"Ignacio Mattos’s creative take on classic starters like steak tartare made his downtown restaurant Estela a breakout hit. In 2016, he and partner Thomas Carter brought that successful recipe to the Upper East Side by opening Flora Bar at the Met Breuer. It exemplifies the trend of museum restaurants that are destinations in their own right (see also Untitled). The small plates menu is seafood heavy, with a few tapas-inspired options. Standouts include raw yellowfin tuna with toasted flax seeds and fried shallot; potato and raclette croquettes; and a purple endive salad with pecans and blue cheese. The intensity of these flavors—and the formidable wine and cocktail list—suit the hulking modernist space, outfitted in marble and dark leather."
