ulterior epicure

I noticed that too. I have no idea. Anyone? moosnsqrl?

Great report, Andy. If it's not gauche, might I ask the price of the L'Arpege tasting, now? If I can find a friend to go with, I might just go for the a la carte split like you did. I love sweetbreads. I want Passard's sweetbreads.

I know others have asked, but the details remain sketchy to me: how far out in advance to do I need to call for a dinner reservation? I have a three-day window of availablity in Paris. Please tell me this isn't going to be as insane of a gamble as, say, momofuku ko or minibar.

Twist has now opened, replacing Sarah's, Eat Drink Art at 1815 Grand Boulvard in downtown. Apparently, it was taken over by the majority investor in Sarah's, Lana Todd.

There is a nice article about Il Vino in today's Wall Street Journal. Has anyone been, recently?

Does anyone know if Goldfarb is still active and involved in running the Dessert Studio, or has it become another (name-)branded "kiosk?" If Goldfarb is still actively involved, does anyone know when he's more likely to be in? Evenings? Weekends?

My guess is that it's basically going to the the same, if not very similar, to the 3-course lunch "Menu L'Express," which is the same price.

Doh. OpenTable, why didn't I think of that? I also went on MenuPages. Sorry for the bother. Thanks!

Is there a website for Bar Milano? If so, Google's not helping me much.

Mimi Sheraton reminds me to ask: has anyone visited The Narrow recently?

I should add that, in addition to flavor, I was led to believe that it was celery, and not fennel, on the Halibut dish because it was garnished with what looked very much like celery leaves. I suppose they could have been lovage leaves. I still say it was celery. This matter really bothers me for some reason, because this was truly a successful use of celery, if that is what it was. I mean, along with the turnip, celery is too often an undeservedly maligned vegetable. I'm really rooting for turnips (mind the pun) and celery here.

Great photos, Ronnie! Gorgeous.

I made it back around to bluestem with a friend. We had 5-courses each. The Spring Pea Soup and the Duck Confit pasta remain excellent. I think, along with the Wagyu Tartare (which I revisited on this occasion, is better than ever - with pickled giardiniera and that addictive olive caramel - and potato chips!) and Foie Gras au Torchon, two long-standing favorites, deserve the status of signature dishes at bluestem. I will note that ChefCAG has changed the pasta on the Duck Confit from strozzapreti to trenne. Trenne works much better - the shape more in tune with the pieces of duck confit. One note: there wasn't any panko (or very little, if any) or dehydrated orange rind this evening, which I missed, sorely. I was really looking forward to my "Carbonara" pasta dish. I mean, pasta alla carbonara is one of those lovely things that so simple, yet manages to grab you by the scruff. Unfortunately, someone had turned the mute button on the flavor in this dish. I was quite shocked. With the exception of the bits of Berkshire bacon, which added a tiny bit of salty-sweetness, the rest of it was disappointingly flavorless. I could see all the ingredients, but they failed to register. I did like the fact that I got to beat the egg into the dish, that added some creaminess. I also loved that the pasta was perfectly-cooked. I think a heap of Pecorino Romano and some coarsely ground black pepper would help un-mute this dish. It needed more salt and spice - the bacon didn't quite offer enough. Again, the pastas at bluestem remain my least favorite dishes. The current Halibut composition screams Spain. Well, with the exception of the butter in the sauce (I think there's butter in that sauce). A few notes: 1. Loved the linguica sausage - how can you not like smoky, salty, sausage? 2. Fish was perfectly cooked. So were the mussel, the clam, and the baby squid. 