[ckkgourmet]

Last night I ate at ADNY for the first time since Tony Esnault took the helm. Although I have been an ADNY cynic since its opening, having had uneven meals there on a few occasions before Esnault, I am here to proclaim that I have changed my mind: the new ADNY is a triumph!

My previous experiences at ADNY were, as I said, uneven. The typical meal began with an incredible amuse, and then proceeded to an even better appetizer. After the appetizer, trouble set in. The fish and meat courses were invariably disappointments, only partially redeemed by the deserts. These dinners left me doubly disatisfied because they would promise a great deal and deliver imperfect results.

So I am both overjoyed (and relieved) to say that the Esnault ADNY offered up a perfect and consistent meal. I began with the wonderfully creamy gougeres, proceeding to a remarkable amuse consisting of tuna tartare, scallop, and crouton. Next I enjoyed the foie gras ravioli in sunchoke broth (with shavings of white truffle over the top). My fish course consisted of chatham cod, perfectly prepared, the flesh just right in consistency and flavor. This cod was served with its "clear essence" and the raw/cooked fennel. The fennel helped to make the dish, by dint of the contrast of textures, both firm and tender. After the cod, I enjoyed the lamb rack "au sautoir." The wonderful lamb was served amongst a medly of dried fruits and piquillos that complimented its delicacy with the sophistication of sweet and moderately sharp flavors.

I tried three deserts with my companion, and all three were masterpieces. The apple souffle, as has been noted above, was stunning. It is rare to find a souffle, in my experience, that captures the full flavor of its constituent fruit or berry like this one captured that of the apple. The chocolate hedgehog was about the best mousse preparation I have tried--and was cute to boot! My personal favorite, however, was the "layers of dark chocolate, praline ice cream, and rice crispy." The combination of the chocolate layers with the crispiness of the "rice crispy" and praline was luscious and luxurious. It was executed so well that my fork broke the brittle back of these layers cleanly, collapsing the various layers and melding them seamlessly, into a rich and extraordinarily contrastive concoction of pure tastiness. This desert was both fragile and profound--all at once.

While service was fine, it was a little cold. Explanations were rather perfunctory. Our table's main server looked like he'd rather be doing nearly anything else other than serve us, although he did loosen up a bit near the end when his movements and explanations became more fluid and natural. When my companion left the table, it took a long time (almost to the point of her return) for this to be noticed, and for her napkin to be folded. Our entrees were paraded into our small dining room during her absence as well, only to beat a hasty retreat as her absence was finally acknowledged by the staff.

Clearly there is still some room for growth in the area of service.

But, in the end, it was the food that counted, and I am (at last) ready to join ADNY's many defenders and enthusiasts.

[gaf]

Classic New York City Entry #44

I was startled when dining at Alain Ducasse at the Essex House. My wife and I were enjoying a distinguished meal which I commented had just barely missed the heights of culinary brilliance that I experience rarely (this year at a special dinner at Craft, and one at Alinea, and a third at Moto). She explained that I preferred molecular cuisine to classic dishes. To be more precise, she claimed I liked "weird food," but her point was taken.

What unsettled me was her claim that Alain Ducasse reflects classic cuisine. Of course the adjective "classic" is a moving target. But as someone who began dining at a moment in which classic French cuisine in New York City - La Caravelle, La Cote Basque, and the survivor La Grenouille - was haute cuisine, it is odd to think of Chef Ducasse and his Chef de Cuisine Tony Esnault as cribbing from Le Pavillon. Alain Ducasse is very much a man trained in the ferment of French cuisine in the last third of the twentieth century, a child of nouvelle cuisine and the other bastardy theories subsequently spawned, so well summarized by Rudolph Chelminski in The Perfectionist.

Ducasse is a purist. In Cuisine and Culture Jean-Francois Revel distinguishes between culinary traditions that rely on exploiting the essence of a few ingredients simplified in their perfection, and those artists who go for elaboration, decoration, ornamentation, and complexity. Often diners (and I often find myself among them) believe that the more complexity, the more creativity. Perhaps so, but the same can not be said of quality. Ducasse asserts that ingredients are more important than technique by a freakily precise 60/40 ratio (where does this come from?). Is the chef less important than the butcher, farmer or fisher? If so, let us head to their table.

