Jean Georges and Nougatine 2005 - 2008

[BryanZ]

A jacket is not required for the main room during lunch.  Many people are pretty casual at lunch.  With that said, however, I always wear a jacket when I'm there, but that's just me. 

Don't bet on walking in.  Definitely try to make a reservation, as all the times I've been there for lunch, the room has been full.

On a personal note, get the strawberry foie gras terrine.  It's an awesome dish.

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Ditto on the balsamic strawberry foie gras - I had a bite of my friend's last night, and it was FANTASTIC.

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I've had most of the summer menu at lunch and dinner and the foie dish is the only thing I've conciously ordered twice.

[baw]

bryanZ - Im heading there next week for lunch. Any highlights or lowlights aside from the foie dish? It will be a special meal for my parents visiting from Pittsburgh, so any tips to help them order wisely would be great!

[BryanZ]

bryanZ - Im heading there next week for lunch.  Any highlights or lowlights aside from the foie dish?  It will be a special meal for my parents visiting from Pittsburgh, so any tips to help them order wisely would be great!

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If you don't know the format, it's $12/course with a 2 course minimum. In addition, you'll receive a very nice trio of amuses, chocolates, macaroons, and their signature marshmallows. Personally, I recommend 3 courses, which is actually more like 5, with the amuse and complimentary "desserts". With that much food, you will be more than satisfied and can enjoy a lengthy lunch.

My favorite dishes besides the foie terrine are the asparagus with morels and mace scented lobster ($5 supplement). Generally, however, it's hard to pick a bad dish.

[R Washburn]

Also note that, although the prices are the same, appetizer portions are smaller than the entree dishes. So you might be disapointed with the portion size if you happen to choose all appetizers (which, IIRC, are towards the top of the menu).

[baw]

Thanks for the lunch recs! We just enjoyed a really great lunch at JG. 3 courses plus dessert. I tasted: egg caviar, asparagus with morels, foie/strawberry dish, shrimp with spiced carrot broth, sea bass with sweet/sour broth, scallops with cauliflower + caper-raisin emulasion, chatham cod with lemongrass broth, veal tenderloin with parmesean and artichoke. The egg caviar was standard, but I always love it. The asparagus and veal were the other two standouts to me. The foie also went over well, but Im just not a fan of it in general. The cod and scallops were my least favorite, but they were enjoyed by my parents who ordered them. I highly recommend lunch at JG. I enjoyed the food far more than the 1 dinner I had there and the service was great.

[JosephB]

My wife and I finally tried the Jean-George lunch today, and agree as most have here that it's an extraordinary and unsurpassed value that should be taken advantage of as often as possible. We ordered three different courses each plus dessert, and were offered a trio of amuse-bouche. Everything was excellent. We both felt that for lunch we couldn't eat anymore without feeling too stuffed.

As was the case on all the other occasions I've been to JG, I saw chef JG watching over things. I have no doubt that no matter what happens at his other restaurants, JG will always jealously guard his flagship. We plan to go to JG for lunch as often as we can.

We also discovered that babies are welcomed in the Nougatine room. They even have a high chair.

[slkinsey]

Joe, did you lunch in the main dining room or at Nougatine?

[JosephB]

We were in the main room, and had a beautiful large round table near the window. It was perfect.

[docsconz]

Well, what did you have? Did you have your daughter with you in the main room?

[JosephB]

Well, what did you have? Did you have your daughter with you in the main room?

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OK Doc, on the amuse we had a cantaloupe soup with prosciutto foam; a tiny puff pastry with pesto and parmigiano; and one slice of Hamachi with wasabi granita. We then had between us, seared foie gras, raw tuna cubes in a dashi and rice vinegar broth, with a demitasse cup of buttery mushroom soup; risotto with porcini and balsamic; garlic soup with frog legs; beef tenderloin; squab; trio of berry dessert; trio of chocolate dessert; marshmallows; petit four. One cocktail, two sparkling water; one glass Loire Valley white. $136 + tip.

[docsconz]

Well, what did you have? Did you have your daughter with you in the main room?

