TLDR
High-concept, two-floor tasting menu mixing French technique with Korean roots. Often polarized by inconsistent execution and reported service woes.
Molly Fitzpatrick reviews Oyatte, a Murray Hill tasting menu spot from a Culinary Class Wars star, finding that despite some standout bites, the experience ultimately struggles to justify its high price and hype.
Details
Led by a chef gaining fame from Netflix's Culinary Class Wars, this two-floor tasting menu spot in Murray Hill attempts to marry French technique with refined Korean influences [2]. While the menu occasionally shines with inventive bites like radish tarte tatin, the overall experience has been marred by inconsistent culinary execution and logistical frustrations [2]. Furthermore, reports of a tense kitchen environment and disorganized service have led many to question whether the high price point is justified [2], [10].
Food Overview
The restaurant serves a high-end, seasonal eight-course tasting menu centered on refined preparations of seafood, meats, and vegetables [4], [18]. While dishes like the radish tarte tatin and supplemental eel mousse with cucumber and caviar have received significant praise [2], other courses have been criticized for lacking flavor, poor execution, or suffering from heavy-handed use of truffles [2], [18], [20].
Customer feedback is highly polarized, with many guests praising specific creative dishes while others express deep disappointment regarding the high price and stressful, disjointed service environment [2], [10]. Several diners have reported significant logistical issues, including being asked to change floors during their meal [10], [26].
Caveats
Potential diners should be aware of a reportedly toxic kitchen environment characterized by audible yelling, as well as recurring logistical complaints such as table relocations during dinner [2], [10], [26].
Reddit Opinions & Reviews
Top Reddit Posts About OYATTE
Recent Reddit Mentions
From post: Any Musteat Restaurants In This General Vicinity
"Listed as a fancier option."
NeutralFrom post: Michelin Guide Announces New Additions For New
"Extremely disappointing meal with logistical issues like having to move floors midway through."
NegativeFrom post: Oyatte Review Chef Hasung Lee From Culinary Class
"This user visited Oyatte and found the experience to be not great, feeling that much of the $350 price was for the Netflix aspect rather than the meal itself. While there were some highlights, most dishes were just okay and some were poorly executed, likening the experience to being a Kickstarter backer for a flawed product."
NegativeFrom post: Oyatte Review Chef Hasung Lee From Culinary Class
"This user briefly commented that 'Culinary class wars' (referring to the show that Chef Hasung Lee participated in, and likely Oyatte's concept) was 'so good'."
PositiveFrom post: Oyatte Review Chef Hasung Lee From Culinary Class
"This user noted that Oyatte featured a fancy version of a Greek dessert, portokalopita, and complimented the original poster's write-up."
Positive