ASKA had been sitting on my New York restaurant list for a while, and I finally made it here. First impression: the whole place is very well put together. The dark, understated Nordic interior, the lighting, the table setting and even the way every plate lands on the table all feel extremely considered. It’s intimate without trying too hard to be romantic, which makes it a really nice choice for a date night — or a girls’ dinner when you want to try something a little different. The service was also very polished. Attentive, professional, but never hovering around the table every thirty seconds. Exactly the kind of service I want from this level of fine dining. Food-wise, the first half of the tasting menu was actually the most interesting part for me. A lot of the smaller courses played with Nordic ingredients, preservation, acidity, herbs and different textures. Some of them looked almost ridiculously minimal when they arrived, but once you actually tasted them, there was much more going on than you expected. The presentation was beautiful without feeling like the food existed purely for Instagram. And yes — several of those early courses were genuinely delicious. Ironically, when we finally reached the more substantial mains, the quail and venison felt slightly less exciting by comparison. Nothing was badly cooked. Technically they were very good, and the flavors were balanced. But after all those clever little courses before them, I was expecting the mains to push things even further. Instead, they felt a little more conventional — almost too safe. So for me, ASKA is one of those restaurants where the supporting acts occasionally steal the show from the headliner. Dessert brought the experience back nicely, and overall the pacing, plating, atmosphere, lighting and service were all very much on point. Would I recommend it? Yes, with one caveat: it is expensive. The current tasting menu is $375 per person before drinks, tax and gratuity, so once you add wine, the bill climbs very quickly. This definitely isn’t somewhere I’d casually come every month. But for a special date, an anniversary, or a girls’ night when everyone wants to splurge on something genuinely different, I think it’s worth trying at least once. Beautiful room, thoughtful food, excellent service — and surprisingly, I’m still thinking more about those tiny opening courses than the venison. 📍 ASKA, Williamsburg, Brooklyn 💰 Tasting Menu: $375 per person 🥂 Wine pairing available from $250 ✨ Best for: date night / anniversary / foodie girls’ night / special occasions#OOTD #fashion #model #travel #newyorkfood - @guciny523