First Look: Chefs Diego Muñoz and John Fraser Team Up for New Peruvian Spot at the PUBLIC Hotel
POPULAR
| Photo by Liz Clayman
POPULAR
| Photo by Liz Clayman
The PUBLIC Hotel, known for its signature neon-orange escalators and as a Lower East Side hotspot from nightlife legend, Ian Schrager, recently debuted the restaurant, POPULAR, as part of the hotel’s relaunch.
Helmed by chef Diego Muñoz (EDITION in Turkey, Astrid y Gastón in Lima, and elBulli), POPULAR marks the Peruvian-born chef’s first foray into the NYC dining scene. Muñoz will work in partnership with the award-winning NYC chef, John Fraser (Iris, The Times Square EDITION, and now closed Dovetail), for a unique collaborative effort as restaurants across the city reopen and continue to recover from the pandemic.
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Photo by Liz Clayman
“Chef Diego is the star here and we feel privileged to help bring his transformative culinary vision to life,” says Fraser in a press release. The partnership is the first of its kind for an Ian Schrager-backed restaurant, and in addition to helping guide Muñoz with insights on the local “perspective on dining,” Fraser’s role includes sourcing and overseeing general operations.
At POPULAR, expect globally-inspired Peruvian dishes showcasing seafood, rotisserie meats, and vegetables while celebrating the nation’s multiculturalism—with Incan, Spanish, Moorish, African, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese influences.
Photo by Liz Clayman
A dedicated ceviche program includes the ceviche Nikkei (ahi tuna, miso, aji panca, shiso) and Salmon Tiradito (Shanghai-style tiger’s milk, spring onion). The remainder of the menu is sectioned into categories like vegetables, wok, and wood fired, with highlights such as fingerling potatoes (queso fresco, huacatay); filet mignon “Saltado” (vidalia onions, vine ripe tomatoes, chili-soy); 40-Hour short ribs (tamal sauce); grilled octopus (al olivo, potato cream); and wood-smoked paella (clams, mussels, langoustines, parihuela broth).
Photo by Liz Clayman
POPULAR’s cocktail program is also spearheaded by Muñoz with a specific focus on Peru’s iconic spirit: pisco. “When I worked at elBulli with chef Ferran Adriá,” says Muñoz, “the restaurant had no bar. All the cocktails were created in the kitchen as a logical extension of the cuisine. I’m honoring this tradition at PUBLIC.” Libations include The POPULAR Pisco Sour (puro quebranta, lime, egg white, angostura), and a play off a traditional Peruvian highball, the Grapefruit Cardamom Chilcano (acholado, housemade soda). A wine list focusing on Latin-American selections tops off the drink menu.
In addition to POPULAR, chefs Diego Muñoz and John Fraser also jointly run two other food and drink destinations in The PUBLIC Hotel: CANTINA & Pisco Bar, a spot for cocktails and small bites; and LOUIS, a “food bazaar, bakery, and sophisticated coffee & tea bar.”
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