Compelling Comparisons: Whose Boat Are We On, Anyway?

Soho: Perhaps it was only a matter of time before New York got another nautical themed, yacht-like restaurant. But we gotta say, Soho West newcomer Harbour looks eerily similar to Soho East's subterranean mainstay Lure. Though Harbour occupies a much longer and slimmer space than the broad sub-divided Lure, the rounded banquettes, the color scheme, the wood interiors—they're all there.

Harbour chef/owner Joe Isidori tells us the design stems from co-owner's Richard Schaeffer's "passion for boats, being on the water, and luxury yachts," so the design was a no brainer. He notes that while the restaurants may look similar, the food will be very different. As for Lure owner John McDonald, he's fairly diplomatic about the whole thing:

"I certainly didn't invent the idea of building a restaurant inspired by yacht-design. While it seems like they picked some very familiar materials, colors and shapes from the photos you posted, I think Serge Becker's design at Lure is quite unique. I look forward to checking it out."