Cavalier opens in Chinatown [1 East Broadway, New York, NY 10038] with a rustic Mediterranean menu from Executive Chef and partner Mason Lindahl. With a career spanning kitchens such as Diner and Monkey Bar, Chef Lindahl launches Cavalier alongside partners Yasmin Kaytmaz (who also owns The River and Derby Cup Coffee) and Tate Jackson. Designed by multidisciplinary designer Jack McCready (Still Here West Village, Derby Cup Coffee) the restaurant’s understated glamour takes cues from the Art Deco movement and features an array of original works from celebrated contemporary artists.
TEAM
Partner and Owner Yasmin Kaytmaz spent her childhood growing up in a restaurant family before spending several years at Lucien and then opening The River and Derby Cup Coffee. At Cavalier, she draws on her hospitality experience, intrinsic artistic sensibility, and Turkish heritage to curate every aspect of the restaurant, from the team to the design and art-filled interiors. The name Cavalier is a nod to the restaurant her father owned on the Upper West Side.
Executive Chef and partner Mason Lindahl brings more than two decades of experience at some of the country’s most respected restaurants, including The Beach Plum Inn; Diner, where he served as Executive Chef while working alongside Andrew Tarlow and Monkey Bar. Most recently, Lindahl was the founding Executive Chef of Léon 1909 on Shelter Island. Kaytmaz and Lindahl open Cavalier with Partner Tate Jackson, a born-and-raised New Yorker who brings his operations background and longstanding interest in hospitality to the restaurant.
MENU
Chef Lindahl’s menu celebrates the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean with subtle nods to Kaytmaz’s Turkish heritage. Dishes to start include Baked Lavash Bread with tomato butter and eggplant; Liver Mousse Terrine with cardamom plum gelée and urfa chili; and a selection of vegetables and salads, including Romano Bean & Chicory Salad with feta and preserved lemon. Larger dishes include Cockles and Sujuk with borlotti beans, lovage, rouille, and sourdough; Quail and Lemon Risotto with chicories, oregano, and pecorino; Red Snapper with pepperonata, smashed potato and cinnamon; Roasted Sumac Chicken served with chickpeas, leeks and dates, finished with cilantro and lemon; and Stewed Lamb & Beef Meatballs with tomato, bulgur, poblano, and cacik. Dessert includes Saffron Poached Pears served with custard, a sour cherry Pavlova paired with Morgenstern’s pistachio ice cream and candied fennel, and a chocolate Gateau Breton.
BEVERAGE PROGRAM
Led by Lauren McPhate of Tribeca Wine Merchants, Cavalier’s wine program is built around high-quality wines and strong value, with a selection of bottles priced under $100 and a by-the-glass list designed for new discovery with every visit. Cavalier’s wine-driven cocktail program builds drinks around fortified wines, vermouths, and aperitifs, and includes the Partridge & Pear with sherry, pear puree, and Mattei Cap Corse Rouge; the Cavalier Cure made with Veso Vermouth, Chochi white vermouth, apricot puree and cardamom; A Good Sport featuring Bonal Gentiane-Quina and Cocchi Americano, topped with orange bitters and tonic; and the Red Flag, made with Veso tomato vermouth, shochu, and sweet red vermouth.
DESIGN
Designed by Jack McCready, the 48-seat restaurant channels an artful, understated glamour through an Art Deco lens. Black leather booths, stainless steel accents, and Venetian plaster walls sit beneath a silver-leaf ceiling by Callidus Guild, while a green leather bar with red acrylic countertops and star embellishments acts as the focal point of the room. The space is punctuated by dynamic, contemporary works curated by fine art dealer Alex Adler, including a vibrant hand-painted mural by Georgia Gardener Gray and pieces by Michelle Oka Doner, Nina Molloy, Serena Nickson, Anna Park and Valentina Vaccarella, among others.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Cavalier is open Thursday-Saturday from 5pm-2am, and Sunday-Wednesday from 5pm-12am, with reservations available through Resy. You can follow them on Instagram @cavalier.nyc.
