I’ve been hearing good things about Telepan since I first moved to the city, yet somehow it took me this long to finally get up and go check it out for myself. Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, not far from the bustling Lincoln Center, Telepan’s New American cuisine is every bit worth the price. Multiple dining rooms make for a spacious and minimalistic approach to dining without it feeling starchy. Gorgeous close-up photographs of ripe fruits and veggies adorn the brick walls, making your mouth water before you even sit down.
Come this December, Telepan will be celebrating a momentous occasion — it’s tenth anniversary! As an early celebration, the restaurant will be offering their signature tasting menu for the same price it cost when Telepan first opened in 2005 through September 20th. Snag three courses for $45 or four courses for $55. If you’ve dined here before, you’ll know what a bargain that is.
Sometimes when you dine at an upscale restaurant you can feel a little out of place or feel intimidated by the waitstaff. On the contrary, Telepan’s staff was friendly, courteous and very helpful in our quest to try the best of the best on the menu. Their signature cocktails are the perfect balance of sweet and bitter, showcasing that they know their craft. But don’t shy away from their wine list, which won the Wine Spectator award in 2015. No matter what dishes you decide to go with, the staff can offer suggestions on what wine to pair with what dish, bringing out the best flavors in both.
The menu is comprised of an array of appetizers, pastas, meats and fish dishes, making it hard to choose what direction to go in. Luckily, our waiter was more than happy to offer suggestions and I have to say I was raving about their entrees for days to come. Their Lobster Bolognese made for a great twist on a classic pasta dish, topped with ample lobster meat and combining unique flavors in the sauce. I fell completely in love with the Monkfish, which was served in a lobster mariniere along with local wax beans and butter potatoes. It was hard to put down.
I will personally come and hunt you down if you skip out on dessert here. That’s how good it is. The Telepan S’mores are every bit as delicious as they sound — comprised of graham cracker ice cream, marshmallow and dark chocolate brownie. The Coconut Cake served with vanilla ice cream is simple, but done to perfection. The super moist cake with the added texture of toasted coconut on the outside made for a lethal combo.
If you can’t tell by now, we are totally fangirling over Telepan and can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
Twisted Talk: Have you dined at Telepan before? What are your favorite dishes? Discuss below!
