THE HUNT & FISH CLUB in Midtown Manhattan is not what you may picture – as instead of trophy heads mounted onto the walls it can be best described as “elegance at its finest.”
Welcomed by a chrome chandelier the size of a small yacht and mirrored surface along with marble, you stand in silence to take in what easily become the most breathtaking restaurant in the US that you have ever visited; and you haven’t even taken a moment to enjoy the food yet!
The evening started with a warm welcome outside the restaurant with Giampaolo 
Ienna, VIP Director. He had just arrived on his day off after riding his motorcycle.
As expected, he was welcoming as always cracking jokes and just being a burst of energy. The rest of our party had already arrived and were waiting at the entrance bar with the host.
We all walked in and were quickly seated at the owners table – located on the side corner, perfectly placed to provide privacy yet allow for you to take in the beauty and ambiance of the entire venue. It was a typical evening, with crowds of sophisticated elites coming in and out, but enough to want to have you share on the gram; which is great since H&F is a ‘Social Media Friendly Establishment.’
The time had come to begin to review the menu – of course Giampaolo took the reins. He asked about our dietary restrictions and went to work on his magic as we began to chat about the secret, not so secret, “CHEF’S TABLE.”
The Chef’s Table is a secret menu that is meant to be an experience unlike to be an experience unlike any other. Shy of allergies and disliked, the custom off the menu-menu is set up in 10 minutes. Traditional, this service is available per reservation, but walk-ins are welcomed. When the chef’s table is requested, guests are greeted with champagne and are asked if the meal should be paired with wine. Giampaolo is then informed and the start if a ‘one-of-a-kind’ experience begins – but NO ONE is told what will be served shy of Giampaolo and the chef. Luckily, as they joke, “nothing has ever been sent back.” Easy to believe that based on the guest reactions and seeing the large list of A-listers on their repeat guest list.
Suddenly, our discussion is placed to a halt as we begin to get our coursed. First, we get freshly baked bread with butter that has been whipped to heaven, their classic HFC NY Chopped salad (their most popular) offering Chickpea, Tomatoes, Soppressata, Provolone, Cucumber and quite a large portion for one. Along-side was a Seafood Salad, and the crowned appetizer – Grilled Bacon Slab thickly cut bathed in Cheddar Beer Sauce. Each bite was not as good as the best night with a lover – IT WAS BETTER! Good company and a good start to an amazing dinner. Up next we had more courses shared – Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Truffle Tator Tots, Roasted Mushrooms, Parmesan Fries… and then came the main dishes (which by now you can figure we could die happily). Salmon with Crispy Skin, Bone in Ribeye, and the kind of all – Peppered Porkchop; which is described by Giampaolo as, “The best damn porkchop you will ever have” … and he was right – (“F*CK! This was Amazing!”).
After we caught our breather from our non-stop chomping through our courses we gave our orders in for expresso. Wow, the entire meal was one of fairy tales; great food, great company, amazing location. Suddenly our caffeine came, followed by a large display of dessert – which though we were “full” we ate it until the very last bite.
As you can imaging, after a few hours of dining, we had fallen in love with New York all over again. It is not every day that we go to a restaurant and find nothing wrong other than the fact that it is truly perfect. The restaurant is truly a must visit, whether you are traveling through, a local, or just looking to escape to food heaven! But if you want to truly make your experience even more memorable, take a moment to meet Giampaolo and just trust him.
NYC, the home of HUNT & FISH CLUB, and the heart of Giampaolo.
VISIT HUNT & FISH CLUB NY
125 West 44th ST
New York, NY
@huntandfishnyc
@giampaoloienna
NOTE: Giampaolo Ienna is more than just the VIP DIRECTOR at NY’s finest eatery – he is the friend you always needed; well versed in cuisine, nightlife, real estate and just knows what it truly means to be an entrepreneur, loving life to the fullest!
