Smokelaw1
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Posts posted by Smokelaw1
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Finally heading to BH@SB this saturday. It's been on my "it's one of my next restaurants to try" list for SO long. So often, though, I was in the city and not wanting to drive, or it wasn't quite the "feel" I was looking for. Now, though, I'm so excited. Everyhting I read and see just makes me want to be there NOW! I wonder how hard a tour of the premises would be considering all the snow, and an 8 month pregnant wife.
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I wouldn't call it a simple write-up; I enjoyed the descriptions of the foods and textures and felt as if I were there. But where? Forgive me, but you never stated in the whole description that you were at Radius. If others don't read the previous posts they might not get it. Thank you for the heroic effort of over two hours of dining...
Thanks for your kind words. I am glad i was able to convey my experience. Good call on the fact that I completely left out the name of the restaurant!!
This was fun for me to read; I don't live in Boston anymore, but I was at Radius the first week it opened; your comments about service makes me think: some things never change! I am generally not a fan of tasting menus but you certainly make me rethink that. Sounds like fun.
Tasting menus are my favorite! This one I went into blind, but at restaurants where you can see what they will be serving that night, especially where they will work with you to customize it to your preferences...I find there to be no better way to see what a chef/kitchen and staff can do!
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OK, bear with me. I’ve just finished a two plus hour lunch with much wine. I even asked for a light pour!
I wish I had taken better notes…or asked for a written menu.
Amuse 1: Shrimp w/ chili jam, crispy onions, and radishes. First bite as nice enough, but felt like it was missing something., Second (last) bite showed me that that something was radish! With it, POP! Quite nice. Each component was necessary. Each one played its part in a different section of the taste…
My one complaint/surprise here is that I had not yet been offered wine. They knew I was having the tasting, and I had been offered their special iced teas and lemonades, but no wine yet.
Amuse 2: Salmon Sashimi, edemame paste, something with a little spice, but can’t rememeber what, and watermelon. Rather wonderful. At this point, I couldn’t help it, I asked for wine. I thought a Riesling would have done wonderful things for this dish. It was explained that they were waiting for the end of the “treats” to start the pairing. I understood of course, but it would have been nice. Within seconds, a nice pour or KungFu Girl 2009 Riesling was in front of me. I thanked him very kindly, and asked for further pours to be lighter, so as to not make the rest of my day a haze. With the addition of this wine to the table…..I must say that this was one of the most enjoyable things a chef has sent to my table in a long time. Up there with some of the amuses (is that the plural of amuse?) at per se…..even, dare I say it, the Sea Urchin and Pork Fat at Marea (not an Amuse, but it was sent to the table by the chef for our party…so it counts, right?)
First Course: Still with the kiungfu girl: Bluefin tuna, and a tuna tartar. Avacado paste, spicy cukes, tobiko. Again, each component had to be included in each bite to make it seem “complete” (probably why they were all included on the plate) resulting in a bit of on-fork construction between tastes….but those tastes were really very good. The tartar was almost unnecessary, and was the least inspired (and flavorful) part of a dish with strong flavors…perhaps it would be best served by itself. Again, though, these are “thoughts” not complaints. The dish was very enjoyable. At this point, I was getting quite excited for the meal, as everything was very nice so far.
Second Course: Paired with a nice brut champage, can not recal the variety. There was a slight timing hiccup here (understandable for a specially requested lunchtime tasting during peak business lunch hours), and I waited some time for this course to come. I don’t know how long it was, but while the champagne was being poured, the gentlman next to me had to ask for his lunch, as he felt it had been too long since he ordered. By the time my next course came, he was almost DONE with his food. The dish made up for it. , Really made up for it. Lightly scrambled farm egg with lobster and caviar, brioche toast. It was as good as it sounds. The flavors come out the best on the toast, though perhaps the caviar is lost…but what can you do? Amazing varety of tastes when eaten with middle of toast or crust, or by itself. YUM. Every now and then, a dish seems to become MUCH more than the sum of its parts (oysters and pearls, anyone?) And this is one of those dishes. At this point, I’m smiling after every bite.
