Introduction to Teruko at Hotel Chelsea
It’s Tuesday night at the Hotel Chelsea. Lively coteries loiter on the rosy-hued sidewalk, colored by the white-and-crimson neon sign proudly displayed on the Victorian-era haunt. The late May evening is balmy enough to eat outside, but carries a chill that justifies the fire crackling beside gothic settees in the lobby. To enter the hotel’s newest dining concept, Teruko, which debuted Friday, May 23, I descend to the subterranean level.
Ambiance and Setting
The staircase is bathed in soft gold light reflecting off the doors of The Lobby Bar and surrealist art. Aromas of grilled peppers waft from the kitchen of the hotel’s streetside Spanish spot, El Quijote. With each step, the ambiance dims until I’m completely immersed in a dark basement corridor with arched brick ceilings. I follow the navy printed noren (flag-like curtains that mark doorways and storefronts in Japan) like breadcrumbs until I enter the cave-like space, which once housed the hotel’s former nightclub, Serena, from 1999 to 2005.
Layout and Design
Teruko, abuzz with the 9 p.m. dining crowd, unfolds in three sections that give way to one another through wide, U-shaped stone archways. The first, at the entrance, is anchored by a large bar—imported from Tokyo hotspot Orchid Bar and lined with like-sized glass bottles of Japanese whisky and sake—and a handful of surrounding tables, ideal for a drink or small bites. The second section features a sushi counter with booth seating along the walls and a handful of tables in the center. The third and final section, tucked in the back, houses six-person, circular booths and table seating.
The Art and Inspiration Behind Teruko
The textured, baroque-influenced interior creates a unique setting for Japanese fare and art. The floors are antique limestone, the walls are lined with salvaged wood and panels of indigo-dyed denim, and all the booths are upholstered in crushed blue velvet. Teruko’s most noteworthy design element, however, is the art adorning the space: eight originals by Teruko Yokoi, the late Japanese-Swiss artist who inspired Hotel Chelsea, Sunday Hospitality Group and partner Charles Seich to create their fourth collaborative dining concept in her honor.
The Artist: Teruko Yokoi
Yokoi, who passed away in 2020, painted some of her most important early works while living at the hotel from 1958 to 1961. Known for weaving modern American abstraction with Japanese visual culture, Yokoi has been featured in nearly 100 exhibitions, the most recent of which runs through June 14 at Hollis Taggart in New York.
The Menu at Teruko
The menu at Teruko, created by executive chef Tadashi Ono and head sushi chef Hideaki Watanabe, is a traditional mix of chilled and hot Japanese appetizers, such as tuna sashimi, wagyu tartare with spicy red miso and quail egg, edamame and fried chicken thigh with black vinegar sauce and yuzu mayo ($11 to $34), grilled seafood and meats ($32 to $165), rice and noodles ($15 to $42) and traditional edomae-style sushi (priced $18 to $58 for rolls and $8 to $28 per piece for sashimi and nigiri).
Standout Dishes
The kale Caesar is crisp, earthy and fresh. Baby kale leaves, versus full-grown roughage, offer a more tender bed for the blanched asparagus, green beans, tomatoes, avocado and delightfully chewy yet crunchy tofu croutons. The robata grilled Ozaki Wagyu, a flagship dish of Teruko, is a rare and unique offering, with seven slices of glistening, medium-rare meat served with fresh-ground wasabi, coarse salt, thin-sliced carrots and sprouts, and a side of chimichurri.
Desserts and Final Impressions
The hotel’s pastry chef, Paty Zamarripa, has designed an artful dessert menu mixing Japanese ingredients with some French flair, such as the Crêpes Suzette with citrus glaze and ginger ice cream. The Sekitei, named after the Japanese rock gardens created to inspire Zen Buddhist meditation, is one of the highlights of the entire meal. Constructed like a real rock garden and served on beautiful stoneware, the gray “stone” centerpiece is filled with umber-colored hojicha mousse that, when cracked open, oozes miso caramel sauce onto a dusting of crushed sesame almond crumble, mimicking the sand and gravel in the zen gardens.
Conclusion
While there may be better places for melt-in-your-mouth edomae sushi at comparable—or cheaper—prices, Teruko, like the rest of the Hotel Chelsea, isn’t an experience dictated by food alone. It’s a place you go to drink in gothic architecture, exceptional art and sip on the spiritual remnants of the creatives who once feasted on song and literature within its walls. Teruko feels enigmatic—a Japanese restaurant in an old nightclub in a 141-year-old co-op-turned luxury hotel that celebrates the success of an exceptional immigrant artist who leaves a legacy behind.
FAQs
Q: What is the inspiration behind Teruko?
A: Teruko is inspired by the late Japanese-Swiss artist Teruko Yokoi, who painted some of her most important early works while living at the hotel from 1958 to 1961.
Q: What is the menu like at Teruko?
A: The menu at Teruko is a traditional mix of chilled and hot Japanese appetizers, grilled seafood and meats, rice and noodles, and traditional edomae-style sushi.
Q: What are some standout dishes at Teruko?
A: Some standout dishes at Teruko include the kale Caesar, robata grilled Ozaki Wagyu, and the Sekitei dessert.
Q: Is Teruko worth visiting for the food alone?
A: While the food at Teruko is delicious, the experience is not just about the food. It’s about the unique atmosphere, exceptional art, and spiritual remnants of the creatives who once feasted on song and literature within the hotel’s walls.
Q: How much does it cost to dine at Teruko?
A: Prices at Teruko vary, with appetizers ranging from $11 to $34, grilled seafood and meats from $32 to $165, and sushi from $18 to $58 for rolls and $8 to $28 per piece for sashimi and nigiri.
