Jean Georges, New York NY

Jean Georges Vongerichten needs no introduction – with his focus on traditional French cooking and Asian influences and “accessible elegance” he may just have the most ‘down-to-earth’ Michelin 3 Starred restaurant in the world both in terms of price and experience. Lets not forget the man just won the Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant (on top of multiple others in the past) and also runs one of the coolest Blogs out there. After 4 hours of browsing the Metropolitan Museum of Art (honestly, it was supposed to be 3:30 but I got totally mesmerized by the “New American Wing” and Hirst’s “Physical Impossibility” – go, see them now) I realized I was going to be late for my lunch at the Trump International Tower and ran across Central Park.

Arriving literally 1 minute late for my reservation (and now all sweaty but thankful I’d packed dress shoes in my briefcase and been wearing running shoes) I walked up the front steps and was actually a bit shocked when the doors were opened to me and the hostess stand was right there – I was still out of breath! Collecting myself I stated my name and got the “Ah yes, right this way sir” as someone checked my bag and I was led to my table in the left center of the main dining room with a full view of all angles of the interior – first thoughts “wow, what a beautiful space.” Second thoughts, “seriously, what a gorgeous place and these seats are really comfy.”

Greeted immediately by my gracious and friendly yet extremely professional (on par with The French Laundry, for sure) waiter Adam I was offered a wine list – declined – and subsequently brought a menu. Explaining the format, essentially $14 a dish, I asked Adam how many was too many to which he responds “3 plus dessert is generally quite enough food for most, but it really depends on what you order.” Deciding then that four dishes plus dessert would be my goal I began to peruse – coming up with 10 items that sounded delicious and then rounding them down to achieve a good mix of textures, flavors, and influences around my favorite dishes – not making the cut were multiple incredible looking fish dishes, an amazing chicken confit prep, and a couple wonderful asparagus dishes.

Placing my order I was left for a few moments listening to my neighbors (two men, one an author and apparently somewhat famous as 2 separate people stopped by for an autograph, and the other I believe his editor) chat about previous trips to Fat Duck and their back-to-back shutouts on El Bulli – things you certainly don’t hear when dining in Ohio. Listening to them order from the J-G menu in a “been there done that” fashion was sort of cool, but also disappointing – while I love great meals at great places I never want it to feel so “routine” that I don’t get excited by it. My concentration was, however, taken away from them when the bread-man arrived sporting who varieties (only 2?) – an average whole wheat and a vastly better although largely underwhelming French roll. What made the breads for me was the textural and sweet butter and bowl of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to allow customization – a nice touch.

Following the bread shortly was the expected Jean-Georges amuse trio – always based on seasonal ingredients and always unique. Described by Adam’s female assistant the day’s amuse consisted of a Peekytoe Crab Fritter with citrus Aoili, Buffala Mozzarella with dehydrated pineapple, and 'spice soup.’ Starting first with the cheese I was very pleased with the firm texture and good density while the flavor was quite mild and excellent – the additional pineapple contributing some crunch and peaking the more subtle notes of the cheese. Second of the amuses was the spice soup, described as a “seasonal blend” I really cannot say precisely what was in this dish, but the predominant flavor was certainly a mix of mild onion (leeks perhaps?) with hints of parsley and a thick note of what I believe was tarragon – nice, smooth, refreshing and in adequate portion. The final amuse, my favorite, was the crab which tasted much like a mini crab cake in citrus – another refreshing dish.

Finishing up my amuses I waited only about 10 minutes before my first dish arrived and it would actually prove to be my very favorite of the afternoon. Entitled Goat Cheese Gnocchi, Caramelized Baby Artichoke, Parsley everything about the dish was flawless. While called Gnocchi, I personally do not believe the “noodles” contained a bit of flour (Parisian) or potato (Italian) but instead seemed to be creamed Goat Cheese “formed” into Gnocchi, but whatever they were they were mesmerizing solo and only improved by the extraordinary (and texturally appealing) caramelized artichokes combined with a heavy helping of fresh-cut parsley and a clarified butter reduction. Having tried myriad gnocchi dishes in my time I’d place this dish quite high on my “best of” list and honestly almost ordered a second plate.

