ulterior epicure

Ahhh, thanks, FG.

Excuse my ignorance. 1. If there is a minibar thread, I couldn't find it, so please feel free to move this inquiry over to that thread. 2. How does ordering at minibar work? I went to their website and looked up the menu. It's broken into three sections: "Flavors & Textures," "Snacks," and "Sweet Ends." There are no prices, and I would assume you just order a la carte, not unlike at a tapas bar. What confused me is the message on the main minibar homepage which says that as of May 15, the menu will be $120 (w/o tax/tip or drink). Can someone explain?

My hand is raised.

I've been to Beligium more than a couple of times, but cannot claim to be an expert. (I also detest mayonnaise, and I can't imagine them with fries.) Bruni's review has piqued my curiosity. Anyone been lately and care to comment on the food? Any Belgians out there?

tupac, All good things. Sounds like you had a grand time! The Chai-Caramel ice cream sounds fantastic, as does the Vanilla Bourbon Shake. Rocky was the manager I alluded to that came to my table mid-meal and struck up a inquisitive and energetic exchange. He too mentioned that he was at Daniel and had thought my friend and I looked familiar (in fact, it was the same friend that was with me at Daniel). No Tomme de Chataignier on our cheese plates - Cabra Romero, Mt. Tam, Hooligan (Cato Corner), Perail (I've never heard of or encountered this cheese before), and Persille. u.e.

Agreed. Although, for $4 more, Jean Georges is definitely much better, IMO.

This is for my lunchmate, who had no idea what Funyuns are. You need to go to Jack's (?) near Madison Square Gardens!!