Ducasse is a synthesizer, not an analyzer. He brings traditions together, leaving others to rip them apart. He searching for the center that will hold, refusing the lure of the edgy. This was not a night of deconstructed recipes. As Ducasse notes on his website, "Inventive cooking is an art which requires a complete knowledge of traditional methods." Knowledge, yes, but how should a chef display that knowledge. His dishes rarely provoke, they satisfy. To collect his stars Ducasse carefully modulates what the uptown establishment can appreciate. Yet, this is not the classic French cuisine of the Jackie Kennedy culinary moment. Ducasse has a lighter touch, he does judiciously combine flavors, and in his food served in "plein air," he is hardly a saucier's apprentice. Spa cuisine this is not, but neither is there much call for a defibrillator.

Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, or ADNY as it is known, is a space of bountiful grandeur, exquisitely decorated (His webpage reads like a guidebook to a French chateau). Of all the weighty New York restaurants (with the exception of Daniel), it is ADNY that depicts a temple of haute cuisine. It is grand cuisine for an informal age (Blazers required, but no ties). But when the bill appears one knows that it is not cuisine for an impoverished age. Ducasse claims Haute Cuisine must be "simple, approachable, and understood by everyone." SAU-E for the masses. And we are assured that "a restaurant is first and foremost a place to eat." Silly me, once the check arrived I could have sworn that it was a place to spend. (By perusing the wacky wine markups I was comforted to learn that I can retire on my cellar, if Alain is buying).

Our service was both precise and gracious. It was formal without being stuffy. If during the transit strike, ADNY rounded up servers off the street (my personal fantasy), they demonstrated that a suit makes the man. My only complaint - a curious one - was that when I asked for a copy of the menu for tasting notes, I was graciously presented one from some other week. The current menu (with minor exceptions) is on the website.

For those who seek cuisine in extremis, something is missing at ADNY. By being a restaurant that attempts perfection, the quirks of love's labor can be lost. This is a restaurant of violins, not the clash of cymbals. I was impressed with most dishes, even when I wouldn't have called for a second helping. The overall quality was far higher than my experience at Le Bernardin, even if the most sublime dishes of the meals were two inspirations of Chef Ripert. Recalling Le Bernardin, in contrast to the pathetic bread service I suffered through, the breads at ADNY are sublime: baguette, plain and crunchy, and a blissful olive brioche that demonstrate that bread, properly made, is heaven-sent.

Rather than ordering seven course tasting menus, my wife and I selected two four course dinners, permitting us to taste eight dishes to skip some dishes - venison, for instance - that didn't appeal (the dinner was $50 less than the tasting menu. Smart us.) At ADNY most of the tasting menu dishes are available on the main menu; with a partner that one can bully into sharing, life is complete.

Our amuse was a splendid truffle construction. ADNY pushes a white truffle tasting menu, and they are advertising their wares (earlier the waiter had brought over a dish of white truffles, marketing the ineffable). Over a small square of exquisitely raw tuna was celeriac salad and finely chopped white truffles with a small tail of black truffle. So aromatic was the bite that I understood why swine wake to tuber dreams. Forget the tuna, a Ritz cracker would have sufficed.

As appetizer I ordered "Roasted Langoustine with ‘Cepe' mushroom garnish with Riviera Ligure olive oil." I asked about the quotation marks surrounding the "cepe," chuckling that I spotted Wylie Dufresne's WD-50 grade irony, but the server insisted that no drollery was intended. I was half right: the boletes were served three ways, dried, as a chopped mash, and whole. The dish, simple yet elegant, contained superb fungi, shellfish and olive oil. Let us call this classic nouvelle. Perhaps it was too austere, but one could hardly find grounds for complaint.

My wife selected "Marinated Nantucket bay scallops, cucumber vinegar young potatoes "moutarde pomme verte," and hearts of romaine. And to seduce Alain's bookkeepers, she supplemented the dish with a ring of Caspian Golden Osetra Caviar. Perhaps the bay scallops were touched by heat, perhaps they were French ceviche, but whichever they stood at the zenith of sushi. The same might be said of the demure underage potatoes, they were as cool as scallops. This was another simple, pure plate, avoiding clashing flavors or clashing colors. Mild in conception and presentation. If one cares about perfect flavors, about balance, about freshness, this was the dish. Gosh, it was perfect. Served without a hint of Bolivian, Slovenian, or Cambodian spice or a whiff of nitrous oxide.