With my table swept clean of crumbs by the (admittedly awesome) little silver vacuum I waited another 15 minutes or so before dish two arrived - Peekytoe Crab, Asparagus, Mustard, Grapefruit Juice. Honestly, the presentation was gorgeous – I look at the picture and remember how it looked the most of all the dishes – glistening, fresh, and just a pile of crab. Taking a bite I knew I’d gone wrong, however – I should’ve heeded warning to past experiences instead of assuming that everyone can make mustard that tastes like spicy candy (David Kinch.) Great crab, flawlessly prepared and thinly shaved asparagus – then nothing but acid and spice – and way too much of each. While I love bold flavors this was simply too much and as I got towards the bottom I actually began dabbing the crab off with my napkin because whatever nuance was once there was simply lost – and seeing the tuna ribbons presented at the next table only made me regret the choice worse.

A blip on the radar I simply repeated my mental note – don’t order things with mustard. Clearing my palate with some water and some bread I sat and waited for my next dish – the most anticipated of all. Arriving quickly, as though sensing my expectation, Foie Gras Brulee with Pineapple-Meyer Lemon Jam was brought next by Adam and presented nicely. Looking at the dish I decided to sample the foie solo first and took a bite – and all I could taste was butane. Thinking this odd I took another bite with the toasted brioche beneath – sweet butane. Adding a bit of the jam – really sweet and somewhat spicy butane. Flagging Adam I brought this to his attention and the dish was swiftly removed and returned to the kitchen with Adam returning to state that this was “how it is supposed to be, due to the brulee process.” Disagreeing with him he stated I would be brought the same dish with a terrine instead – to which I agreed was fine. After approximately 15 minutes I was brought another dish of the Foie, by the female server – and it was bruleed. Assessing the taste again solo the foie was vastly more succulent this time and had no taste of butane, only the expected fatty and smooth mouth-feel and crackling top – excellent. Topping with the jam and tasting the dish as it was supposed to be – perfect and with great contrast from the sweet/sticky jam to the mellow/smooth foie to the sweet, crispy, and textural brioche. A great dish I must admit I was a little peeved that someone actually told me the first dish was prepared correctly.

Cleaning my foie plate and using the rest of the superb jam to sweeten a piece of French bread I awaited my final dish for a short period of time (again greeted with the crumb sweeper.) Arriving quickly, another highly touted dish - Sweetbreads, Lightly Pickled White Asparagus, Coriander, Orange arrived and absolutely shined. Lightly panko coated and pan fried the sweetbreads were expertly prepared and without doubt the best I’ve had. With their creamy/fatty texture well contrasted by the crispness of the Asparagus I found an additional degree of nuance with the mild acidic pickled flavor working very well along with both the spicy coriander sauce and the sweet yet non-acidic orange sauce – a nearly Asian presentation of sweetbreads and quite ample in portion – excellent.

Finished with the savories I decided to linger for a bit and order coffee. Provided by Le Méridien I can definitely say that this was one of the better house coffees I’ve had in quite some time with subtle nuttiness and very notable sweetness even before adding equal – much better thought out than that of other eateries and clearly showing that J-G doesn’t skimp on “small things.” Browsing the dessert menu I asked Adam whether he recommended Chocolate or Caramel and after debating the options decided to go with Chocolate when he told me it was a new presentation created only a week prior. Presented in short order, the dessert called simply “Chocolate” and featuring Jean Georges Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Chocolate Noodles with White Chocolate Ice Cream and Mint Broth was presented along with the caramel/chocolate lollipop from the caramel dish “as a gift from the kitchen.” Starting with the Lollipop I was struck by the darkness of the chocolate and found it to be quite delicious while the caramel interior was also quite tasty, but assured me I’d made the right dessert choice. Before I could move on to the cake I was stopped to get a picture of the marshmallow, chocolate, and macaron presentation. Very cool – and how can you possibly beat a big pile of dessert covering your table?

Picture taken and wide-eyed I did indeed proceed next to the cake and ice cream. Chocolaty, Rich, smooth as silk, and with a liquid center the flavors were absolutely wonderful and paired very nicely with the ice cream while the chocolate crumble lent varying texture. Great, but not as amazing as the version at Scarpetta, I next moved on to the second half of the dish – the chocolate noodles with white chocolate ice cream and mint broth. Clearly playing on both temperature and textural contrasts to with the room temperature broth, warmer slick noodles, and (obviously) cold ice cream I personally found the noodles to be quite flavorless aside from hints of cocoa, but the mélange of flavors created by the ice cream and the broth was delectable. Overall a good dessert and quite creative, but not mindblowing like Ssam’s or Scarpetta’s (or later Alto’s and the Modern.)

