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Earlier this year, the New York restaurant scene lost one of its greats with the passing of chef James Kent. On the edge of a burgeoning empire, Kent was behind some of New York’s finest, including Crown Shy, the Michelin-starred Saga (one of our most anticipated restaurants of 2024) and Overstory, with plenty more on the horizon. The day after his passing, the Saga Hospitality Group renamed itself Kent Hospitality, committed to carrying on his vision and practices in the hospitality sphere. The first from the recently renamed group, comes a personal project from Kent and chef Danny Garcia: Time & Tide.
On October 25, Time & Tide (360 Park Avenue South) opened its doors in the Flatiron District. Referencing the proverb “Time and tide wait for no man,” the restaurant is named after a song composed by jazz bassist Charles Mingus, who was married to Kent’s grandmother. A personal tribute to his grandparents, the restaurant pulls on Kent’s childhood visiting his grandmother at her home in Sag Harbor. On one of the shelves, you’ll find a picture of a younger Kent on the water with jazz artist Roberto Ungaro.
Left in capable hands, chef Danny Garcia is now steering the ship at Time & Tide. The most recent winner of Top Chef, Garcia’s resume includes cheffing at The French Laundry and competing on behalf of Team USA in the international cooking competition, Bocuse d’Or. In 2019, the Brooklyn native moved back to New York to work alongside Kent, joining the crew at Crown Shy and Saga as the executive sous chef. Creating Time & Tide in step with Kent, Garcia’s influences come forward here as well, telling his own story of simple seafood prepared well.
Time & Tide is billed as a steakhouse for seafood. Snacks start with seaweed-dusted nori fries and a larger-than-life goldfish snack. The raw bar reigns supreme with jumbo shrimp, littleneck clams and oysters, plus a seafood platter served up in a silver octopus. The Big Fish portion of the menu features whole fish, prepared simply to let the protein shine, complemented with sauces, much like a steakhouse, to let the diners steer their own adventure. Rotating with what’s available in local waters and markets, this month’s catch includes Fluke Milanese with watercress and fennel and Halibut Pithivier, a traditional French puff pastry pie served with a mushroom duxelle.
Before you get back to the shore, pastry chef Renata Ameni closes the menu with classics you’d find at your favorite steakhouse—chocolate mousse, panna cotta and a banana split that swaps out chocolate scoops for stracciatella. Coming later this fall, Ameni will open Baby Birdee inside the restaurant, which will serve pastries during the AM hours. Croissants, cookies and danishes will be on offer alongside pastries from Ameni's Brazilian heritage, including pão de queijo.