I recently had lunch at Perry Street. My lunchmate had been many times before (I'll let you out yourself). With the exception of a couple of dishes, I found the meal to be rather unmemorable. (Unremarkable?) The amuse bouche, a brilliant dual-shaded chilled pea soup with dill puree was quite good - and refreshing. The pea soup was lightly creamed and the dill puree, which took up a corner triangle of the rectangular dish was darker green. Both flavors were distinguishable and very good. As many of you know, the 3-course lunch is $24, with each additional plate an extra $12. Between the two of us, we ordered an extra dish each. Here's what we sampled: Housemade Mozzerella: This was a sheet of house-made mozzerella filled with finely chopped Thai basil and rolled into a log. The log sits atop squares of sun-dried pineapple and was drizzled with a spicy chile-infused pineapple syrup. The mozzerella was firm and chewy (but not hard) - not like the pliable squeeky soft fresh mozerella. This was more like a thick skin of protein - sort of like yuba. While the mozzerella was milky and neutral, it played nicely as a sounding board for the dazzlingly colourful flavors at play: sweet heat of the chile-infused pineapple syrup, the golden tropical warmth of the sun-dried pineapple, and the herby cinnamon spice of the Thai basil. Coming from a Jean-Georges restaurant, the creativity and surprisingly successful combination of unlikely Eurasian ingredients doesn't surprise me in the least. By far, this was the most memorable dish we tried at this meal. House-Cured Gravlax: I was quite shocked by the size of this course. Silky strips of house-cured salmon gravlax draped over a thick cut of toasted brioche. What you can't see initially, is that the brioche cleverly encases two barely coddled (poach is really too harsh a method to describe barely-cooked state of these eggs) eggs. The eggs were topped with a butter emulsion (think loose, whipped hollandaise) and then covered with the salmon. Cutting throught he brioche unleashed an ooze of creamy yolk, foamy butter, and a tumble of cloud-like egg white.</a> The real treat for me was the thoughful bed of herbs that had been spread beneath the brioche - a mix of dill and tarragon, which became naturally incorporated into the buttery yolk mixture as you scooped up each bite. This was an awesome, if not slightly heavy dish. The flavors were clean and well-balanced, although I could have done without so much of the butter. The textures were oustanding - creamy yolk, delicate egg whites, foamy butter, silky fish and the nice crunch of brioche. Beef Tartare with Grilled Cheese: Beef (we don't know what kind) was nicely chopped - not minced or chunky, and served atop a seductively flavorful dollop of black olive and cornichon cream. While the black olive component was easily identifiable (not just because it was listed on the menu), but the cornichon component (which was not listed on the menu) elluded both my friend and me. After getting confirmation from our server, it all made sense - as cornichons are one of the essentials of a classic tartare. I'll also bet there was a tinge of garlic and shades of onion mixed in the puree. The Gruyere toast was pretty straightforward, simple, and good. I especially like that the toast was crunchy and hadn't sogged beneath the warm cheese. My friend really enjoyed this course. Chile Oil-Poached Snapper: This read better on the menu than it tasted. it also looked much better than it tasted. I was really wow'ed by the vibrant colour of the dish when it appeared. I love fat-poached seafood. This cut of red snapper was no exception. The flesh was extremely soft and moist; I didn't even mind the moist skin, which I usually detest. The chile oil barely seeped in between the seams, and gently flavored the white meat. Despite the hot-orange colour, the oil wasn't that spicy (but, that's relative, as I am a spicy eater). The radishes, nicely shaved and perhaps gently marinated, were still nice and crunchy and added another layer of (different) heat. While I enjoyed the vibrantly agressive spice and slightly bitter horseradish-like flavors, I felt that the dish lacked a counter-balance. It needed something salty, tangy, or sweet to counter the rather one-dimensional combination of chile oil and radishes. I had really anticipated that the chile oil would have had some bit of vinegar or acid added, but there was none. Salmon with Maitake and Pepitos: This was a pretty straightfoward preparation of salmon - pan-fried so that the skin was nice and crisp and not a hint of fishiness. A slight squeeze of lemon was a nice garnish (I especially liked the thin cut of lemon - it made it extremely easy to squeeze, and provided just the right one-squeeze amount - no seeds and no excess drip or pulp). I also loved the grassy bell-peppery taste of the blistered pequillo pepito peppers. I didn't enjoy the black sesame mustard as much as my companion. I'm very particular about the taste of sesame - especially the oil from sesame. I don't like too much of it. Black sesame triggers thoughts of Chinese desserts - like black sesame paste in glutinous rice balls, and black sesame brittle, both of which I love, but in a sweet context. Here, the sesame was a little overwhelming - the effect was more like a mayonnaise made of sesame oil rather than the "sesame mustard sauce" described on the menu. I love salmon and mustard and thought (from the read on the menu) that this might be a promising combination - but it wasn't for me. Thankfully, the way the salmon was plated, I easily avoided too much of the sauce by removing the fish off the sauce. The maitake mushrom was the star of the plate for me. The fat cut of tender, but meaty hen of the woods mushroom had been nicely griddled and dusted with sesame seeds. Hanger Steak: This was a disappointment and easily the least successful dish we tried. The hanger steak was tough and dense. The fava beans and the creamed basil was good but unremarkable (except that the basil was surprisingly mild in flavor), but the onion ring was really the only thing on the plate worth eating - interestingly, it tasted just like a Funyun. Imagine, a real onion ring that tastes like a reconstituted processed human-made junk food version of an onion ring. I don't know whether the folks at Funyun are really good at what they do or if Jean Georges has a wonderful way of mimicking junk food with his real ingredients. Desserts were both (there are only two offered) unappealing to me. Ricotta Cheesecake: My lunch companion ordered this after I flatly rejected the cheesecake option. In retrospect, I regret not having ordered it. I generally don't like cheesecake, but this ricotta version was much milder than the cream cheese version, which I absolutely detest. I enjoyed the playfulness and refreshing flavors of this dish. I especially enjoyed the light airy crisp of the dehyrdrated strawberries that garnished the top of the cake and the sweet-tart confetti of rhubarb on the side. I didn't get a taste of the sorbet - I think it was rhubarb, but not sure. My companion didn't have any trouble scraping the plate clean. Chocolate Pudding: Not bad, but ordinary. This chocolate pudding was dense - sort of like pot de cream. This square bowl of chocolate pudding was toppe half with sugared lavendar buds and half with barely whipped cream. Like all other dishes, the colours were spectacular - brilliant purple and brilliant white, side-by-side. While the lavender excited me at first (especially the colour), it really didn't do much in terms of taste. They were like rock candy - I did enjoy the crisp contrast to the pudding, but they were over-sugary and rather flavorless. I was expecting a nice perfume of lavender. Nope. The whipped cream was foamy instead of sturdy - and very milky tasting, which actually worked with the lavender and chocolate. I took two half-spoonfuls and was done. Too rich. I will note that without exception, every plate that came out was FULL OF COLOUR. It was truly a gorgeous meal. The colours were actually rainbow bright - unnaturally so. I'm sure no food dyes were used, so I can only be in awe of the freshness and creativity of the products. Service was fine. Management was paranoic. My camera sent the manager scrambling over to remind us that the restaurant generally does not allow photos to be taken of the restaurant or its food. This is the first time that I've been told this. I reassured her that they are for personal use. To honor my word, no pictures, sorry. Later, when I asked the server to see a copy of the menu, the manager came back to firmly inform me that the restaurant does not duplicate nor publish its menus. I told the manager that I simply wished to see a copy for reference, as my lunchmate and I had a question about a certain item on a dish.

