Uptown French Food, Downtown Decor: Maison Nur Opens In New York

Forbes

28-06-2025

The florid, exuberant design of Maison Nur. @2025 Liz Clayman
It's an edgy location: on the Bowery, surrounded by funky galleries, the speakeasies and cool kid cafés of the new version of the street and the holdover kitchen supply stores of the old days. But once you enter the week old Maison Nur, you're very much in its own unique world: an everything everywhere all at once design, florid and fanciful, infused with music, serving refined but boundary-pushing uptown French food tweaked with American touches. As indicated by the fact that he's put his name on it, it's the world of hospitality impresario Nur Khan, the culmination of what he's been aiming for in his 30 year career.
Nur Khan (right) and Richard Farnabe. @2025 Liz Clayman
Nur is well known for his in-demand, exclusive bars including two that he recently opened in this neighborhood: No. 79 Bar & Terrace and Bar Tetto Rooftop. Others in his CV that were incredibly hard to get into unless you were A list: Wax; Rose Bar in the Gramercy Hotel; Butterfly Soho; Sway; Hiro Ballroom; Kenmare; Electric Room at the Dream Downtown and TAO Downtown Lounge.
Tuna Tarte with wasabi cream, shiso and ponzu. Liz Clayman
To go to the next stage and open a restaurant, he approached a chef he'd long admired: Frenchman Richard Farnabe, a veteran of top kitchens in France followed by Jean-Georges, Mercer Kitchen, Daniel, Petrossian Restaurant and Picholine in New York. But as much as Farnabe was schooled in classic French technique, what Nur wanted was to let him loose to devise dishes that incorporated touches not seen anywhere else.
Parmesan Wrapped Spaghetti with Reggiano Sauce. Liz Clayman
Clearly, he's responded. Ingredients may be similar to ones other top restaurants are using such as sushi grade tuna, Colorado lamb, Baby Gem Lettuce, Dover Sole but the dishes that appear are a surprise—in a good way. It might sound odd to have spicy peanut butter included in a Baby Gem Salad but it blends in without calling attention to itself and gives the overall salad an extra hit of richness. The Tuna Tarte arrives as an impression of a pizza with a circle of top grade tuna sprinkled with wasabi cream, shiso and ponzu, incredibly tender Colorado Rack of Lamb is surrounded by crispy Maitake mushrooms and bone marrow bordelaise. But the dish that is truly unmissable is Parmesan Wrapped Spaghetti with Reggiano sauce that works as seduction by cheese, drawing you in gently without biting. Anyone who thinks they'll split it with a dining companion will selfishly take the offer back.
Colorado Rack of Lamb with crispy maitake mushrooms and bone marrow bordelaise. Liz Clayman
Desserts sound like they adhere more closely to French classics with choices such as chocolate bombe with hazelnut mousse. But there are also surprises here: cannelloni with white chocolate sake and a luscious Paris-Brest with little hats of praline popcorn, luscious on their own.
Botan ebi crudo (spot prawns) with ossetra caviar. Liz Clayman The Cocktail Menu
Cocktails are also topflight, as would be expected with Khan's background. As devised by British mixologist Charlotte Voisey named U.K. Bartender of the Year and now Executive Director of the Tails of the Cocktail Foundation, offerings include Last Days of Disco composed of pisco, lemongrass, fresh lemon and bubbles; Beautiful People composed of rosé wine, passionfruit, fresh lime, tamarind and bubbles and Smoke Show, which actually is one composed of tequila, mezcal, agave, lime, tamarind and smoke. The Decor
The bar at Maison Nur. @2025 Liz Clayman
A definite link to Khan's background is the décor which he designed along with Jason Volenec of Volenec Studios with whom he collaborated at Butterfly Soho. The large, hypnotic Damien Hirst kaleidoscope spirals on opposite walls of the dining room came straight from Khan's home; he also created the chandelier which looks like it was pieced together with shark's teeth. There are mohair banquettes, patina walls, flickering candelight, a marble bar bordered by electric green stripes and green bar stools with gold fringe. He also created the playlist that- rare for New York restaurants-provides an interesting background but still enables guests to be able to talk. A New Nightspot
This restaurant, though, is not the only room. Downstairs, Khan is putting together a cozy lounge with perfect acoustic speakers and a ceiling of dancing optics. It will be a place for music, for VIP hanging out after dinner or with a separate, hidden entrance, for slipping in as a late night gathering spot. It seems that given his background, just creating the restaurant wasn't enough; Khan had to give New York another nightspot as well. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes Gjelina And Opto Are Serving Some Of The Liveliest Food In New York By Laurie Werner Forbes Sublime Cocktails, Food And Design: The Bedford Stone Street In New York By Laurie Werner Forbes New York's Joomak And Hear & There: 2 New Asian Tasting Menu Displays By Laurie Werner Forbes Great Food In New York's Theater District: Danny Meyer's New The View By Laurie Werner