Located inside The Modern, the Bar Room offers a lively scene featuring well-dressed patrons sipping beverages and savoring elegantly plated bites. Surrounded by a long marble bar, chic lounge seating, and a prominent mural of The Clearing by Thomas Demand, you realize why the award-winning restaurant housed in the MoMA is a perfect spot for a rendezvous with friends, dates, or clientele in Midtown Manhattan. For those seeking something especially indulgent, the à la carte menu is where it’s at.
Glancing at the savory options, “Buckets & Bubbles” is the immediate standout. If you’re anything like me, you can’t resist a catchy label like that. It translates to a bucket of elevated fried chicken (yes, fried chicken can be elevated) finished in a honey glaze and a topping of pickled peppers, served over fries with roasted red pepper mayo dipping sauce on the side of Krug Grande Cuvée bubbly. Just when you think this unexpected pairing couldn’t get any better on paper, you see the presentation. The bucket itself is decorated with the cutest original illustration worthy of an Instagram post. Everything tastes as great as it looks.
“Champagne and fried chicken are a salient and delicious pairing,” explains The Modern’s Chef Abram Bissell. “But peppers bring an extra layer and energy to the chicken that helps highlight the depth and layers of Krug Grande Cuvée.”
Bissell carefully curated this special duo as part of Krug’s ongoing Single Ingredient Program. This year, the program is celebrating the pepper.
“The Modern brought Krug x Pepper to life in their own way through their delicious fried chicken. We are excited for New Yorkers and visitors to experience the concept and taste for themselves,” says Krug Brand Director Jamie Soriano.
When selecting the Krug champagne for the pairing, guests can choose by the glass, half bottle, or magnum depending on their company (and how thirsty they are). Personally, I found the half bottle to be just the right amount for two on a Thursday evening.
