February 16, 2018 By Lilah Ramzi Vogue
For years, the Times Square-adjacent patch of Manhattan in between Chelsea’s art gallery-lined streets and the restaurant-filled blocks of Hells Kitchen had little, if nothing, to offer, unless you had a package to retrieve from DHL. But with the opening of Henry Hall and its upcoming restaurant, Legacy Records, the area (buzzing with the promise of the forthcoming Hudson Yards complex) has received a much-needed draw.
Last year, renowned interior designer Ken Fulk put his finishing touches on Henry Hall—a residential building that looks more like the members-only club you’ve somehow finagled your way into. The lobby is meant to serve as a gathering spot for residents and locals alike, and now, those visitors can stay for dinner.
Legacy Records is the onsite restaurant, the latest from Delicious Hospitality (the culinary team behind Charlie Bird and Pasquale Jones); its menu offers seasonal Italian-infused fare (chestnut tagliatelle, crispy sunchokes) in a thoughtfully-designed ground-floor space. Like the layouts found in the building’s apartments upstairs, Legacy Records is a series of rooms that unfold as you make your way through the restaurant. Only these rooms have received the Ken Fulk treatment.
“These spaces are opinionated, memorable spaces,” Fulk explains. The interior-maker has built a reputation layering a medley of textures, colors, and historical reference-points in spaces that feel unified and succinct. The same rings true at Legacy Records, where it seems no surface was left unadorned. Tabletops are upholstered in cognac leather, a bathroom wall is papered in croc-embossed vinyl, and wood panelling abounds. There’s a jazzy ‘20s vibe in the upstairs bar with its tin ceiling, while birch tree-like wallpaper in a corridor evokes après ski. Downstairs, the restaurant embraces a mid-century swagger—it’s a slight homage to the building site’s former occupant, the Legacy Recording Studio.
“It’s a brand-new building, we didn’t restore a recording studio by any means,” says Delicious Hospitality’s Grant Reynolds. “But music has been an inspiration for us creatively since day one.” This musical celebration can also be traced in some of the art the decorates the space, like Mischa Richter’s famous portrait of Amy Winehouse.
“These are all spaces to experiences,” Fulk adds. “While they complement one another, they are different experiences.” The spaces are unique indeed. Upon entry to Legacy Records, you’ll find an all-day coffee bar (its espresso maker boasts custom-made walnut and brass hardware) which will also serve baked goods. Next, you happen upon a beautifully wood-panelled bar, and beyond that are banquettes and little dining-space cloisters that house the aforementioned leather tables. (“It’s a surprisingly durable textile,” says Fulk. “We’re even doing leather floors now!”) Upstairs, you’ll find another private dining room which opens up to a kitchen for a chef’s table experience. There’s also a second cocktail bar— this one with a bit more personality. Behind the burnt-orange bar with its marble-top, you’ll find an expansive mural of a party scene which depicts a throng of revelers dancing, toasting, and making music. The vignette is meant to reflect the actual goings-on at the space, and judging by the cocktail bar’s director (Jeff Bell of Please Don’t Tell), this seems like an achievable goal.
But in the end, design can only go so far in the success of a restaurant, says Fulk. “The important thing is that you can’t just have a beautiful space. The food and the drink have to live up to it,” he says. “But that’s what made this such a beautiful partnership, because we knew whatever Delicious Hospitality was going to do would be inherently fantastic.”