Roy's New York

Roy's New York
130 Washington Street - Map
Between Albany Street and Carlisle Street
(212) 266-6262
Hawaiian Fusion

Housed in the New York Marriott Financial Center in the Financial District, this little Hawaiian hide-away has some of the tastiest food in NYC. While the financial district may be somewhat difficult to navigate for people who don't frequent the neighborhood, once you find where you are, it's actually quite charming. It's clear that the neighborhood caters primarily to a fast-paced business world, with lots of after-work venues, and it does tend to become somewhat of a ghost town after certain hours. Yet Roy's New York seems to be a paradise oasis in the middle of the jungle of buildings and sky scrapers.

As soon as you walk in, the decor already helps to take off some of the stress of the day, with the light, colorful and whimsical feel. It's almost bistro-esque. The wait staff were very accomodating, and particularly attentive. I felt as if they wanted me to feel at home as soon as I walked through their doors.

We were immediately seated at one of their tables, and our gracious waiter made no fuss about trying to get to know us. We immediately felt the warmth that this establishment has clearly cultivated, and set the bar high. Never having sampled Hawaiian cuisine, I didn't really know what to expect, but my geographic knowledge and pop media kept hinting toward some of the more tropical ingredients like coconut, mango, and pineapple. I wasn't altogether wrong, but the cacophany playing on my taste buds was none like I had experienced before.

I ordered one of their fish dishes. As usual, I ordered it medium, having no point of reference with this establishment to risk medium rare. I was impressed with the level of professionalism with which the dish was set, a beautiful display in-and-of-itself. I almost didn't want to ruin it, but then the aroma slowly wafted up and stimulated the olfactory sense. I was almost drooling in anticipation. To accompany the dish, we had ordered a bottle of one of their Pinot Grigio's, assured it was an excellent accompaniment to our dishes. It lived up to it's description.

If you find yourself visiting ground zero one fine evening, and are looking for some delicious and exotic cuisine, coupled with warm heartfelt service, Roy's New York is the place to be.