Simply called Lincoln, this glassy milestone at the center of New York's most famous musical landmark was designed by the architectural firm of Diller, Scofidio + Renfro to maximize glass walls, signature sloping lawn roof and view of the Henry Moore sculpture and reflecting pool. Inside the collaboration of chef and restaurateur is equally monumental, pulling together the CEO of Patina Restaurant Group Nick Valenti with former Per Se chef de cuisine Jonathon Benno. More casually stylish than both Patina and Per Se, the space evokes memories of the Costes Brother's Georges atop Paris's Pompidou, both surrounded in glassy architecture and monumental views. Accessed at street level on 65th Street or via the plaza, Lincoln offers a textured modern design of open kitchen, cool bar and lounge, two dining rooms and private dining room.
The Food
One of the men responsible for Per Se’s 3-Star Michelin rating since the advent of the Michelin Guide New York, Chef Benno's cuisine emphasizes superior ingredients for contemporary regional Italian recipes in a cool Lincoln Center-minded eatery. A lunch menu of roasted vegetable antipasti, branzino tartare and shared pasta plates for two lead to hefty mid-day main courses of veal chop with chanterelle mushrooms and king salmon with salsa verde and sunchokes. Dinner is a more rounded menu with prosciutto and burrata, foie gras and oxtail terrine or veal sweetbreads with oyster mushrooms. Main courses include sirloin of beef with bone marrow, 28-day aged rib-eye and pork loin with parsnips.
Last Word
One of New York’s most anticipated restaurant opening of 2010 comes at the new architectural Lincoln Center eatery led by the Patina Group and former-Per Se chef de cuisine Jonathon Benno.