Third Course: Slow roasted Scottish salmon, gnocchi, carrots, can not place the liquid or the accompanying vegetables. Moderatly citruses, a touch of sea salt on top? Paired with a 2008 Elk Cove All-steel pinot noir. The wine is PERFECT with this dish. I am not a giant fan of salmon, so this is my least favorite so far, but that is not the fault of the dish., It is prepared expertly, and paired wonderfully. It was a largish portion for a lunch tasting.
Fourth Course: A lagoile steak knife comes out. What will it be? Beef? Duck? Lamb? Oh, anticipation! 2006 Tolaini Valdisanti is poured. (75% cab sav, 20 % sangio, 5% sav blanc??? I could be completely wrong here). Huge red., big nasal presentation.
The noise level is coming down now, and the atmosphere is quite pleasant.
Slow roasted ribeye, some kind of insanely creamy amazing mashed potatos, carrots, port wine sauce, chive oil. Insanely good. Large portion (too large for me, wouldn’t be for others). A truly stellar dish, and thebest wine pairing yet.
At this point, I’m not sure if
1) I’m a little drunk
2) I’m getting stuffed full
3) It’s hot in here, and I am wearing a suit jacket
Or any combination of the above….but I’m sweating a bit more than I like when not eating very spicy ethnic food!
The captain (I think…service, including wine, was a very much shared task) came over and we had a lovely conversation about eating in a new restaurant, or in a city one is unfamiliar with, and the benefits of a tasting menu vs. trying to pick a winner….I agree! Clearly.
Time for the sweet.
Pre-desert: Concorde grape grenada (??) with a poured-over grape sauce. FUN! Simple and yummy…quite sweet, but I can FEEL it cleansing my palette. It is served in a chilled tall shot glass . It is still more than I need. I eat about half of it.
Desert: Horse heavan desert wine…can’t recall any other details.
Asian pear with pastry, served with ginger , and an udzu (sp?) sorbet/ice cream. None of these are my favorite flavors, unfortunately, so I only ate about half. Again, not the dish’s fault, it was done wonderfully, and the flavors did work together beautifully, textures were fantastic together…just not my favorites..
Finish up with a wonderful espresso.
From first being seated to putting down the espresso, 2 hours and 15 minutes.
A wonderful meal. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I HIGHLY recommend the restaurant, and look forward to my next trip to boston!! Though, there are so many fantastic restaurants!! Hopefully I won’t be confined to lunch next time.
Thank you all for your thoughts, and I hope your enjoy my simple write-up.
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Thanks Scargo!!
Edit...just called Radius, they are going to put togehter a lunchtime tasting for me. I love it when it is clear that a restaurant enjoys having people in that are just excited to eat well. I was clearly excited by their menus, and I'm looking forward to it!
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hey all,
Was hoping to get a fast recommendation. I'll be in boston right near south station, TOMORROW. I don't know boston, and will be reliant on mass transit...so I can do it, but it will eat into the time I have for lunch. Will have about 2.5 hours starting at 12:30 or so. Was REALLY hoping to find a tasting menu. French is best, but am quite open. Cost not really an issue.
Anybody have some quick recomendations....and thought on the possibility of getting a table?
Thanks!!
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Edmund,
Thank you. I think we will try both.
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WOW. Quite a list. thank you very much. Now my wife and I wish we would be ibn the city for longer!!!
I love dark chocolates, and creative mixes of tastes/texture, and she loves milk chocolates of all types. We have so many places we want to visit, and will probably makes one full day our "chocolate day."
Thank you again, everyone!!
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Hello all,
I will be in Barcelona for an unbrearably short stay in a little over a month. Dining reservations have been made....HOWEVER, I need recomnedations for special wonderful DESERT locales. I've been told the best deserts in the city are in separate shops, not in the restaurants, so I would love to hear your favorites.