Moving on to the Marshmallow’s next – my handwriting is terrible but I believe they were Raspberry, Coconut, and Apricot – sure they were airy, tasty, and fun, but honestly – they all tasted pretty much the same – like soft froot loops. Next up, the Macarons – the smallest I’ve ever seen yet incredibly flavorful and featuring Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, Caramel, and Citrus – too small to truly examine the texture and crumb, but a good crack to the shell and then dissolving into soft tones that lingered on the palate. Finally the chocolates - Coconut, Hazelnut, Burnt Honey, Mint – all excellent, but the burnt honey being particularly memorable with its shell breaking and a wonderful lavender honey filling the senses from tongue to nostril.

When the meal was completed Adam came to my table and asked me if there was anything else he could do for me – and brought me a copy of the menu signed by Chef Vongerichten “Happy Cooking, Michael” who had apparently had left for a meeting around 1pm. As I had been collecting Macarons for my mother while in NYC I asked if there was any way I could have some of the dainty cookies boxed up – absolutely was the response – and so it was done. Making my way to the door I was handed my bag as well as a white bag with gold emblazoned JG and 16 of the cookies – with three people asking me how I enjoyed my meal and wishing me a safe trip and a return soon I was escorted to the door.

In the end I liked my meal at Jean-Georges a lot and definitely understand its clout in the New York Culinary scene. Great ambiance, wonderful and friendly service, class, elegance, and a world class chef. What bothers me about my visit, however, was the food – it just wasn’t as refined or dish-to-dish amazing as Le Bernardin, The French Laundry, Charlie Trotters, Alex, La Folie, Manresa, the Modern or Providence – there were misses and poor preparations – even an excuse from the kitchen/wait-staff. Sure on the whole things were great and the food was good, but for the “Outstanding Restaurant” and Michelin’s 3 Stars – let’s just say I’ve had better. A great deal, a great meal, and I’d go back – but not as soon as I’d rush back to others.

Good Enough to Eat, Two Little Red Hens, La Maison du Chocolate, New York NY

Vastly unimpressed by my visit to Norma’s (great food, worst service ever) on my last trip to New York and quite impressed by the myriad great bakeries my original plan was to not sit down for any “proper” breakfasts while I was in New York – I wasn’t about to wait 2 hours for Clinton Street and, on my previous trip to Shopsin’s the place just seemed very stand-offish and ‘sceney.’ Browsing the online reviews I read of a lady named Carrie Levin and a store called “Good Enough To Eat,” however, and it piqued my interest – especially considering the impressive “down home” breakfast I had at Dottie’s during my trip to San Francisco. Pancakes, French Toast, and a bakery case with cupcakes sold me.

With plans for the Met before lunch and then a long tour of Chelsea I arrived at GETE approximately 10 minutes after they opened the doors and there was no line. Seated promptly at a small table (oddly with another solo diner despite the place being near empty) I was amused by the quaint appearance and amazed at how fast the place filled up – literally, full by 8:25. Expecting good things I browsed the menu and made my selection plus a coffee and a water. Checking the bakery case there were no cupcakes present and most of the pies/cakes simply didn’t look overwhelming so I held off to see if more would appear as the meal progressed.

Waiting for approximately 10 minutes as the restaurant filled up I asked my server once again about my coffee – the (very) young girl responded “oh, I forgot.” Fine and dandy, I guess – “my water too, please.” Waiting another 5 minutes I got my coffee – the water would come shortly thereafter. The coffee, quite frankly, was terrible – a mix between Folgers and something worse even with equal (brought by myself from Bouchon the previous day.) Sitting and waiting I looked around at the amusing baubles and trinkets strewn across the room and had an peculiar Cracker Barrel meets Bob Evans kinda vibe – it suddenly occurred to me that, perhaps, some of the appeal of this place was simply that New York City doesn’t have “down home cookin’” in the plethoric number that Ohio does.

Another 5 minutes passed and my order arrived – called “Good Enough to Eat French Toast” the dish was apparently the house signature and for an extra $2.50 I added the cocoa, sugar, raisins, and walnuts to the cinnamon-swirl bread, maple syrup, and ‘famous’ strawberry butter. Despite the awfulness I requested another cup of coffee to go with the dish – at $3 I at least wanted my caffeine fix – and it took until I was nearly done to receive it (and I’m pretty sure the waitress said MAYBE 10 words during the whole course of the meal.)

