ulterior epicure

Oh boy! Here we go! Thanks, wench, I (and I'm sure the "Z") will be reporting from up North... I think Parkville's behind the rest on this. Not sure.

moosnsqrl, wench - anyone? What's the forecast for the bounty of the metro KC this year?

LOL, kathryn, I think Stupak is permitted in this case. Otherwise, Laiskonis might have to take his "Egg" back to Tribute...

Your description has made the engineer in me smile ← Did it look like a vertical version of this?

Ditto. It certainly didn't taste like chicken.

Bryan, I dined alone at Schwa... but that was before the sh*tstorm of press and media really made reservations impossilbe. In fact, I called the week before and was fine. There were even a couple of walk-ins the evening I was there. This was circa February of 2006. I really don't know how the current reservation policy/conditions are, but would be interested to hear. u.e.

Thanks, Aaron for that report. Without being able to say that I've had the crab cakes at Starker's Reserve, I certainly can agree that the term "lump" is too often abused by restaurants - there's nothing more disappointing to me than a shredded crab cake. Sounds like you had a decent start to your getaway.

Maybe 'cause you were wasting too much time over at Robuchon's. Hey man. I had some phenomenal meals at JRo. So back off! Heheh. Seriously, though, I feel like L'Atelier recently became a bit... boring and complacent. Is it possible for a restaurant this young to be complacent already? Guess part of that is due to it being a chain restaurant. High-end or not, a chain restaurant just operates on a formula. Nonetheless, EMP was already #1 on my never-ending NYC restaurant list, and your review has firmly cemented it there. It's only a matter of time until I make there. Hopefully sooner rather than later! ← "JRo?" Jennifer Lopez had best watch her (very well-endowed) back!

*Bow* Thanks, kathryn.

Nathan, I have eaten at Alinea twice - I made a (very) brief post about my last visit here. Upthread, I did post about my first visit, circa July/August, 2005, but I don't have the time to locate that right now. The most detailed commentary you're going to get is on my flickr. Click to see/read about my first meal. Click here to see/read about my first meal. Personally, and I say this throughout my many posts on the Alinea thread is that I walked away from Alinea, both times, underwhelmed. I know that I am in the very small minority of people who just simply cannot gush about Achatz's food. But, you must understand that I have a rather short limit for theatrics and pyrotechnics, and am much more focused on the the actual taste and gustatory satisfaction role that food plays in a dining experience. This is not to say that Alinea is all show and no substance. This is also not to say that some of the food tasted very good there. However, for me, Alinea lacked a sensible balance between creativity, analysis, science, and just plain damned good eating. Both of my 5+ hour meals were technically flawless (except for the service, which I have criticized on both occasions), but short of completely lacking soul (which it didn't, completely), were much more cerebral exercises than dining experiences - if that makes any sense. Back to Humm: my (one) meal at Eleven Madison Park walked that thin line and struck that perfect balance - there was thought, there was soul, there was creativity, there was bravado, aesthetics played out nicely - both in flavor and visual presentation, service was great, wine pairings were clever (granted, this is one element that was missing in my Alinea experiences), and most importantly - Humm's food was accessible to me as a diner, both on an intellectual level and on the primal human-needs-good-food level. Achatz and Alinea didn't do that for me. Dufresne and WD~50 didn't either, nor Keller at either per se or TFL, nor Robuchon at L'Atelier NYC. Few chefs and restaurants have. Humm and EMP under his stewardship did. Swallow your pride, Nathan. I think you'll be thanking yourself for it.

Gosh, I dunno Si, it's a big ask. I'll never forget the celery experience in Alinea.... (Madras curry ball filled with liquid celery in pear juice. Ball burst in mouth. Mouth nearly ejected the course) ← I think I would have enjoyed Achatz's frozen celery ball a lot more had I not nearly choked on it - the curved shotglass distorted the size of the ball and - well, it wasn't a pretty sight for a few seconds. I did like that celery flavor however - but it was very different from Humm's. Achatz's was slightly sweet and spicy from the curry (not heat, just spice), but Humm's is all earthy and savory.