But mostly, I've heard so much about a few wonderful chocolate tastings (and chocolate pairings) held throughout the city. I've been warned that some are quite touristy, while others are outstanding. Does anyone have any experience with these? Care to pass on a link or a contact?
Many thanks.
SL1
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For anyone who was involved recetnly in my "looking for a long, luxurious tasting menu" thread, you may recall that my wife's only request was that we not return to Per Se. After a wonderful meal at JG, she 1) noticed little things that made Per Se beyond extrodinary and 2) realized that she can ask (both before and during the meal) for changes and treatment that will make the meal everythig she wants it to be. I guess I never did my job of expressing my understadning...restaurants/chefs/servers at this level TRULY and sincerely WANT you to have that meal that you remember for a long time. They will (within certain limits of course) work with you to make sure that everything is as wonderful for you as it can be.
That said...I have been given the all clear to once again reserve a table at PerSe. Now to plan a night in NYC two months in advance, arrange babysitting, and actually be able to keep the reservation!!! I am already obsessing over the meal.
Anything new and wonderful (or otherwise) I should be aware of in the past 10 months?
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Thank you all for your advice. My wife and I went to JG on saturday night, and it was wonderful. I ordered the chef's tasting, and hse ordered the winter tasting, where they replaced two courses, the lanb and another I can't recall. One was replaced with a lovely COd dish, the other with a butternut squash soup off the fixe menu. She said it was the greates soup she ahs ever had. Overall, she enjoyed th emeal immesurably more than Per Se (which, you may recall, she rated "mostly inedible.")
I did, as hoped, get to eat or at least taste, every course, so I have essentially a 14 course meal (7 full and 7 amounts from "this is good tast it" through "this is gross, eat it.")
She commented on all the little things that Per Se does better, and doesn't even seem to be AS completely opposed to a return trip there some day.
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Hey all....just wanted to post an update to the OP. My wife did some searching on line about the restaurants I always talk about, and found this thread!!! I think she felt bad about not taking full part in the thing I enjoy, and likened going to JG and ordering just one or two things while I get a tasting to going to a concert with her (**shudder***def leppard) and staying seated, or not getting a soak and a foot rub along with some tea at her favoite little spot. So....we are going to JG next Saturday night, and she will be ordering the tasting menu along with me. She does not eat meat, and we will likely ask for some dishes to accomidate that request (anyone know if they'd prefer us to call and give them a heads up?) and will "share" any dishes that she does not care for!
What a woman! If you're reading this agin....I love you babe!!
Thanks for all the advice.
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I know that is generally the case. I have made inquiry at most of these restaurants already asking for possible accomidation, and so far that has been received favorably. Especially if one is willing to essentially (or literally, as is the case at Per Se) be charged for the full tasting for the table, they will feed the, uhhh, difficult guest.
Hadn't thought of the "order both and get to eat most of it" line. That is a really painfully good idea!!
I think she would eat most of the food at LeB, but I could be wrong.
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Wow, thanks everybody. Looks like JG is taking the lead in my mind.
As for what my wife is trying to avoid, nothing really. Just wouldn't like to go back again. She is most DECIDEDLY not a foodie. Not even interested in food. Her favorite meal in the world is good pizza (which, when good, can indeed be delightful...) We were treated wonderfully at Per Se, and showing genuine interest in the food and the restaurant (as you well know) was rewarded with special attention from the kitchen. We left, and I said that it might have beent he defining meal of my life thus far. She replied that it was "mostly inedible." I don't expect her to like the food at any of these restaurants. She will order a course of two (or three) and watch me enjoy a tatsting. Much the same as I ordered tea and some lovely dark choclate andsea salt snacks while she had a 50 minute foot soak and massage a few weeks ago. We enjoy eachothers enjoyment.
When she does like food, though, it is seafood...so perhaps LeB might offer a glimmer of hope for her actually enjoying her meal???
I think my next three meals in NY (Feb, April, May) will be LeB, JG, EMP. As for which one my wife will be there for in Feb....it