If you subscribe to the maximalist ethic that more is more, then have we got a destination for you. Its name is NOFLEX (it also answers to “NoFlex NYC”) and it bills itself as “the first media art lounge.”
From the moment you enter, you are immersed in floor-to-ceiling Korean pop art and sound from a state-of-the-art speaker system. The wall above the bar is dominated by a 72-foot LED screen that displays digital art, live events, private messages, and more. (A second bar, on the mezzanine level, is ideal for people-watching and private events.)
The cocktail program seamlessly blends Seoul’s hipster vibe with New York City’s iconic flair. Highlights include the Korean Yuzu Sour, a perfectly balanced blend of traditional Korean soju and yuzu, garnished with a dried orange slice.
The food menu, curated by Executive Chef Victor Hahn (formerly of HYUN, Soogil) is pan-Asian with an emphasis on shareable Korean dishes injected with Japanese and Western flavors. Soy-braised pork belly is joined by pickled daikon and scallion, accented by a dollop of mayo enlivened by spicy cured pollack roe. Cubes of American wagyu short rib are paired improbably with a decadent potato whipped cream.
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286 5th Avenue (bet. 30th and 31st Sts.), New York, 212 381-1280.
