CLEO NYC

On the corner of Park Avenue and 30th Street, Cleo New York brings a rich Mediterranean dining experience with a bit of European, North African and Middle Eastern culture to Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood. Chef Danny Elmaleh draws from diverse cultures to create richly textured plates, which provides a warm, social dining experience in Cleo Mediterraneo. Including everything from Classic to modern cocktails along with local craft beers, bottle service, and an international selection of wine and champagne.

In 2006, Elmaleh opened his own restaurant, Celadon, where he met Katsuya Uechi. Their relationship led him to his current role heading Cleo New York and sister restaurants in Los angles. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Cleo invites both business outings and inclusive, shared-plate gatherings in the front dining room brimming with eye-catching artwork. The restaurant also boasts a semi-private area featuring quirky, hand-painted tiles by acclaimed artist Sergio Mora and expansive tables for large groups.

Chef Danny’s interest in cross-cultural cuisine was first inspired by his experience growing up with a Moroccan father and Japanese mother. He trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York and began his career at Jean Moulin in Japan. He went on to work in the kitchens of Ristorante Giannino in Milan and Melisse and Lemon Moon in Los Angeles. In 2006, Elmaleh opened his own restaurant, Celadon, and was dubbed a Rising Star Chef by StarChefs.com the following year. At Celadon, he met Katsuya Uechi and their relationship led him to his current role at sbe.

Now, Im not a big Benedict Arnold fan. If the yolk is runny, then Im looking at the food funny but I didn't create this series just to eat the same food I eat all the time. When you're eating out, that's your opportunity to try new things . A lot of times we don't try out different meals because we don't want to risk our hard earned dollars on a meal we may not even like but if you think about it, every meal you ever had before you had to try it at least once to know that you like or hated it. Live a little. Life is an adventure. Try new things. Experience new frontiers. Thats what I at least told myself as I looked down at the menu. I never know what to order when I go out to eat because Im such a picky selective eater so I decided to go with the one thing I recognized. I noticed they had a smoked salmon Benedict and figured that would be harmless. I recently had salmon and Benedict eggs at another restaurant for brunch (I'll show you in next week's episode) and thought it would be cool to compare the difference.  

 The menu only mentioned the hash brown, Spinach, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce so I was surprised by the english muffins placed underneath but it was truly the cherry topping on top. The blend of different flavors filled my taste buds, the texture of the poached eggs was so mesmerizing I completely forgot I hated every Benedict Arnold I ever had before this moment.  I expected more salmon but once I bit into it and the hash brown, I realized I had a perfect portion. I visited several places filming this series so far but I enjoyed this meal so much, I decided this would have to the first episode. Def a must if you're looking to have brunch! You can find out more about Cleo here https://www.sbe.com/restaurants/locations/cleo-new-york/