My fish course was Chatham cod with braised and raw fennel, Taggiasca olive tapenade and clear essence (perhaps a tribute to Bernard Loiseau's watery cuisine). I love fennel and this pair was the high point of a dish that was muffled and lacked pungency. The fish was overcooked (I am coming to insist that if my fish is not swimming, it has been cooked too long). The dish was soggy in conception and execution. Perhaps it was not a failure, but the dish was not so transcendent that its lack of zest seemed like profundity. Good fish with lovely fennel; call it a day.

Our second "fish" dish was Lobster with matchsticks of butternut squash, salsify, mango, and "jus de presse." The last I take to refer to grape "juice" runoff from the wine-making process. Of the evening's presentations this was the one that is most dramatic and astounding, and the lobster was stunning. Ducasse takes foodstuff's seriously. The flavors were complex and pungent, although in contrast to the other dishes dripping with essence, this plate felt forced. I relished the contrasting tastes - and this was no Alinea on the Seine - but it seemed beyond Alain's range.

My meat course returned to the core of the Ducasse style, "Dry Aged Prime "Cote de Boeuf," Glazed Short Ribs, and a contrast of carrots" (balled and chopped). The Cote de Boeuf (ribeye) is beef squared. It is either to its credit or disadvantage that, with the exception of a dusting of pepper, it lies nude. This is not beef so tender that one can carve with a butter knife, neither does it have the charred remains of great steakhouse cuts. Chefs Ducasse and Esnault are testing us - are we really carnivores, or is beef a delivery system for A-1. At present short ribs seem as popular as foie gras, a chef's delight. I expected to be shocked, teased, and challenged, instead I was pleased. I admire the commitment to quality, but when my plate was cleared I had been eating beef and carrots. A trip to Lobel's (the red meat Tiffany where my mother shopped) could have provisioned meat of Alain's quality, and if I didn't screw up at the stove, I could replicate the plate in my jammies.

My wife lusts after rack of lamb, and so Lamb Rack "Au Sautoir" (sauteed) with a condiment of dried fruits and piquillos (sweet red peppers from the Pyrenees) with creamy quinoa was the inevitable selection. I second her choice. The lamb was pure, distinctive without being gamy, and the peppers and fruits added an interest less evident in my beef. One could eat the rack naked or in an exotic autumnal clothing. Quinoa is today's faro, or is it the reverse? Placing quinoa on the plate was, well, a bit nutty. Not terribly misguided, but I wished for ravishing Franco-spuds.

Ah, dessert. One stunner: the Pear soufflé with Bartlett compote, "beurre salé"/caramel ice cream. I admire chefs who include bitter tastes in their culinary palette, and a burnt caramel ice cream (the way that beurre salé is typically prepared) has evokes a sweet bitterness. My wife was not so charmed by the custard as I, but it added a complexity to a soufflé that demonstrated the chef's finesse, but was not haunting. The burnt caramel demanded notice. I choose different arrangements of pear and caramel to explore the splendor of this post-classic composition.

The second dessert, a white chocolate box with roasted pineapple, soft vanilla biscuit, and coconut/lime sorbet reveals what happens when a restaurant that strives for simplicity attempts elaboration. I'm not sure if Pierre Gatel is still the pastry chef (he is not mentioned on the webpage - but was in a 2004 press release), but this experiment in contrast didn't work. The mix of tastes was a bit of mess, and the dish, pretty as presented, was not comfortable to consume. Few desserts are really horrid - add enough sugar and everything goes down smoothly - but this box was too precious for a restaurant that hides its cunning.

On completion of these final courses, we were plied with more dessert: sour cream ice cream with mango and passion fruit juice (an odd mix of dairy and fruit). Were that not sufficient we accepted homemade marshmallows, a rare and divine pavlova, and a passion fruit panna cotta. Finally we groaned, "no more, no more." A parting brioche lagniappe recalled ADNY the next morning.

Diners should dismiss ADNY only at their peril. This is my first visit to a restaurant that may have had rough moments, but the restaurant is purring. While some dishes were too simple and others strained too hard to capture the new culinary zaniness, Alain Ducasse is a consummate professional. Perhaps he can only find his way to the Essex House with a map, but his Chef de Cuisine Tony Esnault knows his way around a stove and knows the Ducasse metier.

Maybe it is an insecure thirst for novelty that makes me a downtown eater - more Union Square than Central Park West. In league with many American colleagues, I search for a tickling of my passions through techniques outside the book of classical love. And it is this that dampens my respect with the hidden desire for culinary explosions: memories for a palate that I pretend has been jaded, but has only been untested. I want, need, demand astonishment, even knowing how foolish this sounds. Perfection is so yesterday.

