By Michael Barbieri***Known for over 25-plus years as one of the best live music venues in New York City, The Iridium has been host to an impressive roster of legendary performers from Sir Paul McCartney to Steve Miller and many more. Now, after a two year Covid-induced hiatus, the club is finally back! The Iridium’s Grand Reopening on March 1 was a huge celebration, and yours truly was there! On this long-awaited occasion, I was on hand to sample the terrific food from their surprisingly extensive menu, and like the entertainment—Harlem Blues Project-–the food, created by Chef Armando Hernandez, did not disappoint!
Since it first opened in 1994 (originally at Broadway and 63rd St., now at Broadway and 51st St.), the club remains famously known for the 14-year residency of legendary guitar pioneer Les Paul, who played the Iridium until his passing in 2009. And there have been many more iconic stars who’ve graced the stage there, such as Joe Walsh, Jeff Beck, Brian Setzer of Stray Cats, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Slash of Guns ‘n’ Roses, Grammy Award-nominee Joe Jackson and many, many others.
When I arrived at 6:30 PM, the place was already packed—and the large, boisterous crowd was in a festive mood. I grabbed my seat with Scott Barbarino, who had been kind enough to invite me to the event, and promptly ordered a cocktail to start out the night. I chose the Spicy Chili Spritz, made with Aperol, Prosecco, chili liqueur, soda and charred chili. Served straight up in a champagne flute, it had a pleasant, vaguely orangey flavor, with the first sip packing a spicy kick that took me by surprise. I also sampled Scott’s Mai Tai Punch, which had a sweet, tropical vibe, but the drink was slightly unbalanced and unfortunately overpowered by coconut flavor.
I moved on to the appetizers. I ordered the Grape and Gorgonzola Flatbread—presented on a cute guitar-shaped wooden paddle. Baked to a perfect crispness, the cheese had a sharp, tangy bite, which contrasted nicely with the sweetness of the red grapes. I also tried the Burrata—a soft, cream-filled mozzarella, served on grilled sourdough bread with tomatoes, arugula and a balsamic reduction. When 
cut, the burrata cream spilled out and coated all of the accompaniments, making it reminiscent of a great Caprese salad. Finally, I decided on the Empanadas. I went with one veggie and one chicken. Both variations were fried nicely—crispy, not greasy—and the veggie Empanada reminded me of a tasty, fried version of a Chinese vegetable dumpling. The one stuffed with chicken was heartier and wonderfully flavorful and, chicken-y, if you will.
There are several vegetarian-friendly options on Iridium’s menu, including the Buffalo Cauliflower, a plant-based burger, and of course, their salads, one of which I decided to try. The Shaved Asparagus Salad was one of the only problematic items I encountered that night. First of all, there didn’t seem to be much actual asparagus in it; there was arugula, cherry tomato, and a nice confetti of Parmigiano reggiano cheese sprinkled on top, but I honestly didn’t taste the asparagus. Also, the salad seemed woefully underdressed. The lemon vinaigrette just didn’t have any punch at all. I longed for just a hint more acid and perhaps a touch of salt to make the greens sing. It all read a bit bland to me.
At this point, the entertainment began. The team that owns and operates both The Iridium and Ellen’s Stardust Diner welcomed us to the reopening. The eponymous Ellen Hart then introduced the Harlem Blues Project—four excellent musicians who served up a heaping helping of down-home, Southern style blues.
So… on to the main courses. I had heard that Iridium was known for their burgers, so I tried the one named after the gentleman who had called the club home for so long—the Les Paul Burger. Topped with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions and a rosemary-garlic aioli, it did not disappoint! The sizeable burger was juicy and flavorful, with a luscious texture, and cooked to a perfect medium temperature. Definitely one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time! From 
the entrees category, I sampled the Salmon, which sat on a bed of remarkably tasty French lentils, sautéed spinach and what seemed to be a sweet red wine reduction. The fish was cooked perfectly, with a light char, and while delicious, it could’ve used just a touch more seasoning. A bit of that yummy reduction drizzled onto the Salmon would have added a lovely nuance to the dish. Finally, I wanted to try one of the side dishes, so I went with the Crispy Bacon Brussels. I’m a big fan of Brussels sprouts, and these were terrific. They didn’t seem particularly crispy and I didn’t detect any bacon flavor at all, but to be honest, I still enjoyed them tremendously.
Chef Hernandez and the entire service staff at The Iridium are to be commended. Not only is the menu ample and varied, but the food was, on the whole, excellent. Yes, the food
did take a very long time to come out, but I hope anyone there would’ve realized that this was their first service in two years! The club was practically overflowing with people and the staff had to have been “in the weeds,” as they say. The experience must’ve been almost like opening a new restaurant, and presented many of the same challenges, so although there were glitches in the service, I understood completely!
It’s wonderful to know that New York audiences will be able to get the best in live entertainment again, along with equally good food. Welcome back, Iridium!
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