FOUND: counter culture
FOUND: counter culture
450 Washington, Wangbi, Shota Omakase, Berkshires hotels, Macklowe Whiskey, travel agents, MORE
REAL ESTATE • FOUND Development
Shaved truffles in Tribeca
The building formerly known as Truffles Tribeca used to be an obsession of ours when it was built in 2009. It worked for a certain breed of downtown renters for a moment, until it didn’t and Related ripped it up and converted to sales. In the process, they reduced the number of units from about 300 to 176, put in floor-through windows to maximize views, installed updated finishes and amenities, and stripped the name down to the studs.
The new product, 450 Washington, is a full block of 2023, at home on a stretch of the west side where neighbors include 70 Vestry (another Related project, by Robert A.M. Stern). The views are indeed spectacular, and may be accessed via Unit 909, currently listed for $4.955M (4BR/3.5BA, 1884SF) and Unit 605, which at $7.995M is the priciest apartment currently for sale and comes with a 1100 SF terrace. Per Marketproof, the building is 50% sold.
→ 450 Washington (Tribeca) • Developer: Related; Architect: Roger Ferris + Partners; Landscape architect: Hollander Design; Interior design: MAWD; Marketing: Corcoran Sunshine.
NYC REAL ESTATE LINKS: New renderings of Giorgio Armani Residences rising on Upper East Side • A green future for Hell’s Kitchen’s landmarked power station? • One Madison Ave. nears completion in Flatiron • In Riverside Park, that’s all for the goats.
RESTAURANTS • Counter Culture
Under-the-radar counters
New York has no shortage of chef’s choice counters, from sophisticated sushi to flawless French. Here now, three great counter-style experiences still flying under the radar (for now).
→ Wangbi (Koreatown), 37 W. 32nd St.: A couple weeks ago, Tony Park flipped the mezzanine of his boisterous K-Town barbecue joint Antoya into a refined, counter-style experience. To lead the traditional Korean flavor-rooted kitchen here, Park hired previous Jua chef Taewoo Kim, and the pedigree shows. The menu (seven courses, $125) isn’t overly fussy, with occasional truffle and caviar accents.
The Ticket: The beverage program is entirely based on sool: Korean distillates and brews you won’t find elsewhere in the city.
BONUS: At Anto, Park’s recent upscale entry in Midtown, the second-floor chef’s counter is also up and running (10 courses, $195). Don’t pass on the upper-level wine pairing ($225), which starts with Krug and ends with Bordeauxz icon 1998 Château Lynch-Bage.
→ Yakitori Torishin Select Counter (Midtown West), 362 W. 53rd St.: When yakitori specialist Torishin moved from the Upper East Side to Midtown West nearly a decade ago, owner Shu Ikeda added this haute, eight-seat omakase counter where the meal runs $190/$220 and spans roughly 20 courses, with skewers like chicken tail, Iberico pork, and the sleeper hit: the best tsukemen (dip-style) ramen in the city.
The Ticket: Torishin is the first yakitori spot in the U.S. to earn a Michelin star, and the pro tip here is to sit with owner Ikeda-san ––he’s behind the counter Wednesday and Saturday nights.
→ Shota Omakase (Williamsburg), 50 S. 3rd St.: Brooklyn isn’t known for omakase sushi, but chef Cheng Lin is putting Williamsburg on the map with his impressively priced $175 traditional Edomae menu laced with top-tier Japanese seafood, including mountains of uni.
The Ticket: Lin sources his fish almost exclusively from markets in Japan –– in fact, he shares a seafood buyer with some of the city’s most prestigious counters, including Yoshino and Sushi Noz. –Kat Odell
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Fall weekend, Berkshires
Little Cat Lodge (Hillsdale), buzzy refurbed motor lodge by Catamount, $450
Red Lion Inn (Stockbridge), iconic Main St., with Norman Rockwell porch, $310
Wheatleigh (Lenox), buttoned-up 19-room estate, $1615
Canyon Ranch (Lenox), the original spa retreat, newly renovated, $2400
Miraval (Lenox), the newbie spa retreat, $2276
Stonover Farm (Lenox), luxe inn with handful of suites & cottages, $500
Seven Hills (Lenox), historic mansion on 27 acres, $332
Porches (North Adams), restored Victorian row houses by Mass MoCA, $484
Tourists (North Adams, above), sceney design-forward motor lodge refresh, $474
One night king, fall weekend. Minimum stay may be required. Hit reply or email found@foundny.com with additions and subtractions.