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OK Doc, on the amuse we had a cantaloupe soup with prosciutto foam; a tiny puff pastry with pesto and parmigiano; and one slice of Hamachi with wasabi granita. We then had between us, seared foie gras, raw tuna cubes in a dashi and rice vinegar broth, with a demitasse cup of buttery mushroom soup; risotto with porcini and balsamic; garlic soup with frog legs; beef tenderloin; squab; trio of berry dessert; trio of chocolate dessert; marshmallows; petit four. One cocktail, two sparkling water; one glass Loire Valley white. $136 + tip.

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Sounds great. Did any of the dishes particularly stand out?

[gaf]

Triage - New York City Entry #11

Despite internal voices urging caution, some things seem too good to pass up. Many top New York restaurateurs offer special "bargain" luncheons, but few of these establishments match Jean Georges in sheer culinary wattage.

Recently I crossed Central Park for a three course meal from a four-star chef for one nickel and two sawbucks. (Come January, add a penny). Chef Vongerichten offers this steal in the less formal of his two dining rooms, the Nougatine Room, an airy, if casual room, outfitted in light woods, tans, creams, and whites. One chooses among two starters, two entrees, and two desserts.

Considering the third course, our desserts, the food was matchless. My dessert, Strawberry Consomme with an Almond Blanc Manger, was the finest sweet I have had this year. When I was young I recall waiting for packages of frozen berries to empty so I could gulp the juice. This consomme had that intensity but with a lightness that was ethereal. Add an almond flan that almost floated off the plate, mild but still nutty, and the pastry chef deserves a standing ovation.

My partner's dessert was almost as satisfying. Chocolate Peanut Ice Cream with a gob of chocolate fondant and a smear of chocolate-orange (Jean Georges seems taken with smears; they were found on half of our dishes). The chocolate fondant was as intense as the finest mousse and the chocolate peanut ice cream was inset with meaty chunks of nut.

If only all six dishes could have been dessert!

As appetizer we had a worthy, if not startling, plate of "Wild Arugula, Bleu Cheese, Walnuts, and Pears." This was well balanced and fresh, but by now these tastes are rather ordinary - nouvelle salad as comfort food.

I selected a "Sweet Potato Soup, swirled with Brown Butter and Ginger." I admired the swirl which was spicy and indulgent, but the soup in which it twirled lacked taste and felt awkward and weighty on the tongue. It should have been lighter and more assertive.

Both entrees were overcooked (Skate, Black Beans, Red Pepper, and Celery - a smear, again - and Pork Loin, Napa Cabbage, Figs, and Smoked Bacon - here a fig smear). These dishes had the potential of being satisfying, although not uniquely creative, but the tip of the skate was dried (the center was nicely moist) and the pork was cooked to medium doneness with the cabbage mushy. Had I been asked to specify my preferred degree of doneness (rare) and had we not been eating on the cheap, the pork would surely have been returned. It was edible, but not enjoyable. The pork and figs, had it been cooked properly, would have delighted. In contrast, the black beans, even under the best of conditions, would have done little for the skate.

At lunch the staff serves diners in the main room, diners in the Nougatine Room ordering off the regular menu, and skimpers. I couldn't avoid the feeling that a process of triage was at work in the busy kitchen. Close enough was good enough for the likes of us. (The waitstaff, however, was professional and cordial).

The fact that our desserts (and the salad) were most satisfying suggests that the best choices at a bargain lunch may be those that the cooks need not attend to in the hustle of the lunch rush. Even at Jean-Georges - perhaps especially at Jean-Georges - a class hierarchy is never far from the surface.

Jean Georges (Nougatine Room)

Trump International Hotel

1 Central Park West (between 60th and 61st Street)

Manhattan

212-299-3900

My Webpage: Vealcheeks

[James Kessler]

Ok I'm having a hard time figuring out the price of dinner at Jean Georges' main dining room. Is there a set price for a tasting menu? Would anyone be so kind as to let me know what an expected price would be for a tasting menu there? I may be dining there in the next few days and would like to know in advance what kind of damage to expect.

Thanks!