That's right. Thanks for reminding me. The squab liver definitely tips the definition more appropriately into the offal category.

Nothing. I think you summed up our gap here:

I don't think that Mimi expected it to... Signature dish or not, Mimi's complaint wasn't about the taste or whether or not she personally agreed/appreciated the food. Rather, her observation (complaint) was solely about the quality of the food's execution. I don't go to Chipotle hoping or expecting to pay for a $6 over-greasy and soggy burrito, although that is what I may get. (For the record, I never have.)

I have not been to Al Di La', and I have only been to Babbo once, so I am ill-qualified to answer your question. However, I did have two pastas that evening, and they were both spectacular. Then again, both had offal incorporated into the pastas (Lambs Brain Francobolli and the Beef Cheek Ravioli (which, I think is a stretch to call 'offal,' but it is categorized as such). You can find my post upthread about my meal (a month ago). It was one of the best meals I've had in New York. Caveat, I was VIP'ed. u.e.

Nothing, but for the fact (the jury's still out on this one, I suppose) that it's apparently a sub-standard lunch, which I think is what Megan was getting at upthread.

Perhaps that explains why I really enjoyed my meal there (a month ago) - I had almost all offal.The octopus was nicely charred when I had it. The sweetbreads did have a healthy amount of the membrillo sauce, but I didn't mind - as it was more tangy than sweet. Desserts were the weakest part of our meal.

kathryn, You know you're very lucky to live so close to MSB! I'm envious. I asked this on your flickr, and you responded (thanks), but I thought I'd offer this question again for the benefit of the thread here on eG: have you noticed a terrible increase in the crowds subsequent Chang's Beard award? Are the flavors in anyway North-African-inspired? Perhaps they'll re-appear when they're in season? I better make plans for a fall visit!

I definitely agree with you here -- Cru is on my #3 list for Food, right behind L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon and Per Se. ← Cru is a restaurant that many have urged me to visit, and I finally made it in a couple of weekends ago. tupac's post upthread has prompted me to take advantage of my sleeplessness to finally post about it. All the photos from the meal and further commentary on the dishes, go to my flickr site.) Overall, my meal at Cru was very good, but the experience, and especially the service, was un-impressive. I decided to visit Cru after falling in love with the tasting menu online. Despite having emailed and called the restaurant to inquire about having the kitchen cook for us, I received no call-back or email responses. Nothing was mentioned or acknowledged about my request when we arrived either. I decided to let it go and enjoy the tasting menu; I hadn't expected that the kitchen would be willing/able to cook for us anyway, since it was a weekend night. Regardless, some kind of response or acknowledgment would have been appreciated. I think Cru's reputation for an extraordinary wine program can overshadow Gallante's skills in the food department. Many had told me that Cru is all about the wine. While I'm sure their wine list is extraordinary (I don't have the budget or the experience to know), from my experience, it's not all about the wine. The food is rather spectacular in its own right. I truly enjoyed almost every course we had, except the very first - "Marinated Fluke." But, that is a personal taste preference - I'm not a big fluke fan - I find it rather bland, and the texture is slightly mushy regardless of freshness. The "Sepia and Rock Shrimp" and the "Buttermilk-Poached Poularde" stand out as the highlights of the meal. The "Black Bass" was also excellent, its texture (either sous-vides or poached in fat) was very memorable - that state between raw and cooked that I love. Despite being known for pasta, Gallante's "Tortellini of Sweet Corn" failed to grab me. It was good - the past was cooked properly, but tortellini is one of those pastas where it's more about the pasta than about the filling. There wasn't enough sweet corn filling for me to appreciably taste or enjoy. I had looked forward to the combination of sweet corn along with the speck and ramps. The ramps were the only thing that stood out in the end. Overall, flavors were nuanced and balanced. Again, nothing disappointing, but nothing creative or ground-breaking for me. As BryanZ put it in his recent post about Babbo, there were no "aha!" moments to this meal. The wine pairings were nice, but similar to the food, unremarkable on the whole, save a Cassis Blanc that went particularly well with the "Sepia" course. tupac, I'll be interested to hear about your dessert(s), as the one on the tasting menu sounded absolutely boring ("Dark Chocolate Financier, White Chocolate Mousse, Milk Chocolate Sorbet"). All of us requested to have something else substituted in its stead, a request which was accommodated. We were all pleased with our substitutions. (Does anyone know who the pastry chef is?) As I stated up-post, service was the main disappointment. It may have been because it was busy night (the restaurant was full when we walked in at 8pm - but at this level of dining, I still see very little excuse), but our server/sommelier seemed distracted through the first few courses. I would describe his m.o. to be "cool." He wasn't outrightly rude, but there was a "I'm too busy to be bothered" smugness that turned us off (I was not the only one who got this impression). The only care he seemed to show us is when he brought out a separate flute for my friend (who wasn't getting the wine pairing), who wanted to share a bit of my champagne and had poured it from my flute into his wine glass. The server/sommelier was kind enough to bring out an extra wine glass for my friend for the subsequent courses. Not to be a pessamist, but even this act was not a clear indication of friendliness to me, as the flute came out with a comment to the effect of, "I truly don't care to see you trying to enjoy your wine out of a glass, sir. Here's a flute" Half-way through the meal, one of the managers came over and started chatting us up. I'm not sure if this is customary, but he seemed to really take interest in our table. Following his drop-by, service improved remarkably. Our once dour-faced server warm up and was even pleasant through the remainder of the meal. The dining room is reserved, and not one who's style that I particularly admire. But, it serves its purpose, I suppose - a comfortable and undistracting space with sound-absorbing banquettes, upholstered chairs and thick carpeting. I was surprised that even though the dining room was packed, it didn't seem loud. I'd return to Cru, but I'm not in a hurry anytime soon.

Sorry all, it's taken me a full 2 weeks to recoup from my trip. Bite Club was great fun. I echo, almost bite-for-thought, what BryanZ wrote upthread. Pictures can be found on my flickr. Just some thoughts: 1. Portions, on a whole, were rather large... I know that most people will complain when portions are too small, so I guess I shouldn't complain. I know D & A are gracious hosts who want to show their generosity. But, I could have done with half the portions of most courses. 2. Cauliflower "flan" needed more caviar - not enough saltiness to spread around the generous cut of flan. Otherwise, it tasted just like Keller's "Cauliflower Panna Cotta" - which was D's inspiration for the dish. I told him he hit the target. 3. I'm being very picky when I say that I found the soft shell crab a bit more mature than I like - the skin had gone papery - beyond the tissue-thin screen that is optimal. D said he sourced them from Citerella, so I'm sure they were high quality, but they were just older than I prefer. 4. Wines were very interesting on their own, but (admittedly a neophyte to wine, take my comments with a grain of the proverbial), very few pairings worked for me. I thought the Chateau le Casenove Cote du Rousillon "La Garrigue" overwhelmed the goat. I especially enjoyed the Canadian vin gris more on its own than served with the dessert(s). 5. A is a worthy pastry chef. The poached pear with cassia ice cream dessert rocked. I love rose-flavored sweets, but I found them weak in her "Flight of Rose" - none had a very pronounced rose flavor. 6. The Casunziei (beet ravioli with poppyseed) could have used more butter, or some kind of moistener. I also would have liked some cheese grated over it, or some crunchy sea salt. 7. Cheeses are great, but as a cheese fanatic, I would have appreciated more precise references. Epoisses was the only one I recognized. I wished that they would have been presented according to name. Of course, I got them from Daniel after the dinner in an email request. Thanks, D! 8. Pork belly was, hands-down, my favorite course. It tasted not unlike Cantonese char sui pork - but infinitely more succulent - it was belly, after all. Fun was had all around and I was glad to be included (I understand I was Bruni's replacement). The food was fantabulous. I don't know how D & A are able to pull off all of this in their kitchen. Admirable.

Bouchon Bakery? Landmarc?

UE, UE, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? You're in that awkward stage between home/hobbyist and market gardener. You might check with Dan & Katherine at KC Center for Urban Agriculture or the Kansas City Food Circle. Moving farther afield ( ) Seed Savers (although I don't know if they have a semi-bulk program). It's too late for spring but if you talk to some farmers you might be able to buy-in on their bulk buy for fall planting. Most of them buy by the pound, I would guess, so if you paid up-front I can't think they would mind (other than that you clearly would not be buying mesclun from them, but they're not really competitive types for the most part anyway). If you want specifics PM me. ← How did I know you'd be first to "bite back?" Thanks for the links. One correction, I'm definitely not anywhere near market gardener. I'm still very much a (farmer's) market consumer. I am a home hobbyist through-and-through. BTW, I've got about 25 tomato plants in the ground - all of them Crum's heirlooms. I put in San Marzano, Kellogg's Breakfast, C. Fiorentino, Paul Robeson, German Johnson, Missouri Love Apple, Chocolate Cherokee, and one Delicious (which is a hybrid) - which the Crums say have been known to yield 3 lb. tomatoes . Ambitious-sounding? Perhaps. But you haven't seen the way the deer eat around here. I'll be lucky to have on left standing by the time the tomatoes bear fruit. *sigh*

Does Michy's have a website?

On a tangent, I've had tremendous success with the mesclun greens I've planted this year. Alas, my one packet only went so far. Does anyone know where I can buy mesclun greens seeds in bulk in the KC area? I'm looking for more than a packet but less than 5 lbs - preferrably in 1 lb. denominations. Planter's said no. They recommended Antone's (?) out in Independence? Never heard of it. I suppose I'll have to go to the internet.

Yes, but only because the macarons are inedible. They could have doubled for marbles. They were *hard.* Is that the problem you had with them?

Unfortunately, a visit to Eleven Mad. weeks ago yielded painful memories of insanely tiny portions, a weak signature (the suckling pig confit, which was way too dry), mediocre dessert and strangely indifferent service for a Meyer operation. ← This just shows that no restaurant, no matter what the level, will please absolutely everyone. My experience was similar with Aaron's (although I would take exception with the foie gras macaron, which was soggy on my visit) - the suckling pig was memorable. It's those chicken boudin that haunt me. On another note, I would have to say that my meal at Cru two weeks ago (I have yet to post on that thread) was not as memorable or special as those that you two have enjoyed.

Echo. ???

I went alone. But, that was early last year, before the storm of press really bumped them up to star-quality.