bbq chef

Mine wasn't an actual dish. It was the First Place Whole Hog at the Memphis in May 2006 BBQ Championship.

That is quite the hook-up. I took my girlfriend there in September for her 27th birthday and the only hook-up was menus printed up for our table that said happy birthday to her. And it was our 3rd trip there in the last 2 years.

Once again totally delicious! All the courses were fantastic tonight. Gin & tonic was delicious and we had 3 juice drinks made for us. Extra dessert courses and a quick tour of the kitchen. If we had known we would have gone for lunch as Chef Keller was in house earlier and is going to be there for the next week.

Im having dinner there on Sunday night too! This is my third time going and I'm just as excited as the first time.

I second La Bergamotte

Thanks. Coming in to 9 years. I am contemplating turning the other place into BBQ.. What do you all think?

Had dinner there last night. Gordon was in house, said that he was there 7 days a week for all the services since opening. Even got to see him in action in the kitchen cursing at one of the commis.

I am having dinner at the Nougatine room pre opera on December 13. This will be my third time at Jean George, but first time in 2 years. I am really excited about dining there again, thanks to the positive reviews.

Has anybody been recently? I am going for a second time this coming Monday. I was wondering if anyone knew what might be on the current menus.

I hope you enjoy it. I am off today, have to go do a pick up at La Guardia today.

We arrived about 10 minutes early for our 1:30 res and were promptly seated. A wine list was offered and there was no attitude when I explained that my GF doesn't drink. They also made it known that we were celebrating our 5th anniversarry. When menus were brought, the captain let us know that they would be willing to make substitutions to the menu (we both had the Chef's menu) if there were any courses that weren't to our liking. My gf doesn't eat red meat or dark color fish and made substitutions for her. We statrted with salmon cornets. When she didn't touch hers the captain was immediatly there to offer her the tomato cornet. Bonus for me, I was able to eat her salmon cornet also! Next up for me was Cauliflower panna cotta w/ Island Greek oyster glaze and Russian sevruga caviar. She had a skin on anchovy filet with olive oil poached veggies. Next course was a choice. She had the hearts of palm salad and I had the Seared Foie Gras. The foie was served on a brioche "pain perdu" with poached apples, radish, and a Cavados reduction. Absolute perfection! Next course was a Tuna Nicoise with sunny side up quails egg, marinated haricots verts, roasted sweet peppers and bottarga emulsion. The emulsion, while a little salty on its own, was fantastic with the tuna. For her they subbed the Crispy Skin Filet of Barramundi, globe artichokes and wilted arrowleaf spinach with red onion applewood smoke bacon vinnaigrette, wich was on the 7 course menu. 4th course was a choice of Pan Seared Sea Scallop, garbanzo bean puree, holland eggpalnt relish and spicy mint beurre blanc for her. For me it was Softshell crab Sandwich, confit of tomato, brioche crouton, frisee lettuce and french pickle sauce. The crab was delicious, but the scallop was amazing. I knew that I should have had the scallop also, but was aware that if I didn't I would be upset I didn't try the crab. 5th was the Braised Shoulder of Four Story Hil Farm's Pork, wilted chicory, glazed Tokyo turnips, poached pluots and pork jus. We both had this dish. What flavor! Main course for me was Elysian Fields Farm's "Selle D'Agneau Rtie Entiere", ragout of thumbelina carrots, spring onions, garlic scapes, chantrelle mushrooms and russet potato gnocchi with lamb's tounge vinnaigrette. I have never had such flavorful lamb in my life. For her the subbed of the vegetable menu the rissotto w/ sugar snap peas, morel mushrooms, pea tendrils and Parmigiano Reggiano. Cheese course was Constant Bliss, a raw cows milk cheese from Vermont. Served with pickled blueberries, celery branch (actually a brunoise) Graham cracker, cuttung celery and bay leaf "Aigre-Doux". This dish was not lll that exciting to me. Sorbet was strawberry with vanilla chiboust, strawberry sauce and coulis de creme fraiche. Also on the plate but unlisted on the menu was a champagne gelee. Dessert: Spiced Caramel. Jivara chocolate shell with spiced caramel mousse and choclate cream, hazelnut streusel, caramel jam and ginger ice cream. We were also presented with a congratulatory comp of the classic "Coffee and Doghnuts". That was her favorite dessert. Then it was all the standard mignardises, of wich we had them bow up the truffles, caramels and nogat to go home with us as well as the macaroons. We were amongst the last 3 tables for lunch so we got to talk a little "shop" with our captain and then a quick tour of the kitchen. No obvious server gaffes or kitchen flaws that we detcted. We never felt neglected or like second class citizens as is often the case when we go out to nice places because we don't drink. It was just 3.5 hours of pure pleasure.

Quite simply the best restaraunt experience I have ever had!

Lunch and dinner are the same price and I was assured that the experience is the same for lunch and dinner.

I just got the call today from Per Se and got a table for two this Saturday at lunch. I am so excited! I called about 3 or 4 weeks ago and was told that I would be put on a list if there were any cancellations.

Not to argue that it's not a great deal with some top notch BBQ, but a trip to Memphis would cost way more than $128! For the price difference, i'll just have to settle for BBQ in NYC. ←

For $128 less, you could buy a ticket into the Memphis in May world championship BBQ contest. And if you are good enough to do some smooth talking, you can get into a lot of tents and eat all the BBQ you want. Plus all the cold beer that you could possibly want,handed to you by the contestants. I got to try the number 3 hog (Jack's Diner, of Jack's firehouse grill in Philly) and the number 1 hog (Old School Smokers from Skullbone Tenesee) at this years championsip. Plus some of Chris Lilly's chicken and shoulder. Also some of his mother-in-laws homemade sugar cookies and her bundt cake! Try that in NY!

Can't wait to go this year. I just got back from Memphis and the BBQ Fest. I saw Chris Lilly from Big Bob Gibson's and Mike Mills from 17th Street bar and grill. I will be hanging out behind the fence with both of them!

Back from BBQ Fest, report and pics to follow....

Cool! I'm off to Memphis on Tuesday for the BBQ fest. Going to see how my Q stacks up to the best. Glad that you enjoyed it once again.

Thanks again! Great review.

As a Northerner who does BBQ for a living, I think that If we care enough to do it right, we will succeed. Give a little respect for those who respect your culture.

Celebrating 7 years this month! I opened this place October 26th 1998 and am still going! Thanks to all my regulars, and too all the e-gulleteers who have tried it out! Again, thanks!

I was the first one to be invited and turned them on to Hickory. This summer was just too busy for me to be able to attend. In july I took on a second restauraunt from a friend of mine. I knew that around that time I would be taking over the new place and wouldn't have enough of me or staff to handle two restaurants as well as the rib-fest. Barnstormer BBQ is on Rt. 17K just of the NY Thruway. It is in a stripmall that is currently being re-done by adding a Target. Barnstormer is open 7 days a week during the construction.

We are closing and heading up to Dansville for the NY State Baloon Festival. Kind of a tradition at the Barnstormer.

Where did you end up going?