[BryanZ]

When I was there a few month ago, it was $115 (might've been 125 though) for each of the two tasting menus, I think.

[cupcakequeen]

Well, what did you have? Did you have your daughter with you in the main room?

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OK Doc, on the amuse we had a cantaloupe soup with prosciutto foam; a tiny puff pastry with pesto and parmigiano; and one slice of Hamachi with wasabi granita. We then had between us, seared foie gras, raw tuna cubes in a dashi and rice vinegar broth, with a demitasse cup of buttery mushroom soup; risotto with porcini and balsamic; garlic soup with frog legs; beef tenderloin; squab; trio of berry dessert; trio of chocolate dessert; marshmallows; petit four. One cocktail, two sparkling water; one glass Loire Valley white. $136 + tip.

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i believe it is a cantaloupe soup with a smoked salt foam...at least that's what ours was. the squab with preserved lemon is very good. the foie terrine is fabulous. johnny i. sent out one of every dessert. i love this place so much.

[cchen]

Has anyone gone lately to JG for lunch and happened to get a copy of the fall lunch menu? Somehow I forgot when I went on Monday

Edited November 10, 2005 by cchen (log)

[BryanZ]

I've eaten off the fall lunch menu recently, but I don't have a copy. Perhaps I can help you out. PM me if you need anything.

[tammylc]

I posted this in it's own thread, but thought I'd cross post it here for the Jean-Georges/Nougatine experts...

I'm visiting NYC with a friend for a few days in the beginning of December. I'm only there for two dinners (WD-50, Anissa), so in order to maximize my eating experiences, I suggested we schedule lunch at Jean-Georges the day that I leave. However, I'm leaving on Saturday afternoon, and when my friend called to make a reservation yesterday, we found out that only the informal dining room (Nougatine?) at Jean-Georges is open on Saturdays.

So... should we go anyway? Do something else instead? If so, please visit my other thread to keep this one on topic! (http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=77637)

Thanks!

[tammylc]

I posted this in it's own thread, but thought I'd cross post it here for the Jean-Georges/Nougatine experts...

I'm visiting NYC with a friend for a few days in the beginning of December. I'm only there for two dinners (WD-50, Anissa), so in order to maximize my eating experiences, I suggested we schedule lunch at Jean-Georges the day that I leave. However, I'm leaving on Saturday afternoon, and when my friend called to make a reservation yesterday, we found out that only the informal dining room (Nougatine?) at Jean-Georges is open on Saturdays.

So... should we go anyway? Do something else instead? If so, please visit my other thread to keep this one on topic! (http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=77637)

Thanks!

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Bumping this up to the top in the hopes of getting some input. Nougatine for a Saturday lunch, or go some place else? It's my last day in NYC, and I was hoping to be able to sneak in another WOW meal.

[BryanZ]

Go some place else. Nougatine is okay for a decent lunch but definitely not "WOW" worthy. You're probably better off at Cafe Gray for a Saturday lunch.

[docsconz]

Nougatine for lunch on a saturday may or may not be WOW worthy (I did have an excellent Saturday lunch there a few years ago), but Jean Georges' main dining room for lunch during the week certainly is! I had the pleasure of dining there last Friday with my good friend, Joseph B. Lunch here is not only a great value for NYC, it is one of the best values on the planet for haute cuisine. One must have a minimum of two plates for $24 with each aditional plate costing $12. This is great food for less than appetizer prices at a moderate restaurant and the choices! desserts are even cheaper at $8/plate.

We were brought a lovely three-part amuse starting with a perfect oyster with a delicately lemony sauce that brought out the essential briny oceanness of the oyster, a broth with a raviolo and tuna with avocado, a crisp and a spicy sauce. This went very well with the house-made Meyer-lemon-kaffir lime soda.

My first ordered course was Young garlic soup with sauteed frog legs and curly cress. It was delicious with a vibrant acidity to it. The grenouille were superb.

While my dish was excellent, Joe's was outstanding and the first Wow of the lunch. He had Black Sea Bass, fragrant coconut juice, parsnips and lime. What a stellar combination, subtle, complex and utterly delicious.