First tasting the butter I was quite underwhelmed – it tasted like standard grocery store butter mixed with a bit of sugar – I could barely taste fruit, let alone strawberry. Next, examining the dish, I wasn’t really sure what I paid the $2.50 extra for, but whatever it was there is no way the “topping” should have cost extra – all 7 walnuts, 6 raisins, and cocoa of it – I’m certainly not cheap, but I don’t like getting ripped off either. Topping the bread and “topping” with some “famous butter” and syrup I dug in. My first impression – no lie –was “my mom used to make this out of wonder-bread, eggs, and skim milk with cinnamon – but she cooked it more firm.” Eggy, limp, boring – barely “Good Enough to Eat.” Finishing up and sipping my water to cleanse my palate I asked for the check – a check that took about 10 minutes to arrive and was simply set down in front of me without a word. Paying with credit, per always, a small tip was left – along with some written “tips” on how to be a better server – life is all about feedback.

I’m from the Midwest – in the Midwest we do “home cooking” and although I haven’t been to Bob Evans or Cracker Barrel in easily 7 years I would go to either before ever going back to GETE. Dottie’s this is not…one of the worst breakfasts in recent memory it was. I’d sooner go to Norma’s again.

Disappointed/annoyed but leaving GETE by 8:50 and not even close to full I strolled across Central Park only to make it to The Met 20 minutes before opening – and the line was about 200 deep. Having done my research I knew that two “agenda” stops were nearby and decided to keep right on walking and head back to the Met when things settled down. No cupcakes at GETE – time to get some cupcakes at Two Little Red Hens!

Having read very good reviews of Two Little Red Hens despite its obscure location I admit I went in with high – but tempered- expectations, especially given my breakfast. Walking up to the shop it certainly appeared quaint and entering the doors I was struck by its uncanny farmhouse resemblance to Good Enough to Eat. Greeted pleasantly by one of two friendly young ladies and offered a sample of the lemon pound cake the service was already better than GETE and browsing the selections I decided two would be optimal – first selecting the standard Red Velvet and then asking the other lady what she suggested – Black and White – I made my purchase (a bargain $2.75 each considering the size) plus a coffee (an organic fair trade blend whose name I unfortunately forget – though it was quite tasty.)

Making my way to the street and the bright New York Sunlight I stopped to photograph my cakes and decided to dig right in – clearly confusing a short elderly lady who stopped to ask why I was taking pictures of my cupcakes “like a dang fool.” Ignoring her and taking a bite of the red velvet my tastebuds jumped for joy – THAT is what Red Velvet tastes like! Truly creamy cream cheese frosting that is dense but aerated, super moist cake with a great cocoa base but hints of vanilla, and a perfect cake to frosting ratio – the best Red Velvet I’ve tried outside of Bouchon Las Vegas and the one at Bouchon only gets the nod for the cake density and the fact that it was filled.

Unable to resist I next took a bite of the Black and White cupcakes – apparently a mix of the “Brooklyn Blackout” and Vanilla according to the sales girl – and another run-away winner. Half Vanilla with creamy and airy white frosting, half chocolate with a thick ganache and entirely excellent in taste, texture, and proportion. Paired with the coffee the cupcake was actually possibly even more delicious – almost as if the coffee had been selected (Citizen Cake or French Laundry style) to “compliment” the sweets. Having now been to Magnolia, SSS, Babycakes, Crumbs, Dessert Club, Amy’s, Ruthy’s, Eleni’s, and Bouchon in NYC only Chef Keller can hold a candle to the Hens and that is DEFINITELY a compliment.

With one last stop on my morning walk before heading to the museum I decided to make the trip south to the Madison Avenue La Maison du Chocolat. While I am not really a chocolate guy, I do admit I can tell the difference between a good chocolate and an average one - additionally, my aunt is a chocolate lady and as such I made it a point of my trip to New York to get her some chocolates from La Maison.

Despite my lack of love for “chocolates,” I do love macarons that comes from my mother who loves the amazing little cookies. Not having the opportunity to try the originals in Paris, I will admit I've tried a number here stateside from Keller's at Bouchon to Paulette's in Beverly Hills to my personal favorites - those at Pistachia Vera in Columbus.....or, I should say my previous personal favorites.

Recommended by another foodie I really didn't figure one Macaron could be THAT much better than all the others previously tasted - and I was wrong. With smalls at $2.50 each (a single bite - or two if you want to stretch it) and larges $5.00 (3-4 bites) both varieties were perfect - a light and airy crumb, heavenly intense yet creamy filling, that familar "crack" of the shell giving way to a transcendent pillow of flavor.

Sampling a large chocolate with chocolate ganache center, and two smalls -pistacchio with chocolate cream center, and a caramel with chocolate center each were amazing and buying my mother two larges at the time (and a box of smalls the day before I left town, at the Wall Street Shop) she was able to sample the wonder as well. Refined, perfect - pricey but every bit worth it.

