While National Caviar Day may not be a date already marked in your calendar, we feel that any occasion involving champagne and mother-of-pearl spoons is worth celebrating. Occurring every July 18, the occasion provides the perfect excuse for luxury enthusiasts to indulge in the revered culinary delicacy of caviar and bask in its decadence. With the day fast approaching, we’ve got the perfect spot to celebrate.
Caviar Kaspia, a storied Parisian institution since 1927, has been sharing the art of caviar with an exclusive clientele for nearly a century, with locations now open in Paris, New York, London, Dubai and São Paolo. The New York City dining room, a well-known celebrity favorite, is found in the heart of the Upper East Side, inside the iconic luxury hotel The Mark.
A restaurant oozing with old-world elegance and boasting a ridiculously extensive caviar menu featuring eight different types of farm-raised caviar, this is the ultimate destination to celebrate National Caviar Day.
Must Order
The famous baked potato topped with caviar
What to drink
Kaspia Martini
Best seat in the house
If you want a more intimate meal, opt for one of the more discreet corner tables towards the back for added privacy
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Menu
The first menu that requires attention is the martini menu. The full page of extravagant cocktails features a stunning selection of spirits, including Beluga Gold Vodka and Akashi-Tai Tokubetsu Honjozo sake. For $290, guests can savor The Reserve Martini, crafted with Nolet’s ‘The Reserve’ gin and garnished with a mini potato, Baeri caviar, Cerignola red olive, teardrop pepper and caper berry.
The food menu is everything a venue centered around caviar should be, demonstrating caviar can be paired with pretty much anything. While the highest quality caviar elevates the price of poached eggs to $460, those less inclined towards the delicacy can still enjoy other luxurious offerings such as Kamchatka king crab, duck foie gras and Maine lobster. For those with dietary requirements, the restaurant is extremely accommodating. Vegetarian caviar made from liquified and spherized truffle and delicious gluten-free blinis ensure no one is left out of the celebration.
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We start the meal with the canapés of the day, blinis spread with homemade taramasalata and topped with caviar, complemented by a side of divine homemade brioche and juicy pickles. Our starter, the caviar pizza, a giant potato latke topped with crème fraîche and (of course) caviar, is indulgence at its finest. Unable to resist a seafood bar, I also enjoy the royal tuna tartare, crowned with Imperial Baeri caviar. Served on ice, it is a heavenly pairing.
No visit to Caviar Kaspia is complete without trying the twice-baked potato, a now well-known viral sensation. With five different caviars to choose from, you can opt to top your potato with 30, 50 or 80 grams, accompanied by an astonishingly light chive crème fraîche.
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Interiors
Stepping into the Upper East Side restaurant, you are greeted with a definite sense of heritage. Designed by interior designer Jacques Grange, the wood-paneled walls and signature blue tablecloths pay homage to the established Parisian brand and make it appear as if the restaurant has been serving New York City’s elite for decades.
The interiors match the menu’s offerings perfectly. Individual L’Observatoire International lamps create warm ambient lighting, setting an intimate mood for the venue and giving the food the moody spotlight it deserves. The surrounding semi-covered windows and brown armchairs work together to exude a members-club exclusivity. At the entrance, a black marble bar adds a touch of cool, and, in true New York spirit, has stools to welcome the city’s late-night walk-ins.