We split a half bottle of Meurseault for the first few courses.

Next up for me was the next Wow; Turbot with Chateau Chalon sauce. This dish was marvellous with more wonderful acid from the vin jaune and plenty of body from who knows how many egg yolks. I could have licked the sauce off the plate.

Joe had Maine lobster, celery root, black trumpets and maple. This dish had a $5 supplement. It too was outstanding.

Glutton that I am I had to have an extra course. I had to have the signature Sea Scallops, caramelized cauliflower, caper-raisin emulsion - another stellar dish that richly deserves its reputation.

After that course we were back on track together. We shared a half-bottle of Cristom pinot noir from the Willamette Valley and both ordered the perfectly prepared Pan Roasted sweetbreads, licorice, grille pear and lemon - simply great.

Joe had the Beef tenderloin with savory onion jam and tamarind mustard. Excellent.

I had what was probably my favorite course of the day and obviously anothe Wow - the Broiled squab, onion confit, preserved lemons and squab jus was one of the two best renditions of squab that I have ever had. The other was by Wylie Dufresne when he was at 71 Clinton Fresh Food. The spices and preserved lemon were in perfect harmony with the perfectly cooked squab.

We viewed the cheese course, but decided to pass for dessert instead despite its obvious allure.

I had to have chocolate so I had the molten cake with vanilla ice cream and fennel semi-freddo with bitter chocolate ice cream - very nicely hit the spot.

Joe had the "Exotic" that included various tropical fruit desserts including passion fruit and a crisply fried sweet banana - light and delicious.

It was getting late in the afternoon at which time J-G-V himself came out to survey the remnants of the dining room. He graciously came to our table, where we had a nice chat and he very kindly agreed to accompany me in a photo.

We were not quite done, however, as the mignardises arrived in the form of delicious fresh cut marhmallows, macaroons and chocolate bob-bons. Funny thing, that the one bon-bon we were going to leave was the one that turned out to be our mutual favorite - the mint. We both envisioned peppermint like in a Peppermint Patty, but instead it was delightfully refreshing spearmint.

On the way out I managed to get a few photos of the kitchen still in action.

While the cutting edge of food preparation and avant-garde cuisine may have moved away from Jean Georges over the years, the restaurant remains a place of beautiful, creative, sophisticated and delicious cuisine. It confirmed for me that Michelin was correct in awarding the restaurant three stars. Whether the other restaurants in Chef V's empire live up to his name or not is a legitimate question. This one certainly shouts it out strong.

[JosephB]

Doc, I see now that it's worth having you weild that camera around in the middle of lunch. Nice job.

I would add that the only dish prepared sous vide was my tenderloin, which was obvious from the absolutely perfect color of the meat from end to end. Our server told us that JG is just beginning to use the sous vide technique, and that at present only three dishes are made that way.

[tupac17616]

Wonderful post, Doc. Looks like a truly wonderful meal. Lunch at Jean Georges is definitely high up on my list of things to try here in NYC.

One dish in your description particularly caugh my eye. This Black Sea Bass:

While my dish was excellent, Joe's was outstanding and the first Wow of the lunch. He had Black Sea Bass, fragrant coconut juice, parsnips and lime. What a stellar combination, subtle, complex and utterly delicious.

Interestingly enough, I had the exact same dish (same components, same presentation, everything) less than two weeks ago at Perry Street. I agree with your assessment of the dish, it really had a nice depth and complexity but also great clarity of flavors at the same time. The only thing I would have changed is perhaps to use a smaller amount of the chopped lime on top of the fish. It was a particularly assertive flavor that threatened to steal the show if you happened to get too much of it in one particular bite. Really a delicious dish, though.

[xospecialk]

im going to JG this friday, i noticed docsconz graciously took pics of his meal there...is that typical? would i look kind of weird/funny if i were sitting in the dining room taking pics of my meal?

[BryanZ]

Lunch is certainly more casual than dinner. With that said, one might be able to get away with taking pictures during lunch (when there's also more natural lightiing). But the room is so small that at dinner it might be somewhat obnoxious.