As noted above, I visited both the UES and the Wall Street Shops during my visit and found the service at Wall Street to be much more friendly (giving me a sample of a candied honeycomb and a dark chocolate covered prune while I shopped for my aunt's chocolates) while the selection was better and less picked over - to be fair, there was almost an air of snootiness to the lady at the Madison Avenue joint, who despite my shirt, tie, and blazer acted as if I "didn't belong" because I told her I was uncertain which chocolates I wanted as I was shopping for my aunt – thus preventing me from buying them on the initial visit but instead holding off until the following day (05/20,) a day on which both the chocolates and the macarons I bought were actually removed from the mailer direct from Paris and handled with white gloves from removal to placement in my box/bag which was tied with a golden bow.

Momofuku Ssam, Dessert Club Chickalicious, Build a Green Bakery, New York NY

So I didn’t get into Ko – because of their (admittedly frustrating when it works against you) egalitarian system and “leave a message” phone policy I unfortunately had to give up a lunch reservation the day prior when my friend bailed. Disappointed but still a fan of Chang’s concepts I tried out Milk Bar and was met with a bit of hit and miss – an average pork bun for a high price and a great slice of pie for a good price. Still not dissuaded and having plans with my friends for the Yankees game that evening that precluded a long and elaborate dinner I figured Ssam would be a safe bet for an early dinner (after an admittedly leisurely lunch at Le Bernardin and some less-than-stellar museum hopping and shopping earlier in the day.) Looking into the appropriate Subway Line to get me to the stadium I was glad to see the 4 ran right past Ssam and figured I’d easily have an hour for dinner before having to hop the subway. Before dinner I stopped and picked up some game-time snacks at Dessert Club and Build-A-Green Bakery then made my way to Ssam where I walked up literally one minute before they unlocked the doors.

The first one there I was pleasantly surprised by the Led Zeppelin playing across the stereo (Night Flight – followed by Houses of the Holy, 10 Years Gone, and Moby Dick plus some Rush and Stones) and told to sit “wherever I liked.” Wanting to watch the kitchen and chat with the staff I opted for the bar, took a seat, grabbed a menu, and sipped my water (once again, like Noodle Bar, the water-refills were literally nonstop.) Inquiring about the hams and a few other items I opted to go with one appetizer, one main, and save some room for dessert – placing my order I sat back, listened to the great tunes, and watched the place literally fill up within 25 minutes of opening. Chatting with two of my servers about everything from New York to Medicine to music I must admit that although I love formal/classic service, there is something to say about the tattooed hipster servers who keep things extremely professional yet can also interact personally at places like Ssam, CUT, and other “upscale yet trendy) places.

After less than 10 minutes my first dish arrived - pork and foie gras terrine – toasted bread, quince, pickled ramps, and maple. Clearly not the level of pretense laid upon most foie preps, the cold terrine was actually quite bizarre in appearance with “cubes” of foie intermingled in a chopped ham pate. Uncertain what to expect I took a bite and, honestly, was blown away – the taste was not expected. Unthinkably the smoky and textural ham lent a nice foil to the fatty and smooth foie and the two ingredients melded well as a spread for the still-warm bread. Hints of maple, I think blended with the ham, took on a greater accent when the quince jelly was added to the mix while the pickled ramps added another degree of acidic-yet-savory crunch to the dish. Inventive and wonderful – I’d order it again.

Watching the preparation in the wide open kitchen for a bit and chuckling as one of the cooks apparently brewed up some sort of strange cocktail that many of the staff were drinking I sipped my water and chatted with another patron at the bar for about 10 minutes before my main course arrived - bell & evan's fried chicken with ramps, morels, egg. Not generally one to order chicken, after the miraculous piece at Crop two days prior and the accoutrements being two of my very favorite things (morels and eggs) everything about this dish just sounded right – and it was. Flawlessly tender and exquisitely succulent I was actually glad that the server had told me the chicken was a “blend of dark and white basted with pork fat” prior to ordering it or I’d have been dumbfounded as to how someone managed to make white meat so juicy yet crispy and well done. Complemented beautifully with the sensuous and aromatic morels plus fresh and mildly pungent ramps and smoothed out with the creamy egg yolk – arguably the best fried chicken preparation I’ve ever had and challenged only by the miraculous version at San Francisco’s famed Boulevard.

