Local Culture

LAIR Restaurant

Interview with Chef Chris Cheung

by Chris Evangelista   |   Jul 31, 2011

LAIR Restaurant

 

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Owners Michael Levin and Illarion Parmit are aware of LAIR’s early success in the nightlife community. Since the restaurant’s opening in October 2010, it had already played host to a number of social gatherings attended by talented actors, young hot starlets, aspiring designers, writers and socialites alike. LAIR is doing well, but Michael and Illarion feel that their establishment has more to offer than just an event space. It is unfortunate that LAIR has become mostly known for its vibrant party scene because the general public is definitely missing out on the restaurant’s more-than-satisfactory menu items. Levin and Illarion had invited Chef Chris Cheung to dish out items that are both fitting to the restaurant’s ambiance and Cheung’s Chinese roots.

The result is really something great, Chef Chris Cheung serves up dishes that are simultaneously familiar yet foreign without entering the ever so trendy world of fusion. The ingredients used are locally produced, unless it requires otherwise. I recently had the opportunity to chat with the former NoBu chef during my last visit at the restaurant. The native New Yorker also presented me with his favorite items on the menu. One item that he seemed to really want me to try was Chicken Pillows.

Chicken Pillows, in other words, crispy chicken skin with Johnny Blue Sauce is a dish that was a product of randomness. “I rarely experiment,” confided Cheung. “But it came out better than I expected and I’m really happy about it.”  Sure enough, I was very happy to have tried his suggestion. It isn’t often for a dish to be aesthetically pleasing and have great taste. It’s also rare to find food that’s nicely put together with gushing flavors and transport us to a comfortable place. That is a difficult thing to accomplish and therefore, I’d say that I was quite impressed.

The rest of the menu is just as delightful but if I may make a suggestion:  Lobster, Mango, and Avocado Salad in Crispy Wonton Rolls. The balance of textures in this dish is amazing. Cheung explained the reason behind this particular item, “A lot of times, you want to get the fresh salad in a roll without giving up the crunch. This is a compromise.” This guy doesn’t kid around, when he said crunchy, he meant it — and that’s why he is awesome.

For more info about LAIR Restaurant visit their website here.