Imperial No. Nine

I’m so surprised to see that this place has closed!!! I was here literally 4 days ago for Sunday brunch. I split the Eggs Benedict with Salmon and the French Toast.
The Benedict lacked hollandaise sauce and the eggs were overcooked (aka no runny yoke). It was definitely not worth the $ 20 price tag, and was one of the more disappointing Benedict’s I’ve had. The caramelized pineapple French Toast, however, was very good. Huge, dense slices of bread covered in a vanilla bean sauce. It saved our brunch.
The restaurant is in a BEAUTIFUL space though (which gives it an extra star). But Imperial’s enviable location doesn’t make up for its lackluster food.

So cute! The décor was awesome and so was the breakfast food (bananas foster pancakes and the breakfast sandwich with delicious white cheddar). AC was crucial on a hot summer day.
A friend and I made a reservation online, and had to go early because there was no availability at our preferred time. When we showed up there were only two other parties in the restaurant and it never filled up. ??? At least the service was attentive and friendly.

I’ve eaten here 3 times in recent months (because I have a friend who stays in the hotel) and never been disappointed… I’ve never been wowed either though! It is a beautiful restaurant, with great service and good food but it didn’t surprise or excite me.
The wine is always consistent (although the choice is fairly limited) and the food is always good at the time. It’s just not memorable enough to warrant the extra star! The only two dishes I can remember out of the many different ones we’ve tried (yes it’s another ‘family dining style’ place) are the Scallops — the best thing on the menu — and the chickpeas which are also very good.
The service is always good and it’s got a great feel thanks to the dark and sexy interior décor.
I would recommend a visit! however I think 3 times is enough for anyone to visit and next time I will drag my friend kicking and screaming to an alternative location.

Food to love:
Roasted cauliflower with shishito peppers & black garlic.
Burger with bacon, cheese & fried egg on rosemary roll.
Classic Iceberg wedge with bacon & roasted tomatoes.
BLT.
We have eaten mostly lunch & breakfast as hotel guests & all food has been beyond reproach. Wines by the glass are mediocre. Their sommelier could do better. Very friendly & efficient service.

This is probably one one the nicest spaces in NYC. I had a super yummy cocktail here the other with root syrup, was kinda like a root beer with bourbon.
The space is something else I would call it French decadence. Didn’t have any food but the drinks were interesting and the bartender was nice.

My first visit to the Modrian SoHo. I was there for drinks, so Imperial No. Nine it was. I was there on a busy Sunday evening. The décor is typical Morgans Group awesomeness — sleek, chic, and a bit quirky.
The staff was very friendly. They were chatty with all of the guests, even though they were very busy. The bar has a deep list of customized cocktails, but they do not roll their eyes when you ask for a Goose and soda.
This room is quite large and spacious, so it is a great place to bring a group to meet up and pre-​game before going to some cramped, painfully hip SoHo lounge.

You really can’t walk in here and not be a little impressed with the look and feel this place has. It is pretty spectacular, but me, I’m all about the food and drink.
After waiting for a little bit for our waiter, our group ordered a handful of their specialty drinks before moving on to a bottle of rosso di montalcino later with dinner. My cocktail, hendricks with cucumber and mint I believe, was refreshing and delicious. Our starters arrived quickly and we all dug in and passed around. My favorite amongst them was definitely the hamachi crudo which was super fresh and was great with the little bit of spice. The yellowfin crudo was alright, but didn’t seem nearly as fresh and didn’t pair as well for me with the basil. The other items were decent, but nothing notable. Sad though that they didn’t have the cauliflower fritters on the menu.
Although their menu seems to be meant to be shared we pretty much all went for our own dishes. Mine was the hanger steak, which was pretty good with the subtle roasted flavor of the coffee, but again, nothing great. The wife’s scallops fell in the same manner. Everyone at the table was tasting the rabbit cavatelli and loving it, but I just didn’t get it. The pasta had a good texture and chew, but the flavor of the dish wasn’t anything great. Overall, I was happy with the place, but the food doesn’t seem to live up to its grand surroundings.