And so I visualize Chef Ducasse perusing my thoughts. His imagined response, a properly Gallic "Feh!"

Alain Ducasse
155 West 58th Street (at 7th Avenue)
Manhattan (Midtown)
212-265-7300

My Webpage: Vealcheeks

[BryanZ]

I had been hoping that a gaf account would be forthcoming. A good read.

[Sneakeater]

It is difficult for me to articulate how much I admire that review.

[oakapple]

I had been waiting for a special occasion to visit Alain Ducasse. That occasion presented itself yesterday, and my friend and I had a grand time. The experience was, if not perfect, certainly extraordinary—the definition of four stars, if ever there was.

I've seen many photographs of the room, but they fail to do it justice. It is creative, comfortable and luxurious, without being over-the-top. The exposed kitchen surprised me. Obviously there are plenty of open kitchens at fine restaurants in New York, but here it seemed slightly out-of-place.

ADNY virtually defines extraordinary service. One could give a thousand examples, but what especially impressed me is that our coats were taken when we arrived without a check ticket, and were ready for us when we left. Somehow, the staff is able to keep track of every coat and has telepathic insight when you are ready to leave.

Your options at ADNY are a three-course meal at $150, four courses at $175, the seven-course tasting menu at $225, or the six-course tuber melanosporum (black truffle) tasting at $290. We chose the four-course meal ($175 plus supplements), which offers one appetizer, a fish course, a meat course, and dessert.

ADNY tries mightily to tempt you with the truffle menu. Before we ordered, a member of staff brought around a box of several enormous black truffles in a bed of rice. I was encouraged to pick one up and take a whiff, which I did. We had already decided on the four-course, but we were still going to see truffles later on.

The water service might be seen as an attempt at upselling. Almost every starred restaurant tries to entice you to purchase bottled water, but at ADNY a water sommelier comes along with five waters for you to choose from. However, or request for tap water was heeded graciously.

I was beginning to wonder if attempts to pad the bill were going to take over, but I asked the wine sommelier either to recommend a single bottle in the $150-200 range, or wines by the glass paired with each course. He was happy to do either, and I was happy to find that the paired wines came in at only $140, below the bottom end of my stipulated range.

Our service began with two wonderful gougères and an amuse of seared tuna with pureed celery root. There was a choice selection of warm bread, of which an olive roll was especially memorable, along with two fresh butters (one salted, one not).

For the appetizer, I chose the butternut squash ravioli, celery "moustarda di cremona", and sage emulsion, a complex dish that is difficult to explain. More straightforward, but no less superb, was my friend's foie gras terrine, with mango chutney sandwiched by layers of foie.

I had no firm idea about the fish course, but I chose the Chatham cod, which includes "fennel—some braised, others raw—Taggiasca tapenade, and clear essence." I reasoned that as this dish is part of the tasting menu, the chef must be rather pleased with it. It was, of course, impeccably prepared, but utterly unadventurous, and in the end unacceptably dull. My friend made the happier choice: poached Maine lobster with truffles ($35 supp.), which she pronounced superb. She must be getting to know me pretty well, as she said, "I took one look at that cod, and could tell you weren't going to love it."

I'd heard rave reviews of the blue foot chicken ($35 supp.), which we both had. This dish is a truffle orgy, with truffles both under the skin and all over the plate. The raves are entirely justified; it was outstanding.

Another dish everyone raves about is "Monsieur Ducasse's favorite dessert," Baba Monte-Carlo style, with rum of your choice. A server comes around with a tray of five rums. You choose one, and it is poured into a small copper cup. You also receive a bit of the rum in a snifter. The Baba comes out in a sterling silver bowl that must have been custom-made for Ducasse, as I've never seen anything like it. Your server slices the cake in half, pours the rum over its innards, then ladles on heapings of cream. If there's a better dessert in New York, I can't imagine it.

We were not finished yet, as the kitchen sent out a small serving of sorbet as a palate cleanser. Then, a cart comes out with more sweets, of which you may choose as many as you please. (I had the vanilla panna cotta and a marshmallow coated with almonds.)

The meal was not perfect: the Chatham cod was just plain ordinary, and none of the vegetable accompaniments wowed me. But at its best, ADNY operates at a level few restaurants can touch.

