BWW Previews: EXKi in NYC Expands to Second Location in NoMad

With 78 locations in Europe and one already on Park Avenue South, EXKi NYC is expanding and opening a second location at 76 Madison Avenue on the Southwest corner of 28th Street. EXKi will introduce the NoMad area of Manhattan to the quick-casual restaurant's focus on recipes created with fresh, locally-produced seasonal ingredients. At the same time, EXKi NYC will use green energy, eco-friendly cleaning supplies and recyclable materials while donating unsold products to a nonprofit organization daily.

Since inception, EXKi has collaborated with Chef Galen Zamarra of Mas (Farmhouse) and Almanac, who is a James Beard Foundation winner and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. With his collaboration, EXKi will serve seasonal recipes daily in its on-site kitchen for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At EXKi the core focus is on local, seasonal and organic vegetables whenever possible. EXKi only serves free-range chicken and other meats that are sourced from naturally-raised sources free of antibiotics and hormones. The various cheeses are sourced from local farms including Jasper Hill Farms in Vermont where the EXKi team work very closely with. There is an intense due diligence process within EXKi while reviewing and accepting any ingredient.

Each morning customers are presented with a variety of EXKi breakfast signature menu items including croissants, egg wraps, seasonal smoothies, and more including a Yogurt Parfait with Granola and Fruit Slices. For lunch, there will be nearly 20 varieties of salads offered in five sizes - petites and duos as appetizer portions, and trio, antipasti and entrée as main course salads. The highlights of EXKi's salad are the colorful emulsions, which are flavorful, low-fat and 90% vegetable based dressings. Salads range in cost from $4.25 - $10.95. The various sizes encourage guests to create their own tasting menu as well as consume salads at whatever portion they prefer.

Also included on the menu are nearly 20 varieties of sandwiches and wraps. Oven roasted dishes served in poplar wood trays, as well as cocottes that are unique to EXKi NYC, served in individual-sized stainless steel casserole dishes. Many of the sandwiches are served on baguettes freshly baked daily on premise. Other options include a multigrain ciabatta, open-faced sourdough tartines and organic whole wheat wraps made in Massachusetts.

Popular items on the menu include Caesar Revisited, an entrée salad with Roasted FreeBird Chicken, Parmesan, Caesar Emulsion, Tomato, Romaine and Chives; the breakfast and lunch favorite include the Omega-E with Smoked Salmon, Cucumber, Tomato, Dill, Baby Arugula on Sourdough Tartine; the Chicken & Turmeric Curry Emulsion Cocotte with FreeBird Chicken, Daikon, Carrots and Rice Noodles; and a crowd favorite for breakfast is the Egg Whole Wheat Wrap made with Free Range Egg, Cheddar, Baby Spinach, Roasted Peppers, Tomato and Onion. Sandwiches and wraps range in cost from $4.50 - $7.95 while hot dishes range from $7.45 - $10.40.

"My previous studies in France has allowed me to keep EXKi's European identity intact," said Chef Galen. "On top of that, I'm looking forward to helping people make smarter choices about food by using high quality ingredients in exciting, vegetable-focused dishes that even non-vegetarians will enjoy."

EXKi NYC serves locally-roasted coffee - from Manhattan's backyard of Long Island City - serving the finest Fair Trade Certified™ Organic coffee beans to ensure sustainable living standards for the coffee industry workers and producers alike. Seasonal winter drinks include the Belgian Style Hot Chocolate made with Dark Chocolate and Organic Milk, and EXKi's Hot Cider made from Upstate New York Apples and Homemade Mulling Spices.

The restaurant is a member of the Green Restaurant Association with a 2 Star Certification at the Park Avenue South location due to its level of environmental responsibility and sustainability. EXKi takes great pride in using recyclable materials for serving its customers including materials such as PEFC certified poplar wood packaging, and reclaimed wood to produce its communal tables. EXKi also donates all excess and unused products to City Harvest; the New York City organization dedicated to helping feed the more than 1.4 million New Yorkers facing hunger.

For more information, please visit www.EXKiNYC.com.

ABOUT EXKi NYC

EXKi was founded in 2001 in Brussels, Belgium by three college friends, Nicolas Steisel, Frédéric Rouvez and Arnaud de Meeûs, who were driven by their passion for quality ingredients and flavorful food. EXKi, a play on the French word 'exquis' for exquisite or delightful, offers top quality recipes with a focus on fresh, local and seasonal vegetables. Currently there are 78 locations in Europe including Brussels, Paris and Turin. Its first employee Laurent Kahn is now the CEO of EXKi NYC, leading the team on its endeavor throughout the United States. The goal is to roll out 20 additional locations in the New York area by 2025.

Photo Credit: François Vaxelaire

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