It took Seahorse, the new seafood spot in the W Hotel, four years to open after it was first planned — and only two weeks to conquer Manhattan.
The wonderful eatery from owner John McDonald and chef John Villa is a rare, instant artistic and commercial success that’s just what Union Square needed.
The blocks around the park lost their culinary cred after Brazilian-style Coffee Shop closed in 2018 and Bluewater Grill a year later, leaving the famous Greenmarket its only claim to glory. Seahorse, on Park Avenue South at East 17th Street, puts the juice back. The corner will be even more of a food destination when a giant STK steakhouse opens soon across the street.
McDonald’s Mercer Street Hospitality Group owns a half-dozen crowd-pleasing eateries including Bowery Meat Company, Bar Mercer, and, most famously, Lure Fishbar in Soho, which might lose its home of twenty years to Prada.
Seahorse tops them all. The stunning design by David Rockwell offers everyone open views of the sea of booths, banquettes and tables. Nautical blue trim sets the theme. Walls of rich teak refer to, but don’t copy, Lure and its yacht cabin vibes.
Villa is equally at home in corporate and individual-restaurant settings. He was recently culinary head of Tao Group, but I remember him as well for Pico — a great, modern-Portuguese restaurant that didn’t survive Tribeca’s street closings after 9/11.
McDonald recalled, “When I met with him, I said, ‘Don’t take the job unless you want to put your heart and soul into it.’ ”
Villa delivers both and more at Seahorse, where he’s backed by Mercer Street Hospitality’s considerable resources and first-rate ingredients — many from the Greenmarket.
I usually brace for disappointment when Dover sole is served tableside — many untrained employees struggle to debone the fish, and it’s somehow both cold and still filled with bones in the end.
Not at Seahorse, where the waiter did the job perfectly in seconds. It showed why the species is so prized — its buttery flavor and meaty texture stand alone. Classic meuniere sauce and brown butter made the dish complete. It’s a steal at $69 although the price will likely go up.
Villa and his team avoid the common curse of overcooked and/or inadequately prepped fish that yields dry results.
Roasted Maine cod ($42) is perfectly light and flavorful, its mildness brightened with green olive tapenade and a tomato reduction. Olive oil-poached swordfish ($44) was another delicate miracle in artichoke barigoule.
The few non-fish dishes rang the bell, too. A roasted half-duck ($42), finished in a brick oven, is served as a boneless breast and the leg on the bone, both in not-too-sweet orange sauce and duck jus. It was delicious enough to shame most French restaurants.
Even a large, single raviolo ($22) brought joy to the table. It’s filled with ricotta cheese, corn, and a raw, pasture-raised egg yolk that oozed like an orange mist.
Unpretentious and perfectly executed desserts, like gluten-free dark chocolate mousse, keep the streak going.
Seahorse arrived as part of a $100 million redesign of the W Hotel, where Todd English’s Olives closed ten years ago. The new restaurant was worth the long wait — and the long wait you might have reserving a table.
Welcome back, Union Square!
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