Asian cuisine is having its moment on the New York restaurant scene. However, not many (if any) of the hottest new Asian restaurants have Italian cousins. The Quality Branded group, which includes Don Angie and Bad Roman, has opened Twin Tails NYC. And like the restaurants in their group, it looks like they have another hit on their hands.

Atmosphere

Twin Tails is on the third floor of Columbus Circle, across the way from Bad Roman. Going through a shopping mall, in my opinion, isn’t an optimal opener. However, Columbus Circle has somehow defied odds and continued to serve up compelling dining options. Bad Roman, Twin Tails’ sister restaurant, is packed every night of the week, and is still a vibe. Twin Tails is in a space that was most recently, and forgettably, Bluebird London. But, before that, it was A Voce and originally Cafe Grey — two bigger shoes to fill.

Twin Tails may be in a shopping mall, but it has a view of Central Park and Columbus Circle that’s tough to beat. To capitalize on this, the restaurant is set far back from the entrance. On the way, you pass by their speakeasy, tucked into its own room with an intimate scene. As you round the bend you come into a massive space, which they kept open. There’s another bar and some seating in this area, but the money tables are at the windows.

Besides the view, Twin Tails rates high on design. They could have gone the way of Bad Roman and played off Italian kitsch. However, all throughout, the atmosphere is elegant and sedate and doesn’t necessarily play off traditional Asian design. Twin Tails has the dim lighting just right, with greenery throughout. The furniture is an elegant yellow, and the rich green booths and the unique rattan chairs around polished wood tables just seem to work.

Food + Beverage

I am usually not into Asian food unless it’s Japanese, or the cuisine at RIP Le Colonial. I’m also not the person who is going deep into Chinatown or Queens for Asian cuisine, and I am more of a Red Farm kind of girl. I say this freely, as I am of Asian descent. With that established, I really liked Twin Tails, and for when the craving hits, this would be my go-to spot for Southeast Asian food. Twin Tails impressed me with how well-executed, clean and healthy their food was. For me, the highlight of the entire experience at Twin Tails was the food. With Southeast Asian food, there can be too many unknown spices and a heavy hand with the oil. I often leave bloated, because of the salt and over-preparation. However, that’s not the case here. The food is clean, and the key ingredients shine through strong in the flavors.

The Starters

I think each meal should start with one of the crudos, which have unique flavor combinations. But what they say is in the crudo, is exactly what’s in there. The salmon crudo was served with a perfect thin slice of green apple, coconut and cashew. We moved onto two rolls, both of which were the standout for me. I knew I would like the lobster summer roll. It wasn’t just slapped together, though, like a regular summer roll. Instead, it was prepared with generous lobster, edible flowers, fresh lettuce, just the right sliver of avocado, and a crunchy savory cylinder that made it unique.

Onto the Mains

The mushroom rice rolls were served warm, and in a rich mushroom broth. This was my favorite dish, in a menu where I liked everything we ate. For the main, we split the grilled Dorade, which came out whole, but filleted with a whole slew of herbs on the side. It paired perfectly with the pea shoots that had zero oil (but so much flavor), and my second-favorite dish, the crab fried rice. The rice comes out in a cute silver crab pedestal dish, and is full of snow crab. Once again, there was barely any oil, and the flavors shined with a subtle ginger. We were full from dinner, but did not feel over-stuffed. I felt like I ate clean and healthy after the meal.

Top Cocktails

The other part that’s notable about Twin Tails is their beverage program. They are mixing up top cocktails not just among Asian restaurants, but any spot I’ve been to lately. I normally can’t do more than one specialty cocktail as they get too sweet for me. However, I had two of the lychee martinis, which had a clean, subtle lychee flavor, without the heavy lychee juice with a hit of brine-y olive. I’m normally a purist in my cocktail choices, but I really liked their unique take. Like the food, the cocktail just felt clean — or as clean as it can be, drinking vodka.

Service

For a place that just opened less than a week ago, it’s as if Twin Tails has always been around. The servers knew the menu in detail, and could effortlessly describe the cocktails. Our drinks and food came out perfectly-timed, and the team was coordinated throughout. The service was formal, but never stuffy. It was enough to make me forget we were in a shopping mall.

Overall: 7.9/10

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FAQs

Q: Where is Twin Tails NYC located?

A: Twin Tails NYC is located at 10 Columbus Circle, New York, New York 10019 on the third floor.

Q: What are the hours of operation of Twin Tails NYC?

A: The hours of operation of Twin Tails NYC are as follows:

Sunday-Thursday
5:00-10:30pm

Friday-Saturday
5:00-11:00pm

Q: What type of food does Twin Tails NYC  serve?

A: Twin Tails NYC serves Southeast Asian cuisine.