Silk Rd Tavern Opens Tonight - Bringing Re-imagined Comfort Foods To Flatiron

What do you get when you cross the exotic
ingredients of Asia's bustling markets with the heartwarming richness of American comfort
food? Or use bounty of America's farms to re-create and modernize Asian classics? Wrap it
in a setting that is part elegant Asian dining parlor and part contemporary tavern, and you
arrive at restaurateur Andy Lee's unique Manhattan dining experience - Silk Rd Tavern, a
neighborhood go-to, fueled by an innovative culinary experiment and a passion for
delicious food.

Silk Rd Tavern offers a distinctive and ambitious selection of shareable dishes that re-
imagines both Asian and American comfort foods using cross-cultural flavors &
techniques. Dishes like the spicy Singapore Chili Crab Potpie and Mac & Cheese with
Korean Rice Cakes, gives diners a satisfying and inventive take on some of the two
continents favorite dishes. Silk Rd Tavern's goal is to create a new and refreshingly
comforting dining experience that offers something for everyone with the right touch of
flair, innovation and heartiness to suit the most insatiable foodie.

The man behind the menu is Executive Chef Leo Forneas, previously of Robert, Jean
Georges' 66 Restaurant and Buddakan. Chef Forneas was born in the Philippines, where
his grandparents took him fishing daily and where he experienced his first culinary lessons
at the family butcher shop. While his formal training ranges from Asian to Swedish cuisine
and classical French cooking techniques, his roots have always drawn him back to the
tastes and flavors of Southeast Asia. At Silk Rd Tavern he brings his extensive global
experiences to create shareable dishes that showcase playful and unique Asian &
American flavors, while paying homage to tradition with unexpected fresh and sustainable
ingredients.
Standout shared dishes include:
 Pekin Style Chicken Wings with Toban Jan and Pickled Cucumber - $8
 Everything Duck Eggroll and Apricot Mustard- $10
 No Wok Calamari with Chinese bacon, Thai Chilies and Celery - $13
 Hainese Chicken with Chicken Fat grits and Sambal Cucumbers - $19
 Veal Breast Man Tao with Mint, Thai Basil and Pickled Shallots - $12
 Charmoula Spiced Paiche with Crisp Garlic and Eggplant Fries - $23

The outstanding cocktail menu designed by and overseen by Silk Rd Taverns GM -the
reputable Juan Carlos Ortiz - also offers guests a fun integration of both Asian and
American ingredients and classic libations. These cocktails are meant to pair with and
enhance the food as well as stand-alone on their own. Drink standouts are as follows:
 Silk Root Lemonade: Root Liqueur, fresh squeezed lemonade and brown sugar - $13
 Spicy Thai Margarita: Reposado Tequila, tamarind, dried Thai chili, agave nectar and
fresh lime juice - $13
 Apple Bourbon Smash: Knobb Creek Bourbon, honey and muddled apple - $13
 The Patricia: Reyka Vodka, fresh grapefruit juice, elderflower and topped with cava
orange pee l- $14

The casual chic ambience at Silk Rd Tavern is as important to the team as is the food and
drink. The space, with both contemporary and traditional elements, includes bright oil
paintings evoking the elegant movement of silk framed along light brick walls and
bleached walnut wood accents. More modern touches, like the two hand-blown glass,
"caviar" chandeliers and wrought-iron sconces create a delicate glow that envelops the
space. Among the banquets along the walls, an array of communal tables allows guests to
mingle over dinner. There is also an intimate eight-person circular booth for future chef-
tastings and a wood-burning oven at the ba