Two stellar courses down I’d already scouted ahead on the menu and read of a dessert simply too unique to pass up. Titled beet and lime ganache - goats milk frozen yogurt, pistachio the dish was actually beautifully creative resembling an artist’s pallet with the ganache painted against one side of the bowl and the yogurt and nuts at the base. Tasting first the ganache I was instantly impressed by the complex interplay of the sour lime and the earthy beet, yet how smooth the overall texture was on the tongue. Next tasting the frozen yogurt and pistachio I was surprised at the overall saltiness but wowed at how the creamy vibrance of the yogurt worked with the crunch and texture of the nuts. Finally, mixing all three components together I truly “got” the dish as everything just worked together to touch every part of the tongue and truly create a whole new dish – difficult to explain but definitely a case where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts and the most challenging yet impressive dessert I’d experienced since Providence.

Chatting with my servers a bit more and assured I was headed in the right direction to the Subway I paid my bill and made my departure – the whole meal lasting about 45 minutes but not feeling rushed in any way, shape, or form. Honestly, if Chang didn’t have his reputation – which is well deserved – Ssam, just like noodle bar, would be one of those “neighborhood places” that the locals knew and loved but outsiders never heard about – it just has that feel. Thankfully, though, Chang does have his reputation and outsiders like myself are graced with a chance to experience such “haute-home-style” fusion food.

As previously noted, making my way to the Yankee game with no intention of sampling Stadium Food, I had indeed planned ahead with some travel snacks – the first from Build a Green Bakery. Having read a bit about this organic subsidiary of City Bakery and hearing a stellar review from a friend about their cornbread I made a special point to stop – unfortunately they were out of cornbread…but fortunately they had blueberry cornbread (even better!) Purchasing one to go for $3 and consuming it hours later in Yankee Stadium I have to say – for vegan, that is some damned good Cornbread. Texturally complex with the expected cornmeal mouth-feel and additional whole kernels of corn contrasting with the super sweet and fresh whole blueberries - while not quite as good as Arizmendi’s Cherry Scone Cornbread, certainly excellent and reason enough to stop back and check out their other options.

The second snacks, also much hyped by the same friend as well as members of various food-circles, were two cupcakes from Dessert Club Chickalicious. Claimed by many to be the best cupcakes in Manhattan, and already having tried some darned good ones at Babycakes and Bouchon, I have to admit I was a bit surprised at the tiny size of the shop and the fact that there was a short line waiting to get in. Browsing the menu it definitely seemed like “my kinda place” but I wanted something portable so the molten cake, bread pudding, and others would have to wait.

Making my way in I was greeted by a (admittedly overworked) somewhat surly employee who clearly wanted me in, out, and on my way quickly and actively sighed when I took a picture of the cupcake case. $1.60 for the Red Velvet and $2.25 for the s’mores I simply handed the fella $4 and made my way out.

Surviving the 4-train to Yankee Stadium after dinner at Ssam I first tasted the Red Velvet while walking from the train to the stadium – tiny, light, and fluffy I could have easily managed the cake in a single bite but instead held out for two. Appropriately cocoa-accented but with an odd – slickness, if you will – to the frosting – it almost tasted Crisco which I’m sure it wasn’t…good but not great. The second cupcake, which made it until the 4^th inning, was vastly superior and actually one of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. Featuring a gingery and moist cake beyond reproach, dense chocolate ganache, and a topping that tasted (and had the texture) of burnt marshmallows with a woody tone and all – excellent. Definitely enough reason to go back and try some other specialty cupcakes in the future, or to sample the real-deal Chickalicious across the street.

Happy and full the Yankees blasted some early inning runs while the game remained largely uneventful (and got quite cold) until the 7th when the Twins tried to make it interesting again – a great food day in total, featuring 3 Michelin starred Chefs, three cupcakes, and a whole lot of good memories and tastes.

Le Bernardin, New York NY

Having had my first “Michelin Three Star” experience at the famed French Laundry in February – further enhanced by a requested extended tasting menu specially prepared by Chef Lee himself – I was thrilled to find out that reservations at New York’s Three Star Establishments didn’t take 2-months-to-the-date-at-10:00am-reservations to get in…I was further enthralled by the fact that they offered lunch with the same quality service and mostly the exact same menu options. Knowing that I’d have three lunches available and browsing the museum and gallery schedule I decided Le Bernardin would be optimal for a Monday Lunch after the Guggenheim and Neue – although I must admit I didn’t quite expect the huge mass of persons I encountered on the way there as Pratt was celebrating graduation at the Radio City Music Hall.

