MANDARIN ORIENTAL LOBBY LOUNGE – NYC
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 80 Columbus Circle Manhattan, NY 10023
Rating: 6.5
Columbus Circle
Towering high above Columbus Circle in the Mandarin Oriental is the Lobby Lounge which has some of the best views of Central Park in the city. As an Asian-themed hotel group, naturally they feature Asian inspired fare in their bar and restaurant menus. The Mandarin of course is a wonderful place to bring out of town visitors for a drink but it is not overwhelmed by tourists making it attractive to native New Yorkers as well.
One day in March after a good workout up town with a friend, we decided to share a couple of dishes and take in the view.
First we had the Mandarin chicken salad – grilled chicken, napa cabbage, mandarin oranges and cashews. This refreshing salad was fresh and crisp although I thought it could have used a little more dressing.
Chicken Salad
Next we had the kobe beef sliders with cheddar, tomato, lettuce and served with a side of parmesan fries. The meat was tasty but the sliders were just a touch overcooked. The fries were hot and crisp with some tasty sauces to dip in.
Sliders
We also had the banh mi sandwich. I would consider this sandwich sort of a South East Asian play on a meatloaf sandwich – a combination of country pâté and char su pork with pickled daikon on french bread. The sandwich was flavorful, but again it was a little dry with the meat, vegetables, bread and very little sauce.
Banh Mi
We were fortuante enough to be friendly with the manager of the hotel, so he kindly sent us a beautiful duo of desserts to top off the meal. A lovely treat after a tiring morning.
Dessert
I would recommend the Lobby Lounge for a drink or quick snack to anyone with a guest from out of town or any New Yorker looking to enjoy the views of Central Park.
Central Park
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