Simon, I'm sure that they would substitute something out if you both opt for it and ask kindly. Be warned, this dish is all about the celery - as I wrote in my notes for the California Celery course, this was very intensely celery in flavor: "This cappucino made me realized how closely aligned celery and truffles can be in flavor. There's a similar leather-earthiness to both that was magnified exponentially when eaten together. " To be honest, this was probably the least compelling dish to me in terms of pleasantness - this course was much more about opening up my mind to new combinations and a new way of approaching food - especially a humble plant such as celery. Humm uses both the root (a creamy puree) and the stalk (gelee) - makes it silky with the quail egg and knocks it out of the park with those concentrated cubes of black truffles. I must say that the Tricastan truffles, perhaps because of the terroir, had a particularly "leathery" and "vegetal" quality that other truffles aren't as intense on - they taste similar to some truffles from the Himalayans, which are usually less valued. Where as I would say that Perigord black and certainly Alba white truffles have a pleasing savory, garlicky pungence, these were definitely more shroomy and leathery. The wine really helped pull the taste of the truffles out - if it's a flavor you like, it'll last quite a while on your palate. Happy birthday in advance! I had a great celebration there myself this year! Cheers.

Wow - BryanZ, good catch. I don't want anyone EMP to get in trouble - this was all a part of the celebration for my 29th birthday!! I should have written, twenty-something year-olds. I'll go back and change it. Thanks for catching that! u.e.

Maybe 'cause you were wasting too much time over at Robuchon's. Oh, one more thing I forgot to add: BryanZ and Fat Guy had highly recommended the Four Story Hill Poularde. Well, it wasn't on the Gormande (subbed out for the Boudin Blanc) this time, so I inquired whether the chef would be willing to augment our Gormande and add it in as a supplement (I wasn't willing to give up the Boudin Blanc). The server, at first, seemed hesitant, mumbling somthing to the effect of, "the chef doesn't like to do substitutions..." - but I wasn't asking for a substitution. When I clarified this point, he said he would check with the kitchen. He returned with a big smile and announced that the chef would be willing to give us a tasting portion of the poularde - for an additional $30 per person. After a huddle with my friend, we decided to forego the poularde. Does this seem like a steep upcharge to anyone? We thought it was - we couldn't decide if this price was (a) a way to dissuade us from ordering the supplement, which might be disruptive the kitchen/service - in essence, a extra service charge, or (b) because the poularde was not readily portioned out for a tasting and so an entire poulard course would have to be sacrificed for each of us (which doesn't seem to make much sense becuase it had previously been offered as a Gormande item), or © a way to get more money out of two seemingly filthy-rich fellahs (which I find highly absurd and comical and clearly a poor judge of worth on the part of our server), or (d) a combination of any of the above.

Lunch at The Modern Bar Room and dinner at Eleven Madison Park are now posted in their respective threads. Next and last up to bat: Bouley.

