Nudibranch

Walk into Nudibranch and you might feel like you’ve stepped onto the set of a design magazine shoot. The dark wood-filled dining room in the East Village sets a moody, stylish backdrop for what turns out to be one of the more adventurous dining experiences in the neighborhood. This is a place where the kitchen draws inspiration from cuisines spanning South America, Mexico, and various Asian countries—and somehow makes it all work.

The star of the show is undoubtedly the mushroom dish. Maitake, king oyster, and other varieties get the full treatment—confit, pureed, sauteed, and fried in tapioca starch—with a raw egg yolk perched on top waiting to be stirred in. It’s a masterclass in umami, the kind of dish that makes abstract flavor concepts suddenly click. The frog legs deserve special attention too: fried in a ginger-lemongrass batter so addictive you’ll find yourself scraping every last crispy bit from the plate. And the scallop starter, with its layers of raw scallop and cucumber on nori with trout roe, proves the kitchen can do refined just as well as bold.

For $85, you choose one dish from each of three menu sections, though everything is also available a la carte. This format makes it perfect for groups of four who want to sample the entire menu in one sitting. The dishes rotate seasonally, keeping regulars coming back to see what the kitchen dreams up next.

Nudibranch is made for the curious eater—the friend who orders things they’ve never heard of, the date who appreciates culinary risks that pay off. Not every swing connects, but when they do, you’re eating something genuinely exciting. Bring an open mind and an empty stomach.