There's a lot going on inside The Wayfarer, the new all-day restaurant inside Midtown's luxury hotel The Quin. There are the masculine gunmetal gray walls and meandering leather banquettes—not unlike sister restaurant The Monarch Room—juxtaposed with pop renditions of the moon landing and photos of Jimi Hendrix. Then there's the capacious layout; a sprawling bi-level affair with a 3,700 square foot dining room, a second floor lounge with seating for 30, a cafe area for grab-and-go and three private dining areas with capacities from 12 to 24 diners. And in the kitchen, Chef Braden Reardon mounts an ode to American seafood —for dinner, at least—that spans the simple and raw to the gently manipulated.
Given its location, be prepared to shell out an above average amount of cash for a meal, with appetizers in the $8 (for a single crab claw) to $18 range and entrees beginning at $24 and topping out at $57. Focus on the fish, like the unique Oysters Tempura ($18) with a cilantro and chili dipping sauce or skew towards New England with Clam Chowder ($13) or Lobster Bisque ($16) with creme fraiche. Entrees include Crispy Skin Atlantic Salmon ($31) with granny smith apples and almonds and Belgian Dover Sole ($57) in a caper and parsley butter sauce plus three cuts of steak and a roast chicken entree for carnivores.
The requisite specialty cocktail program features $17 offerings like their signature Wayfarer Cocktail made with Zubrowka—a vodka made from bison grass—lime, apple and agave with celery bitters and black cardamom. Wines by the glass set you back between $11 and $38; the budget option, such as it is, would be a bottle of beer like Abita Light or Session, both $8.
101 West 57th Street at 6th Avenue, 212-691-0030; thewayfarernyc.com