3. The white beans were undercooked - they were gritty and hard. This was more than just a little annoying. I wanted to enjoy them. Had they been properly cooked, they would have contributed wonderfully to the composition. 4. If you like saffron, you will like the boulliabaise. I do not care for saffron, but its infusion here was very subtle, and I did not mind it one bit. It figured much more in the aroma than the flavor. It was quite lovely, actually. 5. Loved the large slab of rendered celery (it tasted like celery, but the slab was so big, I think it might have been fennel, though it did not taste like fennel nearly as much as it tasted like celery) beneath the fish. It soaked up the broth and did a lovely number with the other flavors in the dish. The celery was an unexpected highlight. Can I get a clarification on this ChefCAG? The aged Piedmontese striploin seems more focused in composition and flavor than it was the last time I was in. The tomato confit was yanked back, allowing the wonderful flavor of the beef shine more. The striploin was *perfectly* cooked. Gorgeous presentation. My Hen dish would have been an A++ dish had the chicken been properly cooked. First, let me say the plating was heartachingly gorgeous - it was almost glowing with color. The artichoke heart wedges were tender, the other root vegetables were nice and crisp. The chicken (breast?) topped a silky bed of greens napped (I really hate that word, but I can't come up with anything better at the moment) in a flavorful pistou. This was dish showcased Spring at its best; it was so simple, yet so flavorful. In thought and composition, it was very Chez Panisse to me. The chicken was overcooked. No two ways about that. It wasn't so bad that it warranted a re-order, but it was enough to make the eating experience significantly less enjoyable. I was very sad. The wine director, Jeremy, was kind enough to pour my friend and me a tasting portion of a Spanish sparkling (*comp disclosure*), "Bigaro" - Moscato meets Brachetto d'Aqui. The tartness of the Moscato really helped temper the often syrupy sweet Brachetto d'Aqui, which I generally do not care for. Imagine macerating strawberries in Moscato. It paired perfectly with my dessert, the "Fried Ricotta Strawberry." re: Fried Ricotta Strawberry: Not sure I can complain here. Loved all the flavors. The sponge cake was *perfect* - and I actually loved that they soaked up a bit of the sweet rhubarb consomme poured into the bowl table-side. The fried ricotta was great - it was crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside. It gave this fancy dish a bit of a state fair twist. The one thing that was really distracting was the undercooked rice pudding. I don't think the composition needed the rice pudding at all. And, I'm not sure that rice pudding made sense in this composition - the wonderful thing about rice pudding is that it's creamy. But, after pouring consomme over it, it becomes diluted. Actually, the undercooked rice kinda ruined some bites for me. It was hard to isolate the pudding once the consomme was poured in, otherwise, I would have just moved it aside. Wish I had a spoon and fork for this dessert. My friend had the Textures of Carrot dessert, the same as I had on my last trip (see upthread). It was good. No changes. In summary, this meal wasn't the strongest showing by bluestem in the now twenty-nine times I've been. However, it certainly will not deter me from returning. I do know that ChefCAG was not in the kitchen that evening, but I'm sure he would not want me to make excuses for his kitchen on his behalf. I look forward to seeing how the menu evolves as the seasons change; that's what makes bluestem, and Chef Garrelts' cooking exciting. Oh - the amuse this evening was particularly lovely: a refreshing grape soda. Petits fours this time included papaya pates de fruits, citrus almonds, and a wonderful five spice truffle that delivered a nice hit of red peppercorn. Photos of this meal can be seen on my Flickr account.

Dear *heaven*...SOFT SERVE?!?!?!? I mean, for heaven's sake, why bother making soft serve into a milkshake? Even more, if they're using anything lower-fat than, say 2%, they just don't know how to make a milkshake. Good grief...soft serve. Were they raised by morons or something? That's not a milkshake, that's an atrocity! Hand-dipped. Otherwise, why bother? A correctly-made milkshake will collapse the straw it's being attempted to be drawn from when initially served. Spoon is included, and as the temperature rises slightly, the straw becomes part of the process, and the spoon far less significant, if necessary at all. I am nothing less than offended that there's a high-end hamburger place *anywhere* that would even consider making a milkshake using soft serve. That's...just wrong. ← Right, well, I didn't *actually* see them dropping the stream of soft serve into the cup, but that's what the guy behind the counter said they use. So, I finally made it to chefBURGER recently. Their menu of "Signature Burgers" has expanded significantly. Interestingly, I was eating with pescatarians, and so I played along. Two of us go the two vegetarian burgers - the Black Bean Burger and the Crispy Falafel Burger. One of us got the Ahi Tuna Burger. And, yet another, who was less forgiving of our friends' dietary restrictions got the Turkey Burger, which I believe is new to the menu. So, no beef patty at our party. General observations: TOO MUCH CONDIMENT!!! Why is it that when you ask for them to "go easy" on something, they end up slopping on more than they normally would? So, we had Srirachi aioli, Srirachi coleslaw, mayonnaise, cranberry chutney, and pickled ginger coleslaw oozing out of, off of, onto, and all over everything. I think that chefBURGER might be an environmental hazard alone, what with the amount of napkins sacrificed to the cause of burger eating. I mean, had I been at home, naked, maybe I wouldn't mind what dropped where. But, seeing how I was in public, I was trying to keep myself from devolving into a complete slob. This was especially unfortunate, because otherwise, the "burgers" were perfectly delightful. The buns (where there were buns) were slightly sweet - I liked that, actually. The Crispy Falafel was indeed crispy. It was also flavorful, with a hit of appreciable and appreciated heat. It was sandwiched with fresh spinach, cucumber, tomato, and Srirachi coleslaw. Srirachi coleslaw is basically a Srirachi-tinged mayonnaise-laden coleslaw. The emphasis being on the mayonnaise. I tasted no Srirachi. I mean, if you've already got the falafel, tomato, lettuce and cucumber, why not go the whole way and just do some yogurt or sour cream? I guess that's why it's chefBURGER, and I'm not the chef. Then there was the Grilled Ahi Tuna Burger, which was completely coated in aioli. The inside, however, was perfectly cooked to order; my friend got it rare. It came with a pickled ginger coleslaw, which was really flavorful, the small bit that managed to not be glopped with Srirachi aioli, which tasted nothing like Srirachi. This "burger" surprised me - I had expected a chopped/ground tuna patty, instead, it was generous six-ounce steak cut of fish. Did I mention there was a lot of aioli? The Turkey Burger ($7.99) was not really a burger. I think it's supposed to be some kind of witty riff on Thanksgiving. The turkey patty, which was flavorful and moist, was tucked between grilled bread, topped with Swiss, cranberry chutney (which soaked through the bread), tomato, lettuce, mayonnaise, more mayonnaise, and then some mayonnaise. I didn't get to taste the Black Bean burger. It came with tomato, lettuce, pickle, and red onion. Oh, and it also was generously treated with "Chef Sauce," which was - you guessed it, some mayonnaise-based condiment. I guess my friend liked it; she wouldn't share. Sweet potato fries were good, but not the best I've had. The garlic-parsley waffle fries were also good, though way too greasy. I'd be fooling myself to think that fries are health food, but there's no need for a pooling grease. Again, the napkin crew came to the rescue. The milkshakes, as I alluded to upthread, were watery and thin. I prefer mine thicker. They weren't so thin that one could (easily) slurp it through a straw. Yet, eating it with a spoon was equally awkward - it was just too thin to hold on a spoon. I'm pretty sure they use soft serve as a base. I don't know what milkfat their milk is (ChefCAG's guessing it's whole, and I wouldn't be surprised). The flavors we tried were all very good. Next time, I'm going to try one of their "spiked" milkshakes - the "B52," "Alabama Slama'" and the "Buttery Nipple" all sound great. I might have to have a wheelchair waiting for me.

Sorry, ChefCAG, cross-posted.

Shatto....It's got to be whole also ← Yes, but what milkfat?

Does anyone know what kind of milk/ice cream they use in their milkshakes? Is it me, or are they awfully thin? I like mine just a bit thicker. I'm pretty sure they're using soft serve. Not sure what kind of milk - whole? 2%?

One more thing. Like you, heightsgtltd, I too am an admirer of Chef Daniel Humm's cooking at Eleven Madison Park. However, I would not go so far as to compare Humm's "experimentalism" with that of Achatz. I'm not sure what you mean by "experimental," and would appreciate a clearer definition of the word in the context that you are using it. Although I prefer the aesthetics and and compositions of Humm's food to that of Achatz, even I will acknowledge that what Achatz is doing with food is far more experimental than what any other chef, with few exceptions, is currently doing in the U.S. Both chefs are extremely creative, but I think Achatz pushes the envelope in more ways than Humm does.

I cannot speak to the uneven seasoning you refer to on the specific courses you had, or the bad bread. But, based on my two meals at alinea, I agree with your sentiments as the other points you raise, almost to a tee.

Portions were not too large, about what you'd expect for a tasting menu. didn't feel overstuffed or too full. We are actually heading back tonight to celebrate a family member's birthday. I will update on how the regular menu is... ← So, heightsgtltd, how was the regular menu? I was recently at Del Posto for a specially-arranged dinner. You can read a (much) more extensive review of that dinner (and see the pictures) at the ulterior epicure. Here are some excerpts: ************************************************* "I was assured that Mark Ladner, Executive Chef of Del Posto, was cooking for us when the server came to our table to apologize that he had no clue what the chef was preparing. Apparently, Ladner had remained “tight-lipped” about our dinner. The courses would be revealed to our servers as the meal progressed. ... That “Del Posto” means “of the place” in Italian hits squarely upon that for which I most appreciate about the restaurant. I can understand how less-informed (or, uninformed) diners might walk away from Del Posto being terribly deflated, or unimpressed - especially given the prices. (Although I did not see the regular menu, I have heard from many trusted sources that that prices exceed the value. I would tend to believe them given our $175 p/person dinner tab.). I don’t mean to suggest (at all) that I’m a naturally “informed” diner. What I am saying is that our servers (and Chef Ladner) - no doubt because our party’s dinner had been specially-arranged - took extra care to explain the provenance of each course, each ingredient, each concept, each combination to us. It was like being read excerpted digests from the Oxford Companion to Italian Food for each composition they presented. This was great. I don’t know whether this sort of care is taken with the regular clientele. From what I have heard, it is not. So, a tomato-based minestrone rife with perfectly-cooked beans and a confetti of fresh vegetables was teleported to us from Abruzzo. Apparently, this dish is served in that region on May 1st (just a few days before we ate at Del Posto), their “Labor Day,” to celebrate the beginning of the growing season. The server explained that the Zupetta Le Virtu alla Machiagiana is traditionally made by cooking each vegetable separately. Each is added to the tomato broth, along with the meat items and finished off with a drizzle of olive oil. There were small meatballs, made from beef and pork shoulder and tiny pieces of tripe. There were also bits of pig’s ear in the soup, which offered crunchy contrasts to the creamy beans and the soft, tender meatballs. (The pig’s ear’s was in the sofrito used for the soup, which was made from the restaurant’s testa.). It was a wonderful soup. The spaghetti, we were told, was the only pasta that they bothered to import from Italy - from an artisanal pasta maker in I-forget-which-village. I’m sure there was a story behind a beautifully plated dish involving a scallop on a half shell and a razor clam. It was called frutti di mare di piastra. Piastra is an old Italian currency. But, I missed the explanation on that one. Of course, it takes more than a good story to make a meal successful. And, for the most part, Del Posto delivered that, too. Given that Ladner was personally overseeing our dinner, I wasn’t surprised that there weren’t any objectionable pitfalls. Here was our menu: Canapes: Sunchoke Chips with Truffled Dip Baccala Fritter Caviar and Boiled Egg Tart Empanada Whole wheat Soup Antipasti: Insalata Primavera, Ricotta Glassata & Perilla Horseradish Panna Cotta with Insalata d’Astice & Sclopit Vitello Tonnato Crudo with Mustards & Mache Abalone Carpaccio, White Asparagus, & Charred Ramps Frutti di Mare alla Piastra with Spring Lillies, Roots & Tubors Primi: Spaghetti with Dungeness Crab, Sliced Jalepeno & Scallion Del Posto Agnolotti dal Plin with Golden Butter & Ramp Puree Zuppetta Le Virtur all Marchigiana Secondi: Cacciucco with Baccala Mantecato & Zuppetta di Pannada Veal Chop alla Milenese, Asparagus & Truffled Tongue Salad Contorni: Fried veal brains, arugula salad with kidneys, marinated maitake mushroom Four bean salad with beef tendon Palate Cleanser: Celery sorbet with 25-year-aged Modena balsamic vinegar Del Posto Dolci Misti: Crostata di Limone Crespelle di Polenta Chocolate Ricotta Tortino Butterscotch Semifreddo Petits Fours All of the dishes, except the contorni, are on the restaurant’s regular menu. I’m also obliged to note the bread service at Del Posto. It is very fine. The basket of ciabatta, foccacia, and baguettes were inhaled by out table within minutes. That there was lardo (!!!) and butter served alongside the buns didn’t hurt either. I recently re-read Frank Bruni’s review of Del Posto, which published in March, 2006. I realized, after-the-fact, that we were served many of the dishes he mentioned. I don’t take the The New York Time’s restaurant critic’s word as gospel, but judging by my meal, I largely agreed with his assessment of Del Posto’s food. ... Everyone at the table agreed that the Cacciucco was the most successful and memorable dish. This involved a very spicy tomato-based broth poured over an assortment of crustacea and shellfish: scallop, mussel, prawn (which, pleasantly, had its head split in half so I could scoop out the innards), and squid. The soup was “finished” with a drizzle of mantecato (which, I was only vaguely familiar with, conceptually, from reading about it in Giorgio Locatelli’s cookbook) - this version was a baccalao-infused cream. To my understanding, mantecato is the process by which cream/butter is “mounted” into a recipe, be it risotto or ice cream. This was not so much beat into the soup (as mantacatos usually are) as just drizzled over the soup. The soup was warm and comforting. The seafood was perfectly-cooked. The spiciness was the most rewarding part of the rich and complex broth. ... The wine pairings were very lackluster. The sommelier seemed particularly enthusiastic about the wines he was pairing - prattling off extensive knowledge about the terroir and tasting notes. To be sure, there were some very interesting wines. All of them were amiable by themselves. But, they did next to nothing for/with the food. ... Bruni noted that Del Posto needed more blockbuster desserts. Two years later, I’d say they’re still working on that one. Our dolci were unexciting and forgettable. In fact, I thought the pre-dessert, a small dollop of celery sorbet annointed with just a few drops of 25 year-old balsamico, was better than any of the four desserts we were served. It was light and refreshing; the meal could have ended happily then and there. We were served an assortment of the restaurant’s regular desserts in tasting portions; each of us took a bite and passed it down. The butterscotch semifreddo with butterscotch sauce was my favorite of the four. ... Service was a little awkward. I couldn’t tell whether our servers were sycophantic, clueless, or despised us. Or, maybe, all three? That being said, on face value, everyone was hospitable. The only service issue of note was that at one point, they did pour tap water into our sparkling water. As we were on dolci, we didn’t say anything. The last time this happened to me was at The French Laundry. When I mentioned it, all of our water was replaced. Chef Ladner was, without question, truly humble and very gracious. The New York Observer recently ran an extensive profile on Ladner, who has been aptly likened to Clark Kent in the Kitchen. He is quiet, and unassuming. He does wear those squarish black-framed glasses. And, he really does seem every bit as tall as he actually is. Now knowing that he cooks one day out of the week at Lupa, whence he came. I plan to make Lupa a stop in the future. ... Again, what I appreciated most about the the restaurant is its dedication to history and development of Italian food. You will find at Del Posto, probably some of the more well-researched, esoteric, and regional Italian cuisine in the United States. It’s sort of an anthropological exercise in Italian cookery. The menu offers an eclectic assortment of different sensibilities - all Italian in some way. Perhaps this is too ambitious or unfocused - I can’t imagine a Chinese restaurant covering more than two regions on one menu with much success. But, for the most part, at least the food is well-executed. I leave you with this self-description from Del Posto’s website for your consideration. I think it captures the theoretical (practicality being something totally different) purpose and spirit of Del Posto quite well: “Del Posto is the ultimate expression of what an Italian restaurant should be. Joe Bastianich, Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali represent a convergence of different styles and experiences. The restaurant concept generated at Del Posto can best be described as trans-generational: an expression of the evolution of cuisines, menus, service and ambiance that have characterized the history of the Italian dining experience in this country.” Perhaps this European sensibility and authenticity, with a few creative detours, is why the folks at Michelin Guide Rouge awarded Del Posto 2 of their coveted stars. For the same reasons I loved Del Posto, Bruni thought that the restaurant deserved 3 stars. I think both ratings are a little generous. But, I have only been once, whereas Bruni, and hopefully the Michelin Guide, based his opinion on three or more. I don’t know that I’d run back to Del Posto. Certainly, I would entertain re-visiting the enoteca, if I’m ever in the neighborhood again. But, of the Batali-Bastianich empire, I’d much more likely find myself at Babbo, Esca, and hopefully Lupa, where I might get to experience Chef Ladner in his more familiar elements. ************************************************************* Because I want to avoid the appearance of shilling, I must disclose that after our dinner, we shared a plate of gelati in the Enoteca. They sent out a basket of bomboloni, gratui. Again, you can read a more extensive review (if you can imagine such a thing) at the ulterior epicure. You can see all of the photos on on my Flickr account.

I know I'm late to this game, and apologies if this is something that has already been disclosed, but will the lunch menu be identical to the dinner one (e.g. per se before they instituted a separate lunch menu)?

From a circular that I received by email from The Four Seasons:

Does anyone know whether they serve the pistachio croustillant or the rhubarb shortcake (or the dessert of the season, whatever it is) at lunch?

Neither of us have yet to eat at L2O. You may be right that ultimately the comparison to either Le Bernardin or Alinea is a weak one, but I still don't understand why you would say so at this point. ← While L.20 certainly has the seafood theme in common with Le Bernardin, Gras seems to be doing something more progressive than Ripert. Ripert's treatment of seafood seems more classical, traditional, and simplistic (in terms of flavors and ingredients) that what is going on here. At the same time, Gras's cooking doesn't seem to reach as far "in the future," so to speak, as Achatz. It doesn't appear that Gras's cooking relies on technoemotional modes, so a comparison to alinea seems not quite right. Of course, you know me doc, I can't wait to test my own observations. I'm *hoping* to make it back up to Chicago in July.

Sorry, not inappropriate in the sense that such a comparison should not be made. Surely, your comparison is valid. Perhaps I should have said that the comparison is a weak one.