2011 [ click here to return to archives ]

03.01.11
Morgans Hotel Group Announces the Opening of Imperial No. Nine in Mondrian SoHo
Chef Sam Talbot Launches Sustainable Seafood Restaurant in New York City
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NEW YORK, March 1, 2011 - Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) ("Morgans") and developer Cape Advisors Inc. announced today the opening of Imperial No. Nine, a new sustainable seafood restaurant from Chef Sam Talbot, located in the newly opened Mondrian SoHo at 9 Crosby Street.

Chef Talbot has created a menu inspired by his childhood spent fishing off the Carolina coast and informed by such organizations like the Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Seafood Watch" list. The menu features responsibly sourced ingredients from CleanFish, Wild Edibles, Litchfield Farms, and Frog Hollow Farms, among others, and Talbot's dishes are created for sharing and include Fried Oysters with Chow Chow and Crispy Ham; Slow Cooked Octopus with Jalapeno Sofrito, Lime and Soy; Harrisa-Braised Organic Black Chickpeas with Raita; King Crab a la Plancha with Sweet & Sour Butter and Crispy Garlic; Iberico Pork Belly with Seared Toro, Pressed Stecca and Daikon Dashi; and a Daily Sustainable Catch featuring a selection from the "Seafood Watch" list.

Crafted by mixologist John Lermayer, also of The Florida Room at Delano in Miami, Imperial No. Nine's cocktails are presented distinctly by numbers only with ingredients listed below - an ordering practice inspired by the menus of its neighboring restaurants in Chinatown. For example, No. One is a refreshing mix of champagne, elderflower cordial, and chai tea, topped with an airy cucumber foam, and No. Nine is Lermayer's expression of the classic Sazerac with Eldorado rum, Angostura bitters, and demerara sugar cubes, and served in a glass rinsed with coconut water and garnished with orange peel.

The wine list at Imperial No. Nine follows the same philosophy as Talbot's menu, offering a thoughtful selection of biodynamic and organic wines alongside the old world classics. Dessert wines and craft beers round out the beverage program.

Morgans Hotel Group selected Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, the visionary behind the re-imagined Mondrian Los Angeles, to create Mondrian SoHo and restaurant Imperial No. Nine, in collaboration with the company's renowned in-house design team. By blending elements of the signature Mondrian brand ethos in subtle yet provocative design features throughout the property, Morgans Hotel Group has created a luxurious, yet approachable destination. The romantic design draws inspiration from Jean Coucteau's 1946 French fantasy film "La Belle et la Bête," an iconic romantic adaptation of two French fairy tales, awakening the imagination and inviting guests into a vibrant escape.

Guests enter the Mondrian SoHo through a lush green garden topiary facade on Manhattan's Crosby Street to discover the 180-seat Imperial No. Nine, and its two distinctive dining rooms and bars located just off the lobby. An opulent cluster of crystal chandeliers hangs over a large, mirror-topped communal table and anchors the main dining room. White-washed oak floors and sandy-beige walls accented with antique mirrors embellish the airy atmosphere. A long, white-washed oak and cream stone bar serves as a casual imbibing spot with a selection of hand-crafted cocktails. A palette of sand colors and textures complement subtle references to the ocean, giving the room a sense of refined elegance.

In the adjacent dining room, beneath the shelter of a dramatic, transparent glass roof, a romantic garden setting is accented with potted plants, natural ficus trees, a crystal chandelier collection, and a zinc-topped bar. The centerpiece of the space is a delicate over-sized glass sculpture created by acclaimed artist Beth Lipman, serving as a reference to Cocteau's story in which seduction takes the form of an elaborate nightly feast. A Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz-designed double-sided cottage swing completes the casual playfulness of the room.

Imperial No. Nine is open for breakfast from 7:30-10:30 daily; for lunch from 11:30-3:00 daily; and for dinner from 5:30-11:00 (Sunday-Wednesday), and 5:30-12:00 AM (Thursday-Saturday); reservations # 212.389.1000; 9 Crosby Street (between Howard and Grand) NYC 10013; Website: www.mondriansoho.com; Reservations: www.opentable.com.

About Morgans Hotel Group

Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) is widely credited as the creator of the first "boutique" hotel and a continuing leader of the hotel industry's boutique sector. Morgans Hotel Group operates and owns, or has an ownership interest in, Morgans, Royalton and Hudson in New York, Delano and Shore Club in South Beach, Mondrian in Los Angeles and South Beach, Clift in San Francisco, Ames in Boston, and Sanderson and St Martins Lane in London. Morgans Hotel Group and an equity partner also own the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and related assets. Morgans Hotel Group also manages hotels in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico and Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Morgans Hotel Group has other property transactions in various stages of completion in various locations around the world. For more information please visit www.morganshotelgroup.com.