GETAWAYS • Airports
Lounging around at JFK
Delta Sky Clubs have taken a beating as of late, but on a recent early morning, the newly opened Sky Club in Concourse A at JFK’s Terminal 4 was an oasis of calm, half filled with travelers, one of them quietly asleep on a couch out on the sky deck.
The downside of the location by gate A8 (former Virgin America territory, now colonized by Delta): it’s a solid 15 minute walk from the start of the B gates. So most B-gate fliers will still end up at Concourse B’s larger but more crowded Sky Club. Unless, of course, you’re skipping both for T4’s Centurion Lounge.
EWR: Amex plans Centurion Lounge at Terminal A, to open 2026. Until then: check out first looks at the new American Admirals Club and new Delta Sky Club, both also in Terminal A.
JFK: This week, JetBlue added three daily flights between JFK and DCA (Reagan) in Washington, D.C., its first time flying this route.
LGA: New Delta route from NYC to Nassau, Bahamas debuts in December.
GETAWAYS LINKS, NEW HOTELS EDITION: The new Raffles OWO is the opening of the century in London • Raffles finally makes its U.S. debut, in Boston • New Fontainebleau Las Vegas was 23 years in the making • Nobu Hotel San Sebastián opens its doors • Inside One Sloane, a posh new address in Chelsea • Asia’s most anticipated hotel of the year opens in Nepal.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Lincoln Center
Center of the universe
Met Orchestra: Verdi's Requiem, Metropolitan Opera (Lincoln Center), Sat @ 8p, orchestra prime, $215 per
NY Phil: Joshua Bell, Copland, and The Elements, Geffen Hall (Lincoln Center), Sat @ 8p, orchestra 1, $217 per
New York Film Festival: The Strangler, EBM Film Center (Lincoln Center), Sun @ 9p, $18 per
CULTURE LINKS: Richard Brody’s New York Film Festival highlights • Influential Tribeca gallery Queer Thoughts to shutter • On 5th Ave., New York’s very own “Little Prince” sculpture • How to start an art gallery in NYC • How Chelsea became the unlikely center of the art world • Lunch with Anna Wintour (who didn’t eat) at the Ritz London.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine
Whiskey a go go
JULIE MACKLOWE, CEO + founder, Macklowe Whiskey
Neighborhood you live in: Upper East Side, Aspen, and … United Airlines
It's Friday afternoon. How are you rolling into the weekend?
I’m ready to drink whiskey … earlier. I would argue that anytime before 4 p.m. is absolutely fine. I love the weekends because I’m usually home with my family, and not on the road for work.
Do you have any restaurant plans?
Some of my favorite spots are Tin Building by Jean-Georges, for something fancier, Daniel Boulud's Le Pavillon, and Daniel. And, of course, Casa Cipriani downtown.
How about a little leisure or culture?
NYC has it all, and I love doing it all. Of course, when I'm not hanging out with my family, it's so nice to go see a show. I’m seeing Aladdin for the third time next week. Leisure: Just walking from uptown to downtown is an adventure. And my favorite moments are walking and riding my ElliptiGO in Central Park.
Do you have any weekend getaways planned?
I spend almost every week traveling for work, so honestly, I'm trying not to go anywhere when I'm not working, unless it's with my family. I assume we're not counting the Hamptons or my ski days here? [We are! -Ed.]
What was your last great vacation?
I spend almost every single family vacation at our home in Aspen. I skied for 46 days last year. When I'm not on the road selling whiskey, it's where I love to be. Aspen restaurants: Caribou Club, Betula and Cache Cache. Nightlife: Sterling or Snow Lodge.
LOST & FOUND • Behind the Paywall
Dispatches from the frontline, from FOUND subscribers for FOUND subscribers:
A handful of favorite NYC restaurants from new subscribers: Casa Enrique (Long Island City) • Bell Book & Candle (West Village) • Balthazar (Soho) • Orsay (Upper East Side) • Don Angie (West Village) • Boro6 (Hastings on Hudson, NY).
Plus, this recommendation from special FOUND correspondent Meg Hourihan: