weinhen

We went on Thursday (12/15) and my wife and I each had the four course (@$75). It was a rainy night and the entry was packed. The coat checker was ratlled with all the simultaneous arrivals but things sorted out quickly and the table was ready (a good sign in my book - no waiting.) We were left to settle a good 10 minutes before anyone showed up at the table. When our waiter arrrived, he seemed to start the truffle hard sell immediately (pick your own color truffle - add 'em to any dish you like - at up to an extra $75 per plate!) This didn't really concern me much as I seem to have not inherited the gene that allows for swooning over truffles; it's nice to not feel neither deprived nor extravagant. The waiter was a touch on the snooty side but not so much that it was a turn-off. We wanted to see what all the sommelier discussion was about so we chose our courses and asked for advice. Our choices were: My wife - marinated scallop carpaccio - ravioli with porcini/snail filling - venison with dry cherry reduction Myself - wagyu beef tartar - tajine with roasted porcini and duck sausage - sturgeon "sotto vuoto" When the sommelier came, it turned out to be a charming young woman who had no trace of "attitude" whatsoever. We informed her of our choices and said we'd like a separate glass of wine each for the appetizers, and then a bottle to share for the remaining two courses, somewhere beween $50-60. This was a challenge to be sure. I was thinking light red but I was having a hard time thinking of one which would work with both venison and (essentially poached) sturgeon - maybe a pinot noir? Anyway, for the individual glasses she suggested an Albarinho for the scallops and an aged ('96?) rose Italian sparkling wine for the tartar. This fit my sense of what would work so we agreed to it. Good call. For the bottle, she really pulled a rabbit out of her hat; a 2004 Hilberg Pasquero Vareij - huh? She explained that it was an unusual wine - a Barbera/Brachetto blend. Brachetto is ordinarily vinified as a sweet wine but was done dry for this blend. She called it a personal favorite, and it was only in the mid $40 range. My goodness! It was like strawberrries and violets in the glass - light in texture but with enough grip for the venison. Brava! The food was exquisite. Everything was spot-on in preparation, well-spiced (if a drop salt heavy) and well thought out. Among all the dishes listed above, I think the ravioli was the winner but, as I said, it was all very good - no real losers. For the fourth course, things got a bit confusing. We both wanted some cheese instead of sweets and the dessert menu seemed to not permit this as part of the prix fixe. The waiter allowed that it was confusing and explained that the menu offered a selection of a single cheese. My wife asked for creamy and was steered toward a Serena. I ordered some Gorgonzola with a glass of sweet Brachetto (slightly pettilant). The Gorgonzola was quite good, the Serena not so good (sort of funky in a not too attractive way - and I LOVE funky cheese.) The odd part was that we were served a large portion of each cheese in a not too interesting presentation - and without the offbeat flourishes that characterize the L'Impero menu. They should really bring over the cheese steward from the the other place and teach the Alto kitchen how to do it. That was our experience. On balance, a superb dinner and a retaurant to which I would definitely return. Andrew

Not based on extensive experience (one lunch visit actually), I'd say Bao is ok'ish. The only thing I had was a bowl of Pho - available in a number of beef combinations - I had the beef & tendon - which was not a knockout. The broth wanted for flavor (try the Rungsit noodle soup - 34th between 2nd & 3rd for beef broth with cojones for a reference). The beef was there almost as a condiment - definitely not my style. So I'd try it again and probably will but more out of a sense of duty than desire. To give Asimov his due, he did say that the Pho was unspectacular. Andrew

FWIW, I've had an olive wood handled chateau laguiole corkscrew for a few years, ordered over the web at corkscrew.com. Good price and a corkscrew that I love more and more as its handle becomes burnished with use.ood Andrew

On which board was his return discussed? Thanks Andrew

What I'm surprised about is that nobody has picked up on Grimes' return on E-Gullet. He did just sneak back in with a Diner's Journal write-up. I assume he'll do the main review on Wednesday. I also assume Asimov will go back to the 25 and under spot, replacing Sifton who never caught my imagination much. Speaking of Sifton, what did others think of him. Seems that when he started, he tried to do his old NY Press shtick of "review noire." They must have leaned on him quickly since he promptly abandoned that style for the Times. Andrew

I'm sure most know this, but jamais means never in French, no? Well this kind of fits since I'd never pay that $$$ and he'd never have me. Also kind of sounds like a "famiglia" name - Bruno never. Andrew

Sorry for this being out of sequence, but Sherry Lehman is the only wine shop on my do not patronize list since they precisely failed to do for me what they so graciously did for Southern Girl. I had been given an expensive burgundy (nuit st. georges if I remember accurately) that was absolutely corked, as a birthday present. It was a gift from my brother who had recently purchased it at SL but no longer had the receipt. I returned the nearly full bottle, with cork, and was told that I could have bought this anywhere and they wouldn't honor the return. I explained it was a gift but the basic response I got was "tough luck". I even managed to stay polite throughout the entire encounter, and that was difficult. I still get angry thinking about it. So, SL has now lost my business, as I told them they would, for the last several years, and I discourage others from shopping there as well. Oh well..... Andrew

I've never tried the Florence version, but Citarella's West often carries a cut they call "Newport" which sounds like the same thing. I usually buy it when I see it and have yet to be disappointed. Andrew

Oh yeah, I did forget about those marshmallows. The waiter siad they're from JG's grandmother's recipe and came in coffee, strawberry and two other flavors. They were good marshmallows but....they were marshmallows. Andrew

Last night, night number two of our hometown vacation, brought us to Jean Georges. By now, its prowess is well-known in New York, but it was our first time there and served as a reminder of what's possible. Last night, along with a handful of previous dinners in France, reset my sensibilities which have regularly been blunted by mediocrity and the passage of time. Whether cooking in my own kitchen, eating at other restaurants, or ordering in, I have recovered for better and for worse, a point of reference. In case you haven't figured it out yet, last night was a WOW. I've eaten at all the other JG spots in NYC (save Mercer Kitchen) but nothing compares to this. Amuse Bouche: A tomato basil lollipop, tiny bit of foie gras with peach, and a disc of peeky toe crab with spiced green papaya. The waiter not only provided descriptions of each but also a guide to their correct order of consumption. All the tastes were intriguing and had this teasing quality of sweetness turning savory within each mouthful. Appetizers: were accompanied by coupes of Billiot NV Rose Champagne, appropriately full yet with a tang. 1. Toasted Foie Gras Brioche with cherry compote and microgreens. This could be simply dismissed as a foie gras sandwich, but what a mistake that would be. Basically it was a foie gras sandwich that offered a generous portion of seared foie gras between crustless brioche toasts. It was an essay in perfection of flavor and especially mouth feel. The contrast between the slight buttery crunch of the bread vs. the decadence of the liver was all that that combination could be. The cherry compote provided the balance but I must admit that I didn't add it to every bite as I just wanted to continue that overwhelming sense in my mouth. Fingerbowls (with lemon and flower petals) are provided afterward to provide a refined touch to a sorta messy experience. 2. Ribbons of Tuna and John Dory in a spicy broth with radish. Long strands of raw fish twirled together, pasta style. The balance of this dish was extraordinary. The spice was always there as a note in the background yet never interfered with the flavor of the absolutely fresh fish. The radish provided textural contrast. An elegant dish. Main Courses: were accompanied by a '99 Billerot? Chateauneuf du Pape that, while a bit young, was a good partner to both- 1. Lamb loin with a black trumpet mushroom crust, leek puree, sauted wild mushrooms and a ring of sauted potato coins. Yes I know, the lamb recipe is in one of his books, but I defy you to turn it out like this. It was medium rare throughout, as ordered, with the pink meat stopping precisely at the mushroom crust. It was tender, flavorful and all the sides worked together as one to create harmony. 2. Duck breast with a Jordan Almond crust with duck thigh confit, sauted foie gras on fingerling potatoes, sauteed chanterelles and braised baby turnips. Harmony again and everything cooked perfectly. The almond crust was sweet and was a nice foil to the richness of the duck meat. The thigh was served on an odd tool called a moujon which, according to the waiter, dated back to Henry VIII and is essentially impossible to find in these parts. It skewered the confit and you picked it up by the handle and ate it like a drumstick. Odd as it may sound, the braised turnips were so good as to compete with the duck in flavor. Desserts: are arranged as tasting plates, with the choices being cherry, apricot, "summer", and .... I forget the last one. These were ordered with glasses of an '00 Jurancon sweet wine. Apricot included small portions of each of the following - chocolate mousse with apricot and a habanero chili sauce -apricot panna cotta -roasted apricot -raspberry soup with sorbet (not sure where the apricot was hiding here) All nice combinations of flavors, balancing richness, clarity and "refreshingness". Cherry..... -cherry clafoutis with a bit of ice cream -cherry chocolate tart -cherry "nougat" with pistachio -elderberry soup Comments for the apricot tasing also apply to the cherry. So there it is. A dinner to educate and spoil you. Enough said. (p.s. Vongerichten was in the restaurant last night and clearly eagle-eyed about everything, even checking the dining room at very regular intervals.) Sorry about the length of this report but there's no way to describe it in just a few words. And now for something completely different...Thursday, we're off to Blue Smoke. Andrew

The asparagus home fries were a bit of a hybrid, Sacajawea Dollar size potato "coins" fried with pencil thin asparagus tips, and onions (as in traditional home fries.) Hope that description helps. Andrew

