The Musket Room: New Zealand Cuisine in New York City

My first experience trying New Zealand cuisine was at The Musket Room in Manhattan. I chose the restaurant to celebrate a big birthday of mine for two reasons – I was always interested in trying New Zealand cuisine but never had the opportunity, and because I never dined at the restaurant despite it having a Michelin star and being open since 2013.

Located in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood, The Musket Room is a 70-seat restaurant with a simple design and an intimate environment. It’s one of those restaurants where you feel a sense of unity with the diners around you, disconnected from the busy streets right outside. And, right in the back of the restaurant is Chef Matt Lambert’s garden room, which has ingredients that are used throughout the menus.

As for the menu, you’ll find a good selection of New Zealand wines and beers. There are three menus to choose from – the long story and the short story tasting menus, which provide an introduction to New Zealand cuisine, and then the a la carte. I chose the à la carte,and here’s what I had:

Salad with farmer’s cheese, smoked seeds, herbs and flowers

This colorful, bright salad was simple but very fresh. I imagine it’s because some of the ingredients came directly from the chef’s garden room.

Wild striped bass, cauliflower, curry

This wild striped bass was light and delicate with a perfectly-crisp skin. There was just a hint of curry flavor, so it didn’t take away from the bass or the cauliflower.

Passionfruit pavlova, passionfruit curd, whipped cream, strawberries 

This dessert will go in my books as one of my favorite desserts ever. The passionfruit sorbet was so fresh, it tasted like I was eating an actual passionfruit. The texture of the meringue was like a marshmallow, and it was fluffy and airy.

The Musket Room: 265 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012