Four of us came here on a Friday night for dinner. First impression from when you walk in from outside: this place is gorgeous. I am talking like top 3 coolest /​most beautiful places I’ve been to ever. But you don’t come to dinner here to look at the room.
So the food… we ordered a whole bunch of stuff: the crab ceviche, the yellowtail crudo, the braised chickpeas, the scallops, the steak, and the roasted cauliflower. I can really make one generic comment to cover all of the dishes… everything was tasty, but not exceptions, and portions were very small. The yellowtail… you got 5 super thin slices of fish. Maybe 1 ounce of fish in total. The scallops were cooked absolutely perfectly and the steak was super tender.
For dessert we had the chocolate hazelnut cake and the apple crisp (plus two of the pumpkin dessert drinks — can’t recall the name). Both were good, and the apple crisp was actually the biggest dish of the night. I’d skip the drinks… was basically Baileys with some nutmeg.
The service here was a bit less attentive than I would expect… I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot lately.
Overall, the 4 of us spent $ 325 before tip for the 3 small plates, 2 large plates, 1 side, 2 desserts, 1 bottle of wine, and 6 drinks. While I cannot complain about the quality or flavor of the food, prices here reflect the space. The space here is the best part of the restaurant… would recommend coming for drinks, but not sure I’d recommend it for dinner based on the price /​portions.

I came here on a Thursday at 9pm. I originally had requested a table in the garden, you know the room with the high glass ceiling and elegant chandeliers. It wasn’t a problem getting a seat in there at all.
I admit its a pretty room, but let’s just say its more photogenic.
Service was friendly and relaxed.
Menu update: if your appetite has been invigorated by the mention of yummy cauliflower critters beware that they are no longer on the menu
We shared the fried artichoke app with something like the spicy sauce you’d have on a spicey tuna roll and the crudo which tasted a bit «fishy.»
We shared the salmon entrée with brussel sprouts and it lacked flavor.
All in all it was an underwhelming experience.
I wanted to love this place, I really did.
I guess the sun has set on this empire.

This is a great place to go on a date or for a night out with a group of girl friends when you want to choose a spot that is visually stunning. Not many restaurants in the city can compare to their ambience.
That said, this isn’t the best spot to take foodies who care more about the food than the ambience. The food is good but there are much better options if it’s amazing food you’re looking for, especially at these price points.
I would suggest going a little early before you dinner reservation, telling the host that you’d like to wait for a table in the main dining room, and hang out at the bar and take advantage of the beautiful space.
Read more about it and see more photos here:

I love this place.
The decoration is perfect. It feels like you are sitting in an outdoor garden of a castle here.
The food was excellent. We had the pork belly sliders, the crab appetizer, the hanger steak and then the chocolate and hazelnut desert. Everything was great. I have no complaints about the food.
All this food and one bottle of wine came up to $ 109 for the 2 of us. Perfect night out would definitely go back again and I am already recommending this place to couples.

Service was very slow and the place wasn’t busy for lunch at all. As a hotel guest who flew on the red eye I found this annoying. Neither the hostess nor the manager took the time to help this slow server out.
The food was delish though. The burger was da bomb and the roated califlower was perfect!

Looking for a romantic place to have dinner with decent food? Imperial No Nine is the place to be. While it’s a bit on the expensive side, you also essentially pay for the atmosphere. I came here with my bf for an early V-​day dinner. It was semi-​crowded on a Friday night but wasn’t noisy as expected. For two people, it’s recommended that you order two small plates (appetizers) and two large plates. I believe their dishes are meant to be shared. Their portions are small but at the same time, it’s quite fulfilling. For the small plates, we ordered Pork Belly Sliders and Duck Salad. I’m usually not a fan of pork belly but these sliders were one of the best I’ve had. It wasn’t too oily yet it was full of flavor. Note that it’s only one order of a slider, which cost $ 5 each. If you want more, you need to let the waiter know. The Duck salad was pretty delicious too. It had a little kick to it with the red peppers but otherwise, it was quite refreshing. For large plates, we ordered the grilled sea bass and organic chicken. I enjoyed the organic chicken more because it was tender and juicy. The sea bass was a tad too salty for me but otherwise, it was cooked to the right degree of flakiness.
I would definitely come back and try their brunch during the day. I believe the most attractive aspects of this restaurant are the elaborate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the garden-​like view/​atmosphere. Romantic, indeed.

This review is for the restaurant lounge in the Mondrain SoHo hotel. The overall experience is more polished than I’m used to for Chinatown, but the venue seems better suited for business than pleasure.
The hotel itself feels like an oasis in an urban wasteland. When you walk through the thick vine archway you are instantly transported far from the congested bustle of Canal Street. Imperial No. 9 is open and airy, with foliage mixing with glass and crystal to create an interesting fantasy back drop. The staff in the lobby and the bar are friendly and attentive, but I could feel the nervous tension on the floor. Every operator of a high end venue runs a tight ship, but these workers seemed overly stressed. Maybe they are worried about breaking the delicate mood created by the room.
I was only there for a couple glasses of wine, so I didn’t have a chance to sample the cocktail menu or the food. If I’m in that area again, I’ll make a point to go back and see if the vibe is better
HF
G