[Bu Pun Su]

It seems that ADNY is really back for real! Despite the astronomical prices, I rarely read a bad/negative review recently for this restaurant. Last time, I just shared the pictures for my dinner there last Fall. Below is a more details review for my dinner experience, hope anyone can access it ...

http://andichahyadih...r_alain_du.html

[oakapple]

Bu Pun Su, on Jan 23 2006, 10:00 AM, said:

It seems that ADNY is really back for real!

That presumes that ADNY went anywhere that it had to come back from. As I've been there only once, I'm in no position to judge, but there are some who argue that its standards have remained high, and it is only the whims of certain critics that have changed.

[Fat Guy]

There have been highlights during each of the three Ducasse chefs' regimes (Didier Elena, Christian Delouvrier and Tony Esnault). There are dishes I miss now, and there are new dishes that seem better than anything that came before. I will say unequivocally that Tony Esnault is the most Ducasse-like chef to inhabit that kitchen: the food looks, smells, tastes, reads like Ducasse's food. And while I'll never eat at the restaurant enough times to establish a statistically meaningful sample, I get the impression that Esnault is a very consistent performer -- a technician operating at a high degree of precision. That being said, I agree that the fish dish oakapple described is unremarkable as were two other fish dishes I tried on our most recent visit, when we also had the four-course menu with all the same choices oakapple described. On the whole, the fish course was weak. Maybe as part of a longer tasting menu I'd have seen it in a different context: a beautiful little piece of fish with a technically correct sauce. But as an entree-type course the fish dishes fell flat. Not so all the other courses, especially the cote de boeuf, rack of lamb and blue foot chicken entrees. Each was amazing, especially ingredients-wise but also the sauces were the most vibrant, pure, extracted sauces I remember having in New York. My only complaint is that I miss the tableside service for two that used to be standard for the beef and chicken dishes. These dishes are now available for just one person, which is great if you're one person and want to taste the dish, but something is lost in translation when it's plated up in the kitchen without the wonderful carving ritual.

[oakapple]

Fat Guy, on Jan 23 2006, 10:22 AM, said:

My only complaint is that I miss the tableside service for two that used to be standard for the beef and chicken dishes. These dishes are now available for just one person, which is great if you're one person and want to taste the dish, but something is lost in translation when it's plated up in the kitchen without the wonderful carving ritual.

FG, as I recall your description of the blue foot chicken dish, the kitchen rolled out an entire chicken, when was then carved up for two people. I've just taken another look at Ellen's photos, which confirm this. The portion we had the other night, although wonderful, was clearly much less than a whole chicken between us.

So perhaps the reason the tableside carving has been abandoned is that they're now splitting one bird among a larger number of customers?

This post has been edited by oakapple: 23 January 2006 - 12:21 PM

[Dave the Cook]

oakapple, on Jan 23 2006, 02:20 PM, said:

FG, as I recall your description of the blue foot chicken dish, the kitchen rolled out an entire chicken, when was then carved up for two people. I've just taken another look at Ellen's photos, which confirm this. The portion we had the other night, although wonderful, was clearly much less than a whole chicken between us.

My recollection from a recent visit is that it was a breast half and a thigh. Considered in the context of the entire meal, it seemed like a reasonable portion.

Quote

So perhaps the reason the tableside carving has been abandoned is that they're now splitting one bird among a larger number of customers?

We asked about this. They used these clever French accents, but yeah, they said pretty much what you're saying.

Quote

Another dish everyone raves about is "Monsieur Ducasse's favorite dessert," Baba Monte-Carlo style, with rum of your choice. A server comes around with a tray of five rums. You choose one, and it is poured into a small copper cup. You also receive a bit of the rum in a snifter. The Baba comes out in a sterling silver bowl that must have been custom-made for Ducasse, as I've never seen anything like it. Your server slices the cake in half, pours the rum over its innards, then ladles on heapings of cream. If there's a better dessert in New York, I can't imagine it.

The presentation is pretty impressive -- the tiny halogen light over our table created a halo that sent the whole affair over the top (I actually laughed out loud). I'm not sure the bowl itself, though polished to within an inch of its life, is unique. If you want to see another one, go to Pegu Club, where they have one on the back bar to hold (I think) sugar cubes. Regardless, the baba is pretty impressive.