There are those times in one's life when you're certain you've been lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. One evening last week at Eleven Madison Park was one of those moments for me. After a pretty grueling and somewhat underwhelming round of restaurant visits, I feared that EMP would become a casualty of dining fatigue. Quite to the contrary, Daniel Humm's Gormande menu, in its newest incarnation, had me doing cartwheels out of the restaurant at 1AM, when I finally left. This was a very special dinner for me as I was re-uniting with my old college roommate, whom I had not seen in a couple of years. He's one of those bi-continental types, and had just flown in from Paris to meet me. We both ordered the Gormande tasting menu with the wine pairings. Short of cutting and pasting all of my tasting notes here from my flickr account (they are voluminous), I've simply re-typed the menu with links to my flickr account where you can see and read about each dish. If you want to be really lazy, you can just sit back and watch the slideshow here (and click on any of the pictures to pause the show and read the notes). Hors d'oeurvres Maine Diver Scallops Corolle with "La Ratte" Potatoes, Leeks and Sterling Royal Caviar Dewazakura, Dewansansan Nama Genshu, Junmai Ginjo, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan California Celery Cappucino with celery root and Tricastan truffles Claude Genet Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru, Chouilly, Cote des Blancs NV Cape Cod Bay Peekytoe Crab Cannelloni with daikon radish and Madras curry 2005 Bernhard Ott, von Rotem Schotter, Feurersbrunn, Donauldland, Austria "Elevages Perigord" Foie Gras Torchon with Venezuelan Cocao and Quince 2005 Heidi Schrock Beerenauslese, Burgenland, Austria Mediterranean Loup de Mer Slow Cooked with Saffron Endive Nage 2005 Domaine Pierre Usseglio, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone Valley, France Nova Scotia Lobster Veloute with Lemon Verbena and Violet Artichokes 2005 Barrere, Clos de la Vierge Sec, Jurancon, Southwest France Four Story Hill "Boudin Blanc" Poached with Hawaiian Prawns, Morels and Asparagus 2005 Hubert Chavy Pouligny-Montrachet Vermont Suckling Pig Confit with Cipollini Onions, Dried Plum Chutney and Five Spice Jus 2000 Domaine de la Cote de l'Ange Lynnhaven "Chevre Fraiche" Heirloom Beets, Laudemio Olive Oil, and Fleur de Sel 2004 Jermann, Vinnae, Venezia Giulia Blood Orange Sorbet with Satsuma Tangerines and Star Anise Bittersweet Chocolate Moelleux with Passion Fruit Bourbon Sour 2001 Kiralyudvar, Cuvee Ilona Mignardises Every single food item was impeccably cooked, prepared, seasoned, plated, and presented. Except the macarons (both the truffled foie gras macaron with the hors d'oeurvres and the pistachio macaron with the mignardises), which were soggy (n.b. it was a rainy day), everything edible was technically flawless. But, beyond technical mastery, I found Humm's cooking to be tremendously thoughtful and resourceful. Through this Gormande menu, he demonstrated a command of a wide range of cooking techniques, mastery across a wide range of foods, and proficiency in multi-cultural cuisine. Everything, whether an age-old Indian Madras and cocout curry-informed course of sweet peekytoe rolled in a transcluscent cigar of daikon radish to a traditional or humble Anglo-French boudin blanc with first-of-the-season morels, came out with a renewed sense of energy and excitement. Foie gras comes gorgeoulsy marbled and veined with Venezuelan cocoa and served with toasted brioche swirled with that same cocao and instead of a traditional cut of cheese plated on some obligatory microgreens drizzled with some fruity gastrique, Humm's cheese course was a refreshingly different and free-formed riff - a goat cheese mousse served with a good dose of extremely fruity Laudemio olive oil and bijoux slices of beets. What truly elevated this meal for me - beyond the wonderful food, was the wine pairings. Being a neophyte to wine, there were several points throughout the meal where I had that "aha!" moment that I have been waiting for all of my (very short) drinking career. FWIW, I think John Ragan, the wine director, is an extremely thoughtful and playful sommelier. It took me until the third course to discover the "madness to his method," so to speak. While I tried unsuccessfully in the first two courses to compromise the wine with the "star" item for the course, in the third course - the foie, I finally discovered that the wines were paired with some off-key ingredient or accompaniment (with the foie, the wine especially highlighted the cocoa). After that, it became a fun cat-and-mouse game for me to find which element(s) on the plate the wine was meant to bring out. For the loup de mer, the pairing struck a special cord with the strands of fried ginger on top, for the suckling pig course, the pairing achieved nirvana with the five spice roasted cipollini. Of course, I realize the effect of each wine might be different for each person, but it was really neat how "locked in" dead sure I was when I found the matching ingredient - those specific food and the wine combinations confidentantly set off matrimonial bells and whistles. The only two courses that I found predictable - your standard-issue fine dining courses - were the first and the last. First course always involves some kind of white vegetable/root vegetable cream with caviar. While I've encountered celery root mousses, cauliflower panna cottas, and turnip cream, Humm is the first to introduce to my repertoire a "La Ratte" potato cream - served predictably with rendered leeks and a quenelle of caviar. The last course, almost begrudgingly, featured a chocolate moelleux - aka the seemingly obligatory chocolate molten cake. I think this was my fourth, but certainly not the least, one for the week. It was also slightly distinguished from the "standard-issue" by being bittersweet instead of bitter dark - which was to my dark chocolate-loving dismay. I know that desserts at EMP have been the center of much discussion and the object of some finger-wagging. The post immediately prior to mine announces the arrival of a new pastry chef. I didn't catch his name either. And, because I ordered the Gormande, I didn't get to choose my dessert nor see his dessert menu. However, if the dessert on the Gormande is any reflection of his work, I'd say that he has just a bit to go to match the creativity and wit of Humm. That being said, I thought the passion fruit bourbin sour portion of the dessert was pretty damned smart. Also, our pre-dessert is probably the most memorable I've ever had - a shotglass of blood orange sorbet, vanilla ice cream, tangerine wedges and cleverly embedded sticks of baked meringue - sweet, sour, fruity, tart, creamy and crunchy - it was very enjoyable. Where EMP might lose points is in the service. I cannot complain about the service we received. We were treated like princes from the greeting to the tip. Courses were evenly paced, the service was cordial, polite, informative (although a few times, the server had to stand corrected as a few items were mis-presented) and patient - if not pushing the cordial point a little too much. I don't need a "bon appetite" before each course (yes, literally). However, apparently, the couple, or rather the gentlemen of that couple, sitting next to us did require such attention. He wasn't getting it. It was plainly obvious to both him and me that my friend and I were getting the attention he so craved and that I really didn't care for. Ironic, really. I got the impression (and this is my perception) that he was of the dining-out-to-be-coddled crowd. Imagine - two twenty-something year-olds stealing thunder from a man twice our age with probably one-hundred times the net worth of my friend and me combined. Truth be told, I noticed a couple of occasions where his dinner was mishandled. After their desserts were cleared, the server came around again with the dessert menu - and just short of presenting them for the second time, said aloud, "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, we've already done this here, haven't we?" The man did not look amused. And, it shouldn't have happened. His wife, all the meanwhile, yapped on and on - a headless well-spring of gushes and fluorishes about the meal, which only irked her husband more. Chef Humm did come out of the kitchen at one point to make the rounds. Towering over our table, he was certainly one of the most humble-seeming people I've ever met - very soft-spoken and unassuming. The dining room truly is as classy and grand as everyone says. I loved the space - airy, bright with huge windows looking out over Madison Park. The one thing that I found anomolous was the larger-than-life red lighted "EXIT" sign above the main door. I commented to my friend that, God forbid, if the room should fill with smoke, we would not be in want of directions out. I am so thrilled that I chose to visit EMP. Thanks to everyone who recommended the restaurant and urged me to go. I'm sure I will return. Although I have been, and remain, a devotee of Chef Elliot Bowles (of the Avenues), I have to say that Humm is definitely a very strong nominee for the upcoming James Beard Rising Star award. I wish all the nominees the best of luck. Now I know at least two of them are truly worthy. I'll have to catch Chang on another visit. P.S. Short of picking a scab, Nathan, I want to let you know that I had you in mind. As I left the restaurant, I inquired as to whether the tasting could be ordered at the bar. The answer was no. I asked why. The response (which I found rather weak) was that they had ceased offering the tasting at the bar because some of the plates were irregularly-sized (indeed, some, like the peekytoe crab dish were rather long) and made for difficult bar eating. This didn't make sense to me as I saw a number of plates from the prix fixe menu that were also irregularly shaped/sized. I then asked whether, on a very slow night, when the bar was empty, one could order the tasting. She seemed hesitant to answer - she maintained that the policy of the restaurant was that the tasting could not be ordered at the bar... but after a pause, said that I would certainly be welcomed to ask the management.