A great admirer of Chef Ripert’s long-term tenure in the kitchen of Le Bernardin despite his many other ventures – something a number of other entrepreneur chefs have not managed – and having recently browsed through On The Line I must say I very much anticipated the visit before even walking through the doors and was particularly impressed by the correspondence via e-mail – timely, professional, and accommodating to say the least. Arriving approximately 10 minutes late for my 12:30 reservation I was greeted promptly by the host/hostess combination at the stand and with my bag checked was told “Dr. U, I asked the chef to sign a copy of the menu for you and I’ll place it with your bag if that is okay.” Before even taking my seat I was impressed!

Taking a seat in the large and open dining room I have to admit I was a bit surprised – nothing like the intimacy of The Laundry, but just as professional and fluid in all motions. A small bar up front featured a small man dining alone and drinking champagne while the rest of the room was approximately half full – at least for the first 45 minutes until many of the Pratt graduates began showing up for a celebratory lunch (a very refined and quiet group of individuals, I was duly impressed.) Seated at the table next to me – two well heeled elderly lawyers who, from my unintentional eves dropping, clearly knew the NYC dining scene quite well – to the extent that the waiters knew them by name and Chef Ripert personally came to their table and had a 5-10 minute conversation later on (more on this interesting bit later.)

Greeted pleasantly by my primary server (and later by his 5-6 assistants) I was glad to have a single primary thoughout the meal – much like TFL (and thankfully nothing like the assembly line at Manresa.) Presented with the extensive menu of amazing sounding fishes the lunch format was explained and when I asked if I could order an extra course to replicate dinner I was assured that would be “wonderful.” Having already extensively drooled (I mean read) over the online menu I must admit I still had some trouble deciding on my courses and while I was deciding I was brought a complimentary glass of champagne (-$34 on the bill,) a nice touch even though I know little about wines and champagnes I liked it more than the ones provided at TFL and Trotters. After a short while I best assessed how to maximize my experience with tastes and textures and made my order.

Shortly after placing my order I was brought Le Bernardin’s signature “amuse” if you will – toasted country bread with salmon crème spread. Not typically a fan of salmon (or ‘spreads’ for that matter) I have to say I was a little hesitant at first and placed only a small amount on the bread – the smell was clean and un-fishy and the taste – wow. Creamy and zesty, meaty yet refined and well seasoned – every aspect from the cream to the fish simply melted in the mouth while the bread lent appropriate texture. Having already seen the extensive bread basket walk by once I tried to take it easy on this dish but will admit I finished nearly 3/4 of the spread between the toasted bread and the basket bread.

As if reading my mind, the next person to stop by my table was indeed the bread man – and oh what a bounty he carried. Although not all at once, I did manage to sample each of his options throughout the 140 minute meal and each was quite good while two were standouts and one would make my “last meal” bread basket for sure (an ever evolving list with TFLs Pain au Lait, Providence’s Bacon Brioche, Crop’s Cornbread, Alex’s Cranberry Sunflower seed, and Trotter’s Emmenthal Cheese Roll.) Each served warm and with a mildly flavorful cow’s-milk butter sans salt the French roll and Whole Wheat were quite good though largely standard while the brioche, multi grain, and fig+date bread were all quite excellent examples of how to make a complex yet complimentary bread. The champion of the breads, however, was an extraordinary olive demi-baguette laced with rosemary that was almost “breadstick-like” in its crust to center ratio and absolutely loaded with flavorful yet sweet olives – after a year of searching, finally an olive bread better than Gramercy Tavern.

Approximately 15 minutes after placing my order, my first dish – from the “Raw” menu was brought – entitled Tuna - Layers of thinly pounded yellowfin, foie gras on toasted baguette, shaved chives and Olive Oil I thought I had some clue of what to expect, but what I receive toppled any expectations and set the bar for everything that followed. Quite honestly, to simply call this tuna “thinly pounded yellowfin” is an insult – what it was, in fact, was as smooth, succulent, and melt-in-your-mouth as good toro and the flavor was peaked yet not at all lost or masked by the wonderful chives. Contributing to the overall mouth-feel was the complexity of the rich olive oil and beneath the flattened fish, a surprise of sorts – a small strip of toasted bread topped with a 1/4 inch thick terrine of foie gras. While unnecessary to make the dish great, the mildness of the fish actually allowed the taste and texture of the liver to shine through and the baguette added a bit of nuance and texture – all told a few simple ingredients in small portions used to their maximum - a theme I’d seen at The French Laundry and would experience with each subsequent dish at Le Bernardin.

