Dinner at Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, September 28th, 2004 Almost 4 years ago, just a short while after ADNY had opened up in the Essex House I had the opportunity to visit the restaurant for lunch on a bitterly cold day. I had been curious because this he was in the midst of him being bashed every which way in the press mostly for what was perceived as an attitude that he was blessing NYC with his presence, “sweeping into town, trailing his Michelin stars like a diamond-studded cape, and offering himself to the city as a gift it might or might not deserve” as William Grimes stated, that the city should be thankful that he had decided that it had been chosen. Grimes bestowed three stars, which was considered a blow. I went to see what all the fuss was about. When I left later that afternoon it was clear that I had experienced my benchmark meal in NYC, the dining experience that I have since measured others against. From start to finish it was a moving culinary moment for me in which we were pampered and cared for and never a sense of pretension or even desperation as in, they felt they now had something to prove or ground to make up. A lot has happened since then. Most notably, Christian Delouvrier was brought aboard, a curious move to some. I had even heard that this might prove to be a chance for a graceful exit for Ducasse to leave NY with Chef Delouvrier in place. I wanted to go again because of my past experience but to also see how it measured up to my previous visit and to see the Delouvrier influence and how it melded. I was also blessed to have the opportunity to visit Per Se on the next evening during this trip and I looked forward to viewing them standing side by side. I had made my reservation in August and had no problem securing a table. The reservationist was quite enthusiastic on the phone saying we would have a chance to sample the new fall menu, a complete change with the new chef’s guidance, after the staff had taken a couple of weeks of for vacation and how excited they were with the change. The new menu has a short list of dishes, 4 appetizers, 4 fish and 4 meats with a selection of 6 desserts. You are given a choice of one appetizer, one fish or meat and dessert for $150 or one appetizer, one fish, one meat and dessert for $175. There is also a tasting menu of 5 courses, cheese and dessert for $225. Cheese is an additional $21. Our party of four was greeted at the door warmly at exactly 8pm. with enough staff present so all our coats were removed at the same time. We were seated immediately at a well-placed table, the third party to be seated on a very rainy and blustery Tuesday evening. Since the explanation of the pricing structure has always rested on the fact that the restaurant books only one seating per evening it was interesting to note that they did seat every table that service including the private chef’s table. They were full. We elected to do the 4 course option and we all added cheese to our menu. Following is the menu I choose with comments. An aperitif of Champagne Paul Drouet NV A Gougere. But what a Gougere. A tray was offered with a correctly sized gruyere- pate a choux pastry that had been filled through the bottom with a Mornay sauce that was intensely flavored with an aged Comte cheese. It was, in a word, stunning. The temperature of the bite sized pastry was perfect. Our amuse was in a martini glass. At the bottom was a fine dice of gazpacho vegetables gently folded into sweet lobster meat and then it was covered with a clear limpid gelee of gazpacho. On top of this was placed a large quenelle of Iranian golden osetra caviar that because of its heft and weight sank down into the gelee where the uppermost surface of the quenelle peeked above the liquid. Though submerged, it was clearly visible in the gelee, as if suspended by a series of silken threads. The gelee was masterful and had no indication of being cooked in anyway yet the individual fresh raw flavors were seemlessly intergrated. You could make out the distinct flavors of each and every vegetable, onion, tomato, bell pepper and cucumber with the suprising addition of heat, which we thought to be a fresh mild chilli. Our guess from previous experience was that it was a red Fresno pepper, a chilli that is tastes like a sweet pepper but with a ting of heat and flavor. One could argue that the heat was not an obvious choice with caviar but I felt it was a thoughtful and exciting match. It woke us up. Our white wine, a Chassagne Montrachet village wine from Domaine Ramonet from the 1998 vintage was served. Bread- Small individual pointed ficelles that are delicious. Also a multi-grained bread which I did not try. The two butters, salted and unsalted were of tremendous quality. I enjoyed them much more so than the lauded French Laundry butter from Vermont had recently in Yountville which, though richer, also possessed a sour cream flavor that I felt wasn’t as sweet. We ate a lot of the salted… Appetizer- Roasted Langostine Royale, Cauliflower Mousseline. A warm bowl with a lid is place down and is uncovered. On the bottom is trembling cauliflower custard, barely warm, on top, which rested two Brittany langostines of impressive size and freshness. Around the shellfish was an intensely flavored froth of langostine and cauliflower, united perfectly in harmony yet distinct in their individual flavors. Masterful and one the best dishes of my life. Again, the whole dish is an ambient temperature that is not too hot or cold that brings the whole dish to its optimum presentation. Fish Course- Atlantic Bass, Clams, Watercress Jus. The bottom of the plate is coated in an emerald green sauce. Resting on this was a square of moist sea bass that had cooked for a very long time at a low temperature on the bone. The filet had been removed then the skin had then been peeled off and the grey fat had been scraped off. On top of the filet covering the entire surface was sweet little clams, each of which the tougher lip and body had been trimmed off leaving a singular