9th Avenue Blue Seafood Bar and Eatery in Hell's Kitchen

We were walking in Hell’s Kitchen, looking for a place for brunch, when we stumbled upon this small restaurant, tucked between two busy places. The menu being enticing, we decided to try it. This is how we discovered 9th Avenue Blue Seafood Bar and Eatery. Opened at the end of 2016, this place serves a wide array of Mediterranean dishes: pizza, pasta, seafood, etc. With the option to order from their brunch menu that had classics like waffles or eggs Benedict elevated with lobster, or regular menu.

I started by ordering a pear Bellini, this fruit being too often ignored but being delicious when ripe in drinks, salads or eaten as a snack. The Bellini was good but I could barely taste the pear.

Pear bellini at 9th Avenue Blue Seafood Bar and Eatery in Hell's Kitchen

We then ordered a bunch of plates, some from their tapas section. Their pan seared halloumi was superb, topped with honeycomb and orange marmalade. That is a dish I would order each time I would be there.

Then was their Mediterranean mussels, clams and merguez, a lamb sausage that can have a nice kick. Sautéed with fresh tomatoes and cilantro, this was delicious, a twist on surf and turf in a way that worked, the lamb sausage giving an even bolder taste to the dish. Everything was cooked perfectly and I could not stop dipping bread into that fantastic sauce.

Next was mortadella with walnuts and bread. I love the sweet and buttery taste of this thin cured pork salami.

Besides the halloumi, Jodi and I shared the tricolore salad that was made with arugula, endive, radicchio, toasted almond and lots of goat cheese.

Of course we could not leave without dessert and opted for their tres leches flan that was made with whole, evaporated and condensed milk. Nicely made and not too sweet thanks to the whole and evaporated milk that lowered the sweetness of the condensed milk, it was a great way to end the meal.

I was quite pleased with our meal at 9th Avenue Blue Seafood Bar and Eatery. This place is a hidden gem in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen and I cannot wait to go back there for dinner.

Enjoy (I did)!

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9th Avenue Blue Seafood Bar and Eatery - 856 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019

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