I think I see where you're coming from. Personally, I found the extra chew of the lamb's brain ravioli a little off-putting, but that's a matter of preference of course. If I'm reading correctly, you're using the words "al dente" more or less to convey the meaning: "the ideal state of done-ness for each particular kind of pasta." My confusion arose because this is not the way that term is typically used in my experience. Rather, it's used to describe the firm bite of not-quite-cooked-through dry pasta. I don't think one would find too many Italians describing fresh pasta as "al dente" (or at least not in a positive way!), because fresh pasta in the Emilia-Romagna tradition is supposed to be tender. I remember an episode from Batali's original show where he spoke about how he learned not to use egg wash to seal the edges of ravioli: he said Italians thought this made the edges of the ravioli unacceptably tough, and they tended to cut the edges away and set them aside. A lot of Americans, however, like the idea of fresh pasta with some bite to it (usually achieved through the use of durum wheat), and I've had any number of ravioli at Italian-American places that I considered tough and therefore might have (negatively) described as "al dente." Yes, you are reading me correctly, however I do stand educated by your post. I did like the sturdier, thicker, pasta with the lamb's brain, but again, that is my preference. I also tend to like pasta that is more "toothy" than soft (and, I think that is true universally for my palate). To be sure, the pasta at Babbo was, what I think you would consider, "tender" - not the al dente that I now realize you are describing - that near-gritty under-cooked state common, as you note, to dried pasta. That, certainly, is not how the pasta that I had at Babbo was. Both sound excellent - especially the maccioroni alla chitarra, which I don't recall seeing on the menu (but then I wasn't really paying attention to the menu as the chef had organized our tasting), but I have read the recipe many times.