Women are crazy.
This is an indisputable truth to which even the fairer sex can attest. We won’t go into all the various ways one whips out the crazy (the list of possibilities is ever-​expanding, like the universe — no, not a coincidence). But what it really comes down to is just how well, and for how long, they can hide this craziness.
Imperial No. Nine is really no different than some loca ladywoman. She will reel you in with her sinister good looks, make you believe you have found the one, that none other could look as impressive, as trendy, as stunning, as picturesque as what lies before you. Then, it could happen over four years (God help you), four months (this is average), four days (you’re probably dead), but before you know it — bitch be crazy.
So, just as it takes some four phases to find out your girl is insane, it only took me four dishes to know that Imperial No. Nine may be gorgeous, but she’s also kinda dead behind the eyes. Let’s mirror this «Unveiling of the Crazy» ritual with my plate-​by-​plate experience at this deceptively attractive SoHo hotel restaurant.
Phase 1: She is just as wonderful as she is beautiful.
A multitude of exquisite crystal chandeliers. The high-​vaulted, greenhouse-​style, window-​paned ceiling. A collection of glass vases serving as the dining room centerpiece. This one is a stunner — easily on the short list of most beautiful and unique restaurants in New York City.
As for dishes, I’ve got to crown the King Louie sharing plate as my favorite. The iceberg lettuce was super crisp and cold, cupping chunks of king crab tossed about in a creamy, Thousand Islands-​esque dressing. This was the fresh, clean, delightful dish I was expecting walking into Imperial No. Nine. If there’s a second date in the works, this would surely be a repeat order.
Phase 2: She’s a little crazy, but it’s still cute.
There are painted platters that hang from the wall opposite the bar at Imperial No. Nine. On these platters are semi-​strange portraits of different species of birds dressed as old-​school Spanish royalty. Picture National Audubon Society hummingbird heads sticking out of some Shakespeare get-​up straight out of a Renaissance fair. Quirky, yet endearing.
Meanwhile, the Toasted Cous Cous was a decent selection for the table, with more crab, and some asparagus and roasted mushrooms now joining in on a dish. The highlight here was actually the component I was most skeptical about — a slow-​cooked egg, dropped dead center in the heap of cous cous. A weird addition when read, but not half-​bad when devoured.
Phase 3: Everyone tells you they adore her, but little do they know, she’s a closet sociopath.
You may have heard a healthy buzz about Imperial No. Nine. It’s the über-​trendy restaurant in the Mondrian Hotel, the one that you’ve just got to see for yourself. The one with the impressive garden lattice-​work entranceway and the loopy Alice in Wonderland theme that, once experienced first-​hand, might just make you feel like you’ve been taking too many hits off the hookah with the big blue caterpillar.
And everyone talks about the Cauliflower Fritters. These fried squares half-​filled with ricotta, half-​filled with melted vegetable, and served in a cracked-​dinosaur-​egg bowl with sunflower-​olive brittle and white balsamic, are the popular go-​to here, but I just wasn’t as impressed as the masses. It’s pretty easy to bread, then fry, most anything for me to enjoy it — but a boring-​ass cauliflower that tasted like it’d been nuked to shit in a microwave? Apparently not even that life-​changing method known as deep frying was able to save the KKK of broccoli.
Phase 4: Run.
I’m as clumsy as shit and that glass vase collection is this-​close to going down. Why would they seat idiot me right next to a potential domino cascade of expensive shit like this? One false move and it all comes crashing to the ground.
The BBQ Shrimp Sandwich (with jicama, citrus, and toasted cumin aioli) was kind of a disaster, having suffered beyond simply sounding so much better on paper. None of the ingredients got along with one another. The bread was so big and bulky, I didn’t even know how to eat this — and, trust me, I can pretty much work my way around any sandwich. Even when I gutted this thing to finish the job with a fork and knife, the shrimps were sub-​par, nowhere near as spicy as advertised, and a shame to the BBQ name.
Bonus Phase: The second-​chance encounter…
After some respectable amount of time down the line, I may try to rekindle the spark with this establishment. Sure, our time may have been fleeting and all, but I can see myself one day walking down Crosby Street and muttering, «I know where I am. This is Imperial No. Nine’s neighborhood.» Because really, what will stick with me is not the food, but the absolutely wonderful décor. This place is simply just too attractive to ignore. And I did really enjoy that King Louie dish. Maybe I’ll just stop in and say hello… or does that sound crazy?

