JG is very hands on with all his restaurants but it is Chef Lei Jiang that really helms The Fulton’s kitchen on a day-to-day level. Interestingly enough, Chef Jiang was raised on a small island near Shanghai and his family was deeply rooted in the fishing industry there. He was schooled at the French Culinary Institute and his most notable positions prior to joining The Fulton team were with the Nomad Hotel and The Modern.
He loves working with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge and agrees with boss JG that the legendary South Street Seaport is naturally a prime location for a top tier seafood restaurant like The Fulton. There are numerous outdoor tables with unique woven back chairs and if they were any closer to the East River, guests would need to wear life jackets (The views will leave you breathless)!
Chef Jiang tells NYLM, “The Seaport has such a great history. It was home to the Old Fulton Fish Market, where chefs from all over came to get the freshest catch. When Chef Jean-Georges first moved to New York in the ’80s, this is where he’d come to buy fish for his restaurants. Since we’re a seafood restaurant, being right on the water just feels like the perfect fit.”
When I dined at The Fulton, I noticed that there was no “typical clientele,” even though one might suspect that an upscale eatery in this particular neighborhood would have a heavy Wall Street crowd. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a suit in sight! Chef Jiang states, “We have a lot of regulars from the neighborhood, and in the summer, we see a big mix of tourists too. It’s a nice balance--familiar faces and people discovering us for the first time.”
My guest and I were tempted to start our meal with a seafood appetizer such as the ultra-popular Petit and Grand Seafood Plateaus featuring Shrimp Cocktail, Peekytoe Crab Cups, Sashimi and Oysters—however, we shared the Kale Salad with Summer and Pole Beans, Avocado, Pecorino Cheese and Herbal Dressing as well as the Heirloom Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Jimmy Nardello Peppers and Red Wine Vinaigrette. (These colorful salads were raved about on Yelp, so we just had to order them!). Both salads lived up to the hype and then some. Portions were large enough to share and flavors and freshness abounded. A simple herbal or vinaigrette dressing is definitely not bland here--the herbal dressing totally popped with intense citrus and the red wine vinaigrette had a fresh pepper kick which was revved up by the thinly sliced Jalapeno-like Jimmy Nardellos!
The most popular mains at The Fulton include Faroe Island Salmon which is sesame and herb crusted and served with Summer and Pole Beans, Fried Swordfish Milanese in Brown Butter and Calabrian Chili served with Sungold Tomatoes and Wild Arugula, and Whole Roasted Branzino served with Chilli-Shallot Condiment and a Petit Salad. Fans of Dover Sole will love the simple preparation done with brown butter, lemon, parsley and capers.
We tried the two crowd-pleasing Black Bass dishes—one is prepared with assorted Steamed Mushrooms, Red Curry Infusion and Finger Limes and one is En Croute with Sauce Choron and Tomato Concasse. The red curry and tomato concasse perfectly accentuated the delicate flavor of the bass.
Just FYI, there is a concerted effort at The Fulton to use fish from local waters. Chef Jiang elaborates, “We focus on both local and sustainable seafood. We don’t serve Bluefin Tuna because of overfishing--we use Hawaiian Yellowfin instead. A lot of our fish, like Black Bass and Long Island fluke, are caught right here in New York waters, and our oysters come from Massachusetts. We like working with purveyors who use ‘day boats,’ meaning they head out in the morning and are back the same day with incredibly fresh fish.”
If you feel you want some guidance for your initial visit to The Fulton, Chef Jiang has strong recommendations: “I’d say start with the Long Island Fluke Crudo, Calamari, or the Octopus & Mozzarella. For a main, try the Fulton Burger or Longevity Noodles, and maybe share the Branzino with Chili-Shallot Condiment. And definitely finish with The Fulton Cookie Plate--it has banana-poppy seed, pistachio-raspberry, and chocolate chip (cookies) with a little sea salt.”
I agree with Chef Jiang that The Fulton Cookie Plate is a knockout and features flavor profiles that you can’t get anywhere else, but I ended my meal with the Green Market Red Plum Tart featuring Almond Frangipane, Raspberry Jam and Crystallized Ginger Ice Cream and Pistachio Profiteroles made with Pistachio Ice Cream, Pistachio and Raspberry then topped with a stream of hot chocolate sauce poured on by the server at your table. The profiterole texture is actually more like that of a classic cream puff or éclair, but there were no complaints from me! The Sacher Torte with Apricot Compote & Milk Chocolate Ganache and Hazelnut & Milk Chocolate Mille Feuille are classic French desserts that are Jean Georges “signature” sweets.
If The Fulton’s current lineup of creative gastronomical treats is not amazing enough, Chef Jiang promises an even more inventive menu coming up in October with seasonal and sometimes rare produce finds. He reveals, “We change the menu with the seasons, but there are a few dishes that have become Fulton’s staples, like our aforementioned Octopus & Mozzarella and Longevity Noodles. In the fall, we get amazing produce like Honey Nut and Delicata Squash, Thomcord Grapes, and Caraflex Cabbage--it’s a fun time to cook.”
Why visit The Fulton By Jean Georges over the other highly popular JG restos in town? Simply put, the refined cooking mixed with the romance of the Seaport’s harbor lights, nearby vintage ships and views of prewar buildings across the East River cannot be experienced anywhere else!
For more information on The Fulton By Jean-Georges, visit thefulton.nyc