slkinsey. I just now found your post amidst all the jabber about bar eating. I will not pretend to know everything (or anything) about Italian regional cooking. Although it's the European country I've traveled the most extensively throughout other than France, it is such a gastronomically sub-cultured country that I could only wish to master a small portion of Italian cuisine. Certainly, I am no expert. That being said, I do have my own preferences and thoughts about pasta, which is what I can offer. Regarding the "al dente" comment: I suppose there are shades of "doneness." As you point out, pasta can be tender, yet still have a sturdiness. I think you and I mean the same thing. When it comes to filled pastas, for me, the level of sturdiness of the pasta generally should increase with the thickness/sturdiness of the filling. For example, as you point out, the pasta for the Beef Cheek Ravioli is "nothing but tender." I would agree - the pasta was markedly more delicate than the one used for the lamb's brain francobolli. The thinner, silkier pasta complimented the soft silkiness of the beef cheek filling - which I learned from the Babbo cookbook is actually pureed in a blender. However, the pasta still had an elasticity and slight toothiness that made it a pleasure to eat - what I consider "al dente." The pasta for the Lamb's Brain Francobollil, on the other hand, was thicker and heavier - the heft met nicely with the thicker ricotta-brain filling. It too was tender, but abundantly more sturdy than the beef cheek pasta. It too was "perfectly al dente" relative to its purpose and filling. Does this make sense? I'd like to know your thoughts. The next time I go (I'm determined there will be a next time), I'll have to try the goose liver ravioli and some of their non-filled pastas. Which would you recommend?

After reading this article, I feel even more cheated by the prices at L'Atelier! $17 for a langoustine with one basil leaf, a 1/2 sheet of brik, and some basil pesto that didn't even contain nuts or cheese? I guess I was paying, much in part, tribute, by way of Amex, to Robuchon's regard for quality ingredients and ingeniously simple preparations.

I guess I didn't make myself clear enough in my previous comments regarding the bar. I do not disagree that the bar is usually an excellent choice for solo, and often for couple, restaurant dining. However, I personally *hate* crowded elbow-on-elbow decibel-on-decibel situations. Regardless of how good those sweetbreads were, I, for one, probably would forego enjoying them just to avoid the mayhem that I saw in Babbo's bar that evening. That's just me, though.

Well, they're back! No dipping sauces in this incarnation, but with maple custard. Thanks - bomboloni - that's exactly right.

Try again. They very well may have been zappole, technically, but the menu referred to them as "B....." - with quotes, which makes me think it's a cute Italian descriptor for the shape, or some such (e.g. cannonball or bowling ball), like the "francobolli."

Alas, had we not been partaking in such communal dining, I would have opted for the bar. I'm not sure, however, that it's fair to say I expected too much from The Modern Bar Room. But, I have to admit, I did expect more than what I got - which was "okay" service, good, but not memorable food (save the scallops). And, yes, Ssam Bar next time.

Exactly. Bread arrived promptly and water was never begged for.

Because you can walk in (which no one can do in the dining room but your college roommate). And because . . . . Sneakeater, you have a good point...