sweet muscle. I enjoyed this but it was my least favorite all night. The watercress jus had, in addition, the taste of spinach which, along with the copious amount of butter used as a liason detracted form the purity of the watercress. A gentle aside at best, as the cooking times for bass and clam were spot on, the attention to detail in a deceptively simple presentation, as there was no fault, only personal preference. I love watercress… Our red wine, a Chateau Le Gay Pomerol, also from 1998 is served. Meat Course- Berkshire Pig “Confit”, Crispy Pork Belly, Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Gnocchi. I know I am not the only one that would ask for this particular Chef to prepare Pig or pork of any preparation if given a choice of only one. Two French butcher cuts of a dark fleshed Berkshire pig, the echine and epaule, both parts of the shoulder, are slowly braised in rendered pork fat, then browned in a hot oven. They are presented in individual pieces on the plate, not sliced as to allow them to dry out. Nestled nest to it is a generous piece of pork belly that had been stewed until tender and then crisped to a crackly finish. The garnish was some feather light butternut squash gnocchi and some flavorful pieces of pumpkin that had been roasted and then gratineed with parmesan cheese. A masterful, satisfying true jus moistened the plate. I also wanted to share the “Ribeye of certified prime Black Angus Rossini” for two that was shared by half our table. It was an immense 3” thick rib-eye, grilled and roasted perfectly, caramelized, and presented on a carte with a generous amount of sauteed cepes and a WHOLE roasted lobe of foie gras. A jus of Madeira and Perigord truffles was the sauce. The rib was de-nerved (a small stringy nerve runs the length of the rib and loin between the eye and the calotte or cap) and then the eye and cap were separated and served together. A macaroni and cheese gratin was served separately with a ridiculous amount of truffles. Impressive. Another share…The table next to us had ordered in advance what looked like a textbook “Poularde Demi-Deuil” in multiple services that I was informed could be had with advance notice. There were a lot of truffles in that bird… Cheese- Cheese, Perfectly Matured I don’t remember exactly what I had but this was the one weak point at the lunch I so enjoyed in January of 01. The cheeses were, indeed, perfectly matured and expertly served. My one quibble was the bread served with the cheese. They were both brioche, plain and a black olive. A long sheet of dough had been rolled out thing then rolled into a log. It was then sliced and baked lying flat so it resembled a danish. I would have preferred more of the baguette and, in retrospect, I should have asked for some. The sommelier picked out a glass of 2000 Ata Rangii Pinot Noir from New Zealand as a worthy match for my selected cheeses. Dessert- Baba, Rum of your choice, Monte-Carlo Style. What can I say, I always wanted to try this having heard so much about it. The rum is first selected off a cart (a dark specimen from the French Antilles, 18 years old). It is poured into a small silver pitcher and placed next to you. A tasting glass of the rum is then poured for you. The baba itself is presented, bloated with a sugar syrup, and then split in half. The rum is poured over the two halves and then a huge dollop of unsweetened whipped cream that is flecked with an ungodly amount of vanilla bean is added on top. I loved it. I am not a big dessert fan but the forward alcoholic nature of the spirit, the lack of cloying sweetness and richness was exactly what I craved. Bravo. Interesting to note how dramatically the tone of the dessert changes with a different run as we found out comparing with a another portion with a different rum at our table. Post Dessert- I loved this concept. This was a light dessert denouement and refreshing change from all the pre-desserts that one can encounter. This was exceptional. It was a Lime and Vanilla Bean sorbet resting on a fine bruniose of pineapple and a small amount of rum gelee. A perfect placement. We then had the usual candy, mignardise and chocolate parade off the carts which, as in this case, I never do as I am sated and not ready to go over the edge. Coffee is French press and is allocated the correct time for infusion. A fresh mint tea is prepared by snipping fresh leaves off a potted plant, again infused in filtered water for the proper time. We finish with the best macaroons I have ever enjoyed anywhere in my travels. Overall impressions. This meal met my expectations and then hammered it home. It delivered. The service remains the best service I have ever had in the United States, formal, exacting, silent and anticipating, reading our tables wants and dslikes and reacting accordingly. They were friendly and never pretentious. My fear in such a formal luxurious environments is that the first moment or inkling of hautiness then everything, the whole experience goes out the window. We were never in any danger of that. I had a great meal the next night at Per Se with a grand chefs tasting menu. It was wonderful but with relatively minor details of just missed cooking times and a couple of long waits between courses. But I think when it comes down to it, I would return to ADNY first. Delouvrier seemed happy as a child in the dining room fitting into the Ducasse system like a hand in a glove. The vaunted attention to detail was present. The cooking was perfect as was a pervading quiet confidence. There is a richness of experience, a depth, that is an intangible that I haven’t received elsewhere in the States. Almost 4 years ago I followed my meal chez ADNY at Jean Georges and I had the same feeling. The others seem shallow in comparison and as good as Per Se is, worthy and all together deserving of the new 4 stars and just as special in its own right, the depth of feeling, the seemless whole of ADNY, the first single gougere to that last one macaroon, astonishes me and remains my personal benchmark. Cheers
