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Dinner at 53 in Midtown
April 25, 2025, 3:45.19 pm ET

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Photos: Cititour.com

Step into 53 and you know you’ve arrived somewhere special. This sleek, three-level space in Midtown layers its luxury: a dramatic arched dining room at street level, a glowing subterranean lounge with a communal table and elegant bar below, and a speakeasy-style "Basement" where live jazz fills the air.

With creative direction from celebrated chef Akmal Anuar and Executive Chef Mark Yu (Pastis, Catch New York) at the helm, 53 is a masterclass in modern Asian fine dining. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean influences collide — and the results are nothing short of thrilling.

This is a restaurant built for grand gestures. Start with Oysters and Uni on the half shell, brightened with yuzu ponzu gelée and crowned with trout roe. The Eel Club — a decadent riff on a club sandwich layered with eel, foie gras, and strawberry — is wildly indulgent in the best way. And if you're a shumai fan, 53’s lobster version topped with Kaluga caviar may ruin you for all others.

Larger plates keep the momentum going. Cereal Shrimp arrives hidden under a mountain of crispy nestum, laced with curry leaves and red chilies. But the true showstopper is the Duck Clay Pot: tender duck and special Japanese rice tossed tableside, studded with Thai basil and cilantro, with those addictive crispy rice bits every good clay pot dreams of.

For dessert, the Mango Pudding with ice cream is the perfect palate cleanser — light, refreshing, and just sweet enough.

Don’t sleep on the cocktails either. Head bartender Aaron Kim crafts drinks as polished as the food, from the Fade Into Jade (a bright, coconut-lime highball) to a beautifully balanced Lychee Martini. There's even one that arrives with a burning ember.

With warm, polished service and dishes that feel like a celebration, 53 is the kind of place that turns a night out into an event. Whether you’re a city regular or visiting Midtown for the first time, it deserves a spot at the top of your list.

See video if the visit via Instagram here:



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