I have to disagree with your assessment, though. The best dessert in New York (not that I have a lot of experience) is listed on the same menu: the pear souffle (forget the salted butter ice cream that comes with it; it's great stuff but not well matched) is not only the best dessert I've ever had -- and I'm not a fan of pears -- but the best souffle, period.

[jim07044]

I've been invited to dinner at the "aquarium" chef's table this coming weekend with some family members for a birthday celebration (I'm not paying). This will be my first dining experience at ADNY. Trouble is, I can't find any good reviews about the restaurant these days. Will this be an expensive let-down, or is it still worthy of a Top 10 of NYC ranking, just not number 1?

[oakapple]

jim07044, on Feb 14 2006, 01:43 PM, said:

I've been invited to dinner at the "aquarium" chef's table this coming weekend with some family members for a birthday celebration (I'm not paying). This will be my first dining experience at ADNY. Trouble is, I can't find any good reviews about the restaurant these days. Will this be an expensive let-down, or is it still worthy of a Top 10 of NYC ranking, just not number 1?

It depends whose review(s) you believe. Frank Bruni demoted ADNY, but Michelin assigned it their top rating.

In my view, if you buy the whole ultra-luxe French cuisine concept, there is very little doubt that ADNY is in the top echelon. I suspect they will pull out all the stops for a meal in the aquarium.

[docsconz]

jim07044, on Feb 14 2006, 03:43 PM, said:

I've been invited to dinner at the "aquarium" chef's table this coming weekend with some family members for a birthday celebration (I'm not paying). This will be my first dining experience at ADNY. Trouble is, I can't find any good reviews about the restaurant these days. Will this be an expensive let-down, or is it still worthy of a Top 10 of NYC ranking, just not number 1?

I say forget the reviews, go with an open mind and let us know what you think after you have experienced it.

[Jmahl]

Ditto:

Chef Tony is an authentic professional. As said, go in with an open mind - get back with your experience.

We are waiting.

Jmahl

[ned]

jim07044, on Feb 14 2006, 01:43 PM, said:

I've been invited to dinner at the "aquarium" chef's table this coming weekend with some family members for a birthday celebration (I'm not paying). This will be my first dining experience at ADNY. Trouble is, I can't find any good reviews about the restaurant these days. Will this be an expensive let-down, or is it still worthy of a Top 10 of NYC ranking, just not number 1?

Aww man lucky you. Just sit back and savor the experience. It's a rare one. You're going to have a fantastic meal. . . and best of all you don't have to mortgage your house to pay the bill!

[MobyP]

ned, on Feb 15 2006, 02:25 PM, said:

[a fantastic meal. . . and best of all you don't have to mortgage your house to pay the bill!

If the time has finally come when someone calls Ducasse the inexpensive option, then boy, that's me out of the game.

[tomcbell]

MobyP, on Feb 16 2006, 09:35 AM, said:

ned, on Feb 15 2006, 02:25 PM, said:

[a fantastic meal. . . and best of all you don't have to mortgage your house to pay the bill!

If the time has finally come when someone calls Ducasse the inexpensive option, then boy, that's me out of the game.

I think he was referring to the fact that dinner was being bought for him - in other words someone else will have to mortgage their house!

[M.X.Hassett]

jim07044, on Feb 14 2006, 03:43 PM, said:

I've been invited to dinner at the "aquarium" chef's table this coming weekend with some family members for a birthday celebration (I'm not paying). This will be my first dining experience at ADNY. Trouble is, I can't find any good reviews about the restaurant these days. Will this be an expensive let-down, or is it still worthy of a Top 10 of NYC ranking, just not number 1?

How was dinner?

[jim07044]

I'm not one for writing elaborate descriptions, so here is my "executive summary":

Dinner in the aquarium was nice, but more of a private dining room than a glass wall view of the kitchen as I had imagined. The narrow sliding glass door kept the heat and noise out when necessary, and when we wanted some more involved entertainment, we simply opened the door to hear the sounds of the kitchen activity.

Being at the chef's table, I had expected more involvement with the chef. Instead, we were greeted by Chef Tony only once at the beginning as we were seated, and were allowed a photograph with him and our guest of honor at the end of the evening (celebrating a milestone birthday). I would have liked to have seen him pop-in more often, to explain the dishes, how they were prepared, what ingredients he used and why, what flavors combinations he was orchestrating and why, etc. Yes, I know this is "New York" and we were not notable VIPs, but I think the importance of the chef's table must have some connection with the chef and not just be a private dining room with a mail-slot view of the kitchen.

