests to gain an appreciation for French food. Leather banquettes and high-top tables offer more private seating options. Blonde wood floors, combined with a white and brown color palette keep the mood casual but contemporary. The beauty of having a decorated chef on board who exemplifies fine dining, is that the more casual concepts inevitably benefit. Case in point— advanced sommelier Vincent Morrow (Gary Danko, Benu, French Laundry) has created a sumptuous French-centric wine list with plenty of by-the- glass options. Burgundy and Bordeaux along with Rhone varietals figure prominently on the list, but international and domestic selections are also included. Elements Bar & Lounge Coinciding with the Bistro & Grill opening, the moody, low-lit and darkly furnished Elements bar and lounge began serving whimsically named PHOTOS: ONE65