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It's once again possible to indulge in an elegant meal in the shadow of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn train stop. The intimate kitchen space at 200 Schermerhorn Street is once again thriving, thanks to a remodel and new concept by Maison Sun.
Following the Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare‘s 2016 move from Brooklyn to Manhattan, the former three-Michelin star space had been underutilized—until this winter.
Maison Sun started as a secret-ish dinner party amidst the 2020 pandemic. Dr. Carlos Gasperi, who holds a Ph.D. in German Literature invited guests to his luxe Tribeca living room for curated, fine dining experiences cooked by top-notch chefs out of work at the time, thanks to Covid. Gasperi became a self-taught sommelier and eventually the dinner party evolved to a speakeasy-esque setup in Soho, before Gasperi landed on a lauded spot for a brick-and-mortar version of his pandemic project.
Now, Maison Sun offers a 10-course French tasting menu in a gleaming stainless steel chef’s kitchen, where every dish is prepared in full view, steps away from the diners. The chef’s counter accommodates 12 guests at a time, with multiple seatings throughout the night.
Currently, Executive Chef Aaron Whittle, an alum of Eleven Madison Park, Le Coucou, and Nōksu, leads the kitchen with a menu that features untraditional gastronomic pairings, like sea urchin topped with a with crisp brûléed plantain veil and Royal Ossetra caviar and lightly smoked Otoro Bluefin tuna with pine nut pudding and red pepper tears. The menu costs $225 per guest, with optional wine pairings starting at $175.
The small, unique restaurant harkens back to the intimacy and solitude of social distancing but celebrates all that New York has to offer. Throughout the iterations of Maison Sun, Gasperi has been inspired by E.B. White's “Here is New York.”
"Maison Sun's philosophy reflects the city's mixture of loneliness and privacy, fulfillment, and sanctuary," Gasperi says. "This ethos is ultimately encapsulated in the intimate ambiance and refined atmosphere it provides."
Whether you're going to celebrate a special occasion, accomplishment, date night or solocationing, Maison Sun offers a meal like no other.