Really delicious food. Beautiful presentation as well. The fish tacos were one of the prettiest things I’ve ever eaten. The simply cooked fish was probably one of the best pieces of fish I’ve ever had in a restaurant. I’d also highly recommend the seaweed salad, shrimp and grits, and of course the freshly made cookies.
I can’t, however, give it 5 stars for a few reasons. The cocktails, while good, were nowhere near $ 14 good. The food was pretty overpriced as well but somehow I can deal with that… I guess I know where my priorities lie. As others have mentioned, our server was great but I got a great deal of attitude from the hosts. Not a good way to start the experience.
I’d definitely go back, but only for a special occasion. My bank account can’t survive a hit like that on the regular!

Beautiful place in Mandarin Hotel.
Very romantic and pretty atmosphere — it brings your mood up.
Food is not bad — I wouldn’t say amazing.
Here are my takes (out of 5 as best and rating 1 being bad);
Atmosphere: 4.5
Food: 3.6
Service (during lunch hour): 4
We shared following food among 4 people;
Seafood salad: 3 — so far, no one can’t beat my seafood salad at bergdorf goodman.
Pea with curry: 4
Chicken Salad: 4
Tuna salad: 3
Fish Taco: 4 (according to my friend)
Cookies: 3.5
Definitely recommend to check this place out while you are in SOHO.

Came here a few wks back and was expecting great food/​service/​anything out of such a gorgeous space. The atrium dining room was beautiful — something out of Alice in Wonderland (circa the 2010 film mind you). Ok, basically the only reason why i’m giving it two stars is because of the décor. It’s an impressive room, excellent tool for impressing your companions.
On to the negative.
When we were waiting in the atrium, we ordered a few drinks to start. Those never appeared at our table once we were seated. When we finally got the drinks after re-​ordering and waiting another 30 min, they were delicious. The drink menu is really great.
We didn’t end up getting seated in the atrium, but sat in the back dining room in one of the raised booths. The tables were pushed so close together that I had to crawl from under the table to use the bathroom at one point. Am I 5?
The waitress we had didn’t seem to care or know about any of the dishes. When I asked how the Lobster dish was cooked, her answer was basically «it’s cooked on the blacktop surface». We were left to wonder on its seasoning. Ok fine, we cut her a break that she was new and didn’t fully understand all dishes. But, the overall service was so poor — we were missing silverware, change of plates, napkins, water, etc throughout the entire night.
My entrée was some type of white fish (skate i think) that was supposed to be pan seared w/​vegetables. The fish was well seasoned, but it was way UNDER COOKED. Some fish are served semi-​seared, but this is not one of them. And, this was not on the menu. WTF. I’ve never been at a restaurant where I had to send back a meal because they didn’t cook it fully.
I would recommend getting the raw oysters. That was fabulous.
Now that I’m thinking of it, if you are on a date and you want to impress, then bring him/​her here. You’ll look saint-​like next to the service & the food, and with great photo opportunities.

Stopped in recently for happy hour on a Friday. The ambiance and décor of this place are definitely trendy and cool. The main dining room (where we sat) is basically a huge, glassed off green house, which was pretty cool. The main dining room also has tons of plants and tress, which was another nice touch.
Our group ended up going with a bunch of tapas and drinks. We had the fried oysters, cauliflower fritters, raw tuna and a few other dishes. All the tapas were outstanding. The mixed drinks they serve are delicious as well. I’m a ‘scotch/​single malt on the rocks’ type of guy but I ended up going with their cocktail called ‘the #9′. I had 3 of them and they were outstanding, some of the better cocktails I’ve had in a while, although I forget what was in them now haha.
Service here is a great and attentive. Just a tip, if you plan on doing just a bunch of tapas, my group consisted of 4 people and we ordered 6 tapas and were still hungry after, so order accordingly. The tapas and drinks are pricey though, I guess due to that clown from Top Chef being the head chef here.

Walking in you feel like you are Alice and Wonderland…
then when you enter the garden you are at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party…
…Except this wonderland is filled with hipsters, rap stars, and snotty waitresses.
You go here for the ambiance, to see and be seen, to pay $ 15+ for a glass of wine…
The food was «eh». We ordered a few appetizers. The only memorable one was a cauliflower ball that was surprisingly delicious. Like a creamy veggie popper.
We were a large group only having drinks and appetizers after work. They let us sit on the couches in the back. Well one couch, a couple chairs and a few hobbit stools. Not the most relaxing setting, but fine for my co-​workers. We huddled together and marveled at the glass roof, the beautiful greenery and the view of brick walls covered in graffiti on one side. It’s interesting. It’s beautiful. It’s snotty. It’s a good place to take visitors to NYC. Just go for a drink though… then go somewhere else to get cozy and make a night of it!