Inside Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC’s Saishin
The omakase tasting happens at the interactive chef’s counter.
Credit: Irvin Rivera; Photo Assistant: Avery Cefre
New York, like any city, offers varied levels of adventure. You experience it as a tourist, a friend in transit, an explorer and, sometimes, as a photographer on assignment. Recently, I had the privilege of experiencing The Big Apple at its most premium, thanks to Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC.
I visited to shoot Los Angeles magazine’s June cover. After the shoot, two sunset-
perfect experiences beckoned before I could start editing: the hotel’s rooftop bar and Saishin, perched at the very top.
Chefs prepare 14 or 19 courses for the experienceCredit: Irvin Rivera; Photo Assistant: Avery Cefre
I drifted through the lobby and past the marble bar, lugging my photo gear up to the terrace where palms and bromeliads framed a 10‑foot olive tree. The sun dipped, igniting the Hudson River and the distant west side piers in gold. I sank into the velvet banquette, framed my shot of the skyline, then tucked my camera away as I cradled a lavender‑gin cocktail flecked with lemon foam. Each sip echoed the skyline’s unreliable shimmer, echoing the city’s electric calm.
Credit: Irvin Rivera; Photo Assistant: Avery Cefre
As dusk deepened, I was guided to Saishin’s intimate chef’s counter where “something new” — the meaning of the restaurant’s name — isn’t just a name, but a promise. Even here, beneath strings of café lights, the wraparound terrace offered those same sweeping views: the Empire State’s silhouette, the sun’s final blush on the docks and the High Line’s faint glow. The 14-course omakase unfolded like performance art: uni kissed by yuzu, toro pillows that melted on contact and a miso‑glazed black cod so tender it practically sang. Each piece arrived with a narrative: harvested at dawn, crafted at noon, served at sunset — making each bite feel like a secret shared above the city.
The menu at Saishin on the rooftop of the Gansevoort features both raw bites and otsumamiCredit: Irvin Rivera; Photo Assistant: Avery Cefre
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Credit: Irvin Rivera; Photo Assistant: Avery Cefre
Two days barely scratched the city’s surface, but Gansevoort’s rooftop and Saishin’s culinary excellence transformed a quick stopover into a memorable photographer’s journey.