We were celebrating Steve & Mary's birthdays but this group doesn't seem to need a reason to go out to eat. Excitement had been building all week long and when the big day arrived we started off in style ~ champagne in the hotel room! Alan and I started with a 2007 Kutch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir as we waited for everyone to arrive. When the six of us were together we toasted the evening and the birthdays with a 2000 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut and a 1995 Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Brut.
After those bottles quickly disappeared it was time to walk over for our 6:30pm reservation. Upon entering the lovely, modestly decorated eatery located at 11 Madison Avenue with it's super high ceilings and soft maple accents, we were greeted by name from the waiting maitre d'. Our table was a spacious oval located immediately behind the entrance wall with direct line of vision to the bar.
Susan: Langoustine, Lobster, Sweetbreads & Chocolate
Rich: Foie Gras (seared), Potato, Mushroom & Fig
Steve: Beet, Potato, Pork & Pistachio
Mary: Foie Gras (seared), Parsnip, Mushroom & Plum
Alan: Lettuce, Tilefish, Sweetbreads & Chocolate
Jenn: Foie Gras (terrine), Lobster, Squab & Fig
Wines by the bottle were ordered including the 2002 Le Brun Servenay Vieilles Vignes Brut, 2007 Pousse d'Or Clos des 60 Ouvrees Volnay Premier Cru, 2008 Rhys Family Farm San Mateo Pinot Noir, 1996 Rocche dei Manzoni Vigna d'la Roul Barolo.
Course 1: Black & White
Created in Utica, NY as a way to use up leftover cake batter, these cookies are a New York staple at every bakery and diner. The first course of our evening was a savory take on the tradition cookie with black truffle and Parmesan. My take on this course was that while cute and theme appropriate it didn't pack that first bite awesome I have come to love at fine restaurants (think salmon tartare ice cream cone at French Laundry ~ if you've had it, you'll always remember it).
Course 2: Apple
Smoked tea with celery root and apple chips. The chips were a mixture of different flavors and consistency from melt away delicate to super crispy. The tea was excellent in my opinion. I loved this course. The interaction of getting to open your little pouch to find the chips inside and the smells that accompanied the whole dish were so very Fall in New York State.
Course 3: Tomato
This was a crowd favorite. A gelee of tomato with gooseberries and tarragon suspended throughout. A light, slightly sweet, refreshing sort of course it was easy to eat and delightful.
Course 4: Cucumber
This is the first course I heard a rumbling of something other than glee. The course was covered in a cucumber snow that I thought looked beautiful but lacked flavor. It had lapsang souchong and tarragon for texture and spice but was rather forgettable.
Course 5: Sturgeon
I loved, loved, loved this course. Presented in pieces you constructed your dish. It came with the smoked sturgeon that was perfection and accompanied by everything bagel crumbs, pickles and caviar plus creme fresh and toast points. I could have just eaten this one all night. Loved the salty, smokey combinations.
Course 6: Variety
I had the foie gras terrine with toast points, Mary & Rich both had the foie gras torchon with maple, walnuts and cremini mushrooms. Susan had the langoustine with fennel, sour cherries and clam. Alan had the lettuce salad with yogurt, sunflower and apple and Steve had beets roasted with horseradish, rye and wasabi. What I remember about this course was that the foie gras dishes were killer, the langoustine pretty good and both the lettuce and beets nothing but average.
Course 7: Carrot
This course was presented to us along with dialog from our server as he attached a hand crank ricer to the table and proceeded to slice up finely several beautiful New York State carrots. The course was a take on tartare served with rye bread and condiments. The condiments were numerous - salts, egg, capers, onion...little amounts of each. I dumped all of mine into the carrot concoction and ate it on my bread. I thought the presentation and hands on approach was fun and unique but it didn't matter how fresh or how many ingredients, nothing could disguise that it was carrots and not beef or tuna. I don't love carrots so this was a miss for me.
Back at our table, Susan and I both selected the lobster poached and served with escarole and almond. Mary went with the parsnip. Alan selected tilefish poached with turnip, radish and dill. Steve & Rich both chose the potato baked with pike roe, bonito and bay leaf. I really liked my lobster dish, just wish is was more than that small bite. Alan's tilefish was magnificent. The potato was pretty salty-spicy and the parsnip was totally bland.
Course 9: Clam Bake
A take on the traditional New England Clam Bake, this course had clams, tomato, corn and zucchini. Now let me put it out there. I LOVE CLAMS. Seriously, love them. My favorite shellfish to be sure. This course didn't do it for me. I could barely find the clams in my dish. It came across as a few bites of vegetables and no distinguishable flavor. When we were at EMP a year ago they did a dish akin to this one but it consisted of the most heavenly clam chowder. I missed that dish.
Course 10: Variety
I had the roasted squab with plum, kale and bone marrow. Excellent dish. Steve selected the winner of the round, the pork confit with red cabbage, black bean and grey peas. Alan and Susan didn't hesitate to go for the sweetbreads glazed and served with hazelnuts, fennel and pear. Mary & Rich both tried the mushroom dish. This course was pretty great across the board.
Course 11: Add On, Muscovy Duck
Yes, we added on a course. Couldn't help it. Duck breast smoked and served with heart, sesame and pickled lettuce roasted with lavender and honey, apple and quinoa. By the time the duck came we were starting to lose steam. It had already been about four hours. The duck was perfect. Perfectly medium rare and red inside, perfectly seasoned and perfect to the taste. It was fantastic and I'm glad we added it to the meal.
Course 12: Greensward
New York style pretzel served with mustard and tiny pints of beer. Loved the pretzel, didn't try and beer but I think everyone else liked it.
Course 13: Malt
Egg cream malt with vanilla and seltzer. It was great - an almost a pallet cleanser.
Course 14: Variety
For our final personalized course Rich and I went with glazed fig served prepared with orange, sage and tapioca. Mary choose plum that was marinated along with jasmine and cashew. Alan, Steve and Susan to no one's surprise opted for chocolate (they were able to select dark or milk and all went with dark) with lavendar, orange and Maldon salt. That course was the winner though in fairness I could barely eat anything at this point.
Manhattan Cart - cocktails tableside
I have no idea how they did this but Alan, Susan & Mary still managed room for another drink. Made tableside, they had Manhattans stirred and served.
They came around with another course of chocolate and performed a card trick. The card you got managed to coincide with the ingredient under your plate that was the ingredient inside your chocolate. Cute and fun...mine was mint so I was a happy camper.
Remaining Courses, 15, 16 & 17
Huckleberry goat cheese cheesecake with lime
Pretzel covered in chocolate with sea salt
Soft, sweet black & white cookies
Homemade granola
In summary...this is a super special, once in a lifetime (or three, depending on your threshold for gastronmical adventures) meal. We were there for over six hours. While it didn't live up to the last experience Alan and I had before they changed the format this is still one of the best restaurants in Manhattan. I could use with a little less of the theatrics, a few less courses and more of the traditional dishes. But all in all, a super night.
Zagat: 28-28-28
Michelin (before the new format): Three Stars
Jenn's Rating: 95
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