Dish two, from the lightly touched portion of the menu, was named Crab- Stuffed Zucchini Flowers with Peekytoe Crab and Black Truffle Sauce. Like the previous dish, the name tells the story in “what” you get, but it does not come close to portraying the miraculous flavor. Fresh crab, flawlessly prepared Zucchini Flowers, and a sauce poured tableside that tastes largely like truffles dissolved in a buttery seafood stock – my only complaint would be that if allowed I’d have eaten twenty instead of two. Not the “must order” level of the Tuna, but certainly one of the nicest crab presentations I’ve had.

For my main course I have to admit there were approximately six options that sounded remarkable, but given my love for langoustines I ended up choosing Bass-Langoustine - Baked Wild Striped Bass and Langoustine; Confit Tomato Agolotti; Bouillabaisse Consomme and Curry Emulsion – and I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. Though I cannot be positive as I’ve had some truly remarkable fishes in my time, I can definitely state confidently that this dish was on par with the very best. Texturally the fish was indeed called baked – but however it was baked certainly isn’t a result I achieve when baking fish – this “baked fish” was on par with the succulent sous-vide options at TFL, Providence, and Manresa – flavorful, fresh, and perfect. Complimenting the fish were several small pockets of the most flavorful tomato pasta I’ve ever tasted and a pair of sauces poured tableside – a bouillabaisse that tasted like the very essence of the sea and a curry emulsion that provided less spice than would be expected, but instead a salty/savory “thickness” to the broth. Three-Star or not, I asked for an extra piece of brioche to mop the plate clean – truly a superb dish.

Shortly following the main course my waiter stopped by and smiled – “wow, you must’ve really loved that” he laughed. Collecting the plate he said “give me a moment before dessert, I’ll see if the chef has time to say hello.” Approximately 5 minutes later Chef Ripert made his second appearance in the dining room to say hello and ask how I was enjoying the meal – pleasant and nonchalant we talked for a few moments, shook hands, and he was off to visit another table in back. Moments later my waiter appeared again with “a gift from the kitchen” and seeing what he brought I smiled boldly. Described as Egg - milk chocolate pot de creme, caramel foam, maple syrup, maldon sea salt the dish was amazing. The first “Dessert egg” I’ve ever received, it is hard to compare to other famous preps, but considering egg dishes are amongst my favorite approaches to haute cuisine I must say this one was amazing. Layered, textural, creamy, sweet and savory at once – the most cloudlike egg custard perched beneath carmel foam and atop a creamy chocolate/syrup layer with crunchy bits of salt – there was no way dessert could top pre-dessert.

Still gushing internally about meeting Chef Ripert and eating that sublime Egg I was next brought my real dessert and a basket of mignardises. Entitled Chocolate-Sweet Potato - Dark Amedei Chocolate Ganache, Sweet Potato Pearls and Sorbet, Pistachio, Palm Sugar, Vanilla Salt this was my second day in a row of the amazing Tuscan chocolate, albeit this time as a ganache as opposed to a lava cake. Once again accompanied by ingredients to naturally enhance both the sweets and bitters of this extraordinary chocolate, Le Bernardin took it another step further with the addition of a vanilla salt that brought out the chocolate’s more floral tones beautifully. The additional sweet potato components completed the dish with a myriad of textures from the cool and creamy sorbet to the gelatinous pearls and the crunch of the tuille. The included basket of mignardises consisted of two types of cookie - Pistachio financiers and Coconut Madelines both of which were fresh, warm, and melted in the mouth bringing a wonderful meal to an end.

All told I left Le Bernardin amazed by the food and level of service, but somewhat saddened that seafood of such a caliber simply doesn’t exist in the Midwest – Chef Ripert’s talents, clearly honed over many years, combined with excellent fresh fish were simply redefining of what can be done with creatures of the sea – as much so or better than what I experienced at Providence. Another note of sadness came from the conversation I overheard at the table next to me in which the men asked Chef Ripert if he planned to retire when the lease ran out. Chef Ripert responded “well, certainly not if we renew” to which the man responded “well, when I talked to Maguy she said that didn’t seem very likely.” After a short pause the chef stated, “we’ll, I’m certainly not retiring either way, and who knows – things could turn around” and the men said “Good – New York needs you.” All that noted, if Le Bernardin should close its doors when the lease runs out I will be honored to have had a chance to eat there and would recommend anyone who has not had the privilege to do so soon. If they don’t renew the lease, you’ll be grateful to have had the chance – if they do, you’ll probably want to go back – I know I do.