Having said that, the dishes were all excellent, if not "the best we've ever had." I could tell the quality of the ingredients and the preparation of presentation were all top-notch. Certainly, one of the best meals I've ever had. But then there's that persistent question of, "is it worth the cost?" And for me, I would say no only because I didn't feel like a guest of the chef at the "chef's table" and there was too much isolation from the chef's table room and the kitchen.

Most importantly, though, our family had a wonderful evening together celebrating a milestone birthday "in the city."

For a slideshow of my evening, go here: Aquarium, February 18, 2006

[elicious]

That was a really beautiful slideshow. Thanks for sharing!

[tan319]

elicious, on Feb 21 2006, 01:08 PM, said:

That was a really beautiful slideshow. Thanks for sharing!

Ditto, very nice!
Thanks for sharing.

[Eatmywords]

tan319, on Feb 21 2006, 05:57 PM, said:

elicious, on Feb 21 2006, 01:08 PM, said:

That was a really beautiful slideshow. Thanks for sharing!

Ditto, very nice!
Thanks for sharing.

And yet another big ditto! Did you take those pics? Amazing!

Now, was that 7 or 8 (sharable) dessert courses? (I lost count after the hedgehog)

[robert40]

Maurice Graham Henry visits Ducasse.

http://www.dininginf...aurice_ADNY.htm

[ned]

Anyone else heard news on Ducasse potentially moving to a new location? Cindy Adams had something on it in the NY Post. . .

[Fat Guy]

There's been talk of it for ages. They should move. With the opening of Per Se and the construction of several recent multimillion dollar restaurants, Alain Ducasse at the Essex House is no longer anywhere near the nicest dining room in town (it never was, but it's dropping way down in the rankings). At this level of the game, you've got to be the very best in food, service, wine and ambience if you're going to keep your accolades. I can't see any way to improve the Essex House space without three years of construction, so that's that. A couple of years ago, I was actually surprised they didn't just move into the Mix space instead of opening Mix there.

[ned]

Fat Guy, on Mar 10 2006, 10:48 AM, said:

There's been talk of it for ages. They should move. With the opening of Per Se and the construction of several recent multimillion dollar restaurants, Alain Ducasse at the Essex House is no longer anywhere near the nicest dining room in town (it never was, but it's dropping way down in the rankings). At this level of the game, you've got to be the very best in food, service, wine and ambience if you're going to keep your accolades. I can't see any way to improve the Essex House space without three years of construction, so that's that. A couple of years ago, I was actually surprised they didn't just move into the Mix space instead of opening Mix there.

I'm sure there would be a collective sigh of relief if that egregious horn assemblage ended up in a dumpster but I don't have the impression that aesthetics are what motivates the search. Apparently the Essex House has been sold and the potential move has something to do with the new owners.

[Fat Guy]

The awful Arman sculptures aren't the issue. They're standard operating procedure in Michelin three-star restaurants, and they're only entry level on the ugly scale. The problem is that it's a low-ceilinged room with little to recommend it: no view, no special character or characteristics, no nothing. The kitchen, too, is no loger state of the art. They need to get in someplace where they can get some space and some gas.

[ckkgourmet]

Fat Guy, on Mar 10 2006, 11:27 AM, said:

The awful Arman sculptures aren't the issue. They're standard operating procedure in Michelin three-star restaurants, and they're only entry level on the ugly scale. The problem is that it's a low-ceilinged room with little to recommend it: no view, no special character or characteristics, no nothing. The kitchen, too, is no loger state of the art. They need to get in someplace where they can get some space and some gas.

What is it with Michelin 3-star restaurants and decor? It's as if they take ugly as a point of pride sometimes. At ADNY, I don't like the table-top bronze palm trees either. Talk about bad: they look dirty to me!

[oakapple]

Eater is reporting that ADNY at the Essex House will close. It will re-open in an as-yet undetermined new location, where a fancy restaurant will be coupled with a more casual café. The report suggests that even the fancier of the two will, nevertheless, be a "dressed down" version of what ADNY is today.

[Fat Guy]

There has been talk of ADNY moving ever since the union exemption expired -- it's inevitable, though the timing still isn't clear. Also, as noted upthread, the premises are inadequate. We'll have to see what they do in the new location. Last I checked, they intended to do Michelin three-star dining plus a Mix-like annex. Eater is saying something different.