In last Sunday's Times City section there was a piece on New Yorkers who choose to stay in the city on weekends, eschewing the invitational pleadings of their friends and family who have newly acquired houses in the Catskills, Hamptons, etc. It's an interesting piece and reflective of an attitude that I've been nursing for a while. In this spirit, and to be able to minister to our ill cat, we decided to have a vacation at home this summer and be tourists in our city - movies, museums, Bronx zoo, and restaurants. On relatively short notice (two weeks ago), I made three reservations for this week. Surprisingly, there were no real difficulties in reserving (except Babbo - 10:30 the earliest) prime time midweek slots for two. Last night was the Harrison, tonight Jean Georges, Thursday Blue Smoke. So, the Harrison was doing good business when we arrived at 7:45, only a few empty tables. We were seated early for our 8:00 reservations. It is a simple, fairly elegant spot, with a rustic feel from the planked walls and ceiling. Service is sweet and efficient, but the tables are close enough together to have that annoying experience of the waiters butt too close as they take orders at adjoining tables (one of my pet restaurant peeves.) Appetizers: 1. Yellow Fin Tuna, with marinated cucumber in a gazpacho broth, was fresh, nicely seasoned and well-presented. It had some unusual ingredients including what appeared to be a tapenade of some type but not as strongly flavored as that would ordinarily be. Not the sort of dish you'll remember for years but pleasant enough. 2. Fried clams are apparently their signature appetizer. You're presented with a bowl containing a very generous portion of clam strips (no bellies) crisply fried and not greasy. Swimming among the clams are fried thinly sliced lemon and fried parsley which made for a nice flavor, but not textural, contrast. It came with a lemon-coriander aioli that should have been gutsier to stand up to the heft of the clams. Wine for the appetizers were two glasses of Il Mimo rose, from the Nebbiolo grape. It's their house rose and a good all-purpose wine. Main Course: 1. Skillet calf's liver, has been raved about in the published reviews of The Harrison. Ordinarily, I'm not a liver guy unless it's foie gras or ankimo, but I made an exception here. What you get is a horseshoe shaped piece of liver, not overwhelmingly large, fitted over a wedge of bacon/onion/potato torta, and sauteed chard, all in a tangy sherry sauce. This was quite a good dish, with all the earthy flavors working together. The liver was surprisingly good, medium rare as ordered, yet with a nicely charred and peppered exterior. So if liver isn't a complete non-starter for you, I'd definitely recommend The Harrison's treatment of it. 2. Pan crisped chicken was a pan roasted affair, served with a mustard sauce over asparagus home fries. The chicken was well prepared, crisp outside and moist within. Unlike many mustard based sauces, this one managed to remain sharp and was a good complement to the meat. The asparagus home fries seemed a good idea but were either a miscalculation or poorly executed last night. The potatoes were soft/soggy and underseasoned. According to my wife, the asparagus tips in the dish were good but required rummaging among the potatoes to find them. We also ordered the much touted fries as a side for the table. Again good but not great. They were supposed to be highly seasoned and addictive. While there was some subtle Old Bay taste, it wasn't a "wow" nor were they crisply fried enough to remain so on a humid New York evening. The wine for the entrees was a '99 Fallerno del Massico, Villa Mathilde, a bottle which I love and is available around the city. Primarily Aglianico, the wine worked well with both dishes. Desserts: Forget it - we were too full. In all, the experience was good but not great. Prices are reasonable -after tax and tip, we came in at $145 for all of the above. Tonight, it's Jean Georges and I'm eagerly expectant. So until tomorrow.... Andrew

We were in the sw two years ago so this info is admittedly not the latest but, here goes... La Tupina was fun but not exactly what I expected. First off, it's in a rather shabby section of town, unless the area has been revitalized. To be safe, take a cab. Second, this is definitely one discovered restaurant. More than half the tables were apparently taken by tourists. Third, this is really minimalist food. My starter was foie gras mi cuit. It came as a foil wrapper on a plate. When you opened up the foil there was.... foie gras with salt and pepper, that's it. My entree was magret and, you guessed it, magret on a plate with a side plate of fries. To be sure, it was very good food, but so simple as to be a tiny bit disappointing (at least to me.) I guess I'm afraid that the place has been overhyped. Weinhen

Thanks to all for your help. We took your advice and made a reservation at ......Montrachet which has been a long time favorite (where I had my first encounter with seared foie gras.) After the recent New York Magazine positive review, it seemed like a good bet. I'll post with our experiences after 6/25. Weinhen

Rail Paul, et al: Thanks for the welcome and the congratulations. Since this will be an anniversary celebration, I suppose romantic would be a prime consideration, but not second to quality of the food. I realize that Cafe Des Artistes would be #1 on the romantic scale but am unsure of their food quality. Reading their sample menu online suggested very simply prepared and maybe a little stodgy food. I guess this implies that we prefer something a little more on the inventive side (although it needn't be wildly inventive, a la Liebrandt/Atlas). What we tend to dislike are restaurants that are hyped big time yet fail to deliver. A good example was another anniversary dinner a few years ago at Aureole which was ok but not nearly commensurate with their pricing. Don't mind spending $$$ but... Wine lists are important but it's not vital to me to have rare, stratospherically priced bottles available - I probable wouldn't order them anyway. Interesting, affordable lists are more my style. My hope with this post is to tap the experience of folks who have recently dined at the above three and could provide some updated insight on their current status. I hope these clarifications help and thanks again. Weinhen