Mi Gente! Recently, my partner and I had an unforgettable date night at Tán, a seafood-focused restaurant in NYC, that boasts vibrant energies inspired by Tulum and the Yucatán Peninsula. The restaurant is led by the talented chefs, Richard Sandoval and Jonatán Gómez Luna Torres, who are known for their rebellious and bold flavors that reflect their travels and heritage.
As we arrived at the restaurant, we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff and guided upstairs to the main dining area, where the ambiance made us feel like we were in Tulum. Our waiter came by, introduced himself, and removed the napkin rings to place our napkins on our laps, which was a lovely touch.
Since Tán did not have a liquor license yet, we opted for sparkling water and the delightful strawberry basil cooler, which was a perfect balance of sweet and refreshing.
For appetizers, we enjoyed the mouth-watering ceviche Amarillo, made with tuna, ají amarillo, leche de tigre, red onion, and mango. It was incredibly refreshing, and the bone marrow dish (black garlic, octopus, salsa verde, homemade corn tortillas) was a must-try, adorned with grilled octopus and served with a side of green tomatillo sauce, avocado, and warm corn tortillas for assembling tacos.
For our main course, my partner had the recommended salmon dish, which was cooked to perfection, accompanied by morita chili glaze, corn esquites, and roasted heirloom carrot. Meanwhile, I went for the smoked pork belly, which was my personal favorite, served with morita chili glaze, vanilla sweet potato purée, pickled carrot, green apple, and sorrel.
Finally, we couldn't decide on dessert, so we opted for both the Oaxacan chocolate cake and the yellow corn cake dessert. The desserts were outstanding, with the vanilla ice cream and salted butter toffee sauce adding a delicious finishing touch to the chocolate cake, and the caramelized popcorn and dulce de leche ice cream perfectly complementing the yellow corn cake.
At Tan, guests can expect a price range of $60-80 per person, depending on the delectable dishes chosen. Overall, Tán is a trendy and unforgettable restaurant with excellent service, delicious food, and an ambiance that makes you feel like you're in Tulum. It's worth a visit, and I highly recommend trying the smoked pork belly and both desserts.
Tán by chef Richard sandoval is located at:
209 EAST 49TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10017