mandarin oriental hotel, 35th floor
Asiate
The first restaurant to open above Columbus Circle has already garnered its share of attention and praise, mostly for chef Nori Sugie’s neo-Asian cuisine. In his review for New York Magazine, critic Hal Rubenstein writes,"Sugie’s menu is so filled with eye-widening surprises, Asiate could seat folks on the Time Warner Center’s loading dock and Sugie would still rank as the most exciting new chef in town." Still, aside from the killer crab salad and the beautiful bento box, some of the most captivating things about Asiate are in the decor. Designer Tony Chi adds stunning elements to the space like glittering tree branch chandeliers and 16-ft., floor-to-ceiling glass walls of wines (pictured).

Photo courtesy of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.