We dropped by the 39th Floor of a random office building near Herald Square last night to check out
Gaonnuri, a spacious Korean eatery that has taken over the property's penthouse (a hostess has to swipe you through the Midtown-style security gates before you're allowed to ascend in the elevator). We sat in the lounge area and had a drink or two, but the most memorable thing wasn't in our glass. The panoramic views of the city skyline are the reason to hit this sleek joint - you can spy Times Square to the North and the Empire State Building towers over you to the East. We didn't camp out in the dining room, but those nibbling on the traditional Korean barbecue could also drink up views of the Hudson River.
Everything is enclosed, so you can take in these vistas year round. It's also close to many of the touristy sites in Midtown, and the office-building-entrance really makes it feel like a hidden secret. The next time we have guests in from out of town, we know where we'll impress them with an only-in-New-York round of drinks (1250 Broadway).
