Agern, Chef Joseph Yardley's Modern Scandinavian in Grand Central Terminal - Opened by a Founder of Noma with Guidance from the Chef of Dill

[DonRocks]

"All Aboard the Nordic Express, at Agern" by Pete Wells on nytimes.com

Note:

Agern (pronounced "AY-gurn' - and meaning "Acorn" in Danish) is operated by Meyers USA.

Nominally, and I stress nominally, the "Executive Chef" is Gunnar Gíslason, the chef at Dill in Reykjavík. The Chef de Cuisine - the person running the kitchen - is Joseph Yardley, who comes from Acme in New York.

The primary investor is the Dane, Claus Meyer, one of the founders of Noma in Copenhagen.

Agern has plans to begin serving breakfast, then lunch; right now it's dinner-only, so assuming a future absence from Mr. Meyer and Chef Gíslason (probably a safe assumption), you should go *now* while they're trying their hardest to break into the New York market.

Despite the hype, I see no reason to believe Agern will be anything more than an attempt to capitalize on the New York populace with the romance and mystique of Modern Scandanavian cooking - it would be one thing if Meyer and Gíslason moved to New York and set up permanent shop, but I don't see that implied at all - from my experience, what you can expect is greatness in the beginning - while they're trying to prove themselves - and then that greatness fading away over time. So go *now*.

[RWBooneJr]

Meyer and Gislason both moved to New York.

[manolands]

I am supposed to go tonight depending on my plans with my friend!!! I am very skeptical of New Nordic food in NYC generally (PARTICULARLY IN BROOKLYN!!!). We have had a few attempts that have fallen quite flat but somehow manage to continue because New Nordic appeals to many. Having been to Faviken for instances I have seen that New Nordic is greatly reliant on the amazing ingredients of that region which we don't really get here quite as much among other factors which should cause skepticism of that cuisine being done in NYC. Anyway will see tonight but do expect this one to decline overtime even if they have moved to New York. 

[manolands]

SOOOOOO I went to Agern last night. Better then I expected and I was amazed at the food hall situation they are setting up. Usually I find New Nordic food falls flat in America playing to a taste that is trendy and unable to transcend the inability for us to get the ingredients that make New Nordic food what is over zee ocean. New Nordic food is less a cuisine in my opinion then a phillosophy that requires certain ingredients to be true. Yes we get Cod but we don't get the Faroese cod that Noma (I think they get it from there not 100%) does that is super special or the special berry juice that I had at Faviken with berries grown several miles away. Yet this restaurant does a better job of it then many other of it counter parts. Is it as good as like a Noma....no but for now while the chefs are there I think it'll remain better then you'll think. We didn't do the tasting menu opting instead to do the snacks which were nice (forget all the different ingredients) while I had beef heart and my Dad had the Mackerel with like Dashi and cucumber etc. Both were very nice!!! The Mackerel had a very nice subtle almost refreshing flavor!!! Then we had the halibut for two which I found very interesting. It was both smoked and cooked and was served with a tomato broth that was sort of room temperature. It had very nice cherry tomatos probably from the green market as they look mighty similar to the ones you can get there. Then we had some salt and another dunking sauce I am forgetting but the smoked flavor with tomato was very interesting and nice!! The desserts were in New Nordic fashion kinda weird but I had the English Pea one with Peanut and surprisingly while a bit jarring have the pea taste at first the peanut butteryness of the peanut cakey thing in the middle and the pea worked nicely together. Sooooooo overall this meal was better. Do I think it'll remain nice......different story. The chefs are indeed staying it seems so thats good but the owner is involved with so so so much stuff (look up online the array of activities he's thinking of undertaking or is) that hopefully this restaurant won't be cast adrift and lose it's quality over time. They also have quite the list of liquers including Brennavin from Iceland which is famously drunk with Harkal, fermented Greenland Shark (weird species of shark). My main gripe is honestly the space. Putting the food hall in Grand Central was a great idea putting this restaurant in there was not so smart. It could even lead to it's downfall overtime. It is firstly immesnly difficult to find parking around there and it is the easiest to find once your in there being off to the side of one of the many super busy parts of Grand Central. It's also not really the type of meal you want at Grand Central being better suited to like a nice unique space downtown or somewhere else. Nevertheless, I agree with Don as he said in a previous post. Go now while it is interesting and fresh rather then wait for the quality to possibly decline in the long term. It will not be your absolute best meal but it was enjoyable and different and worth the trip!! My Dad and me will also try Luksus soon which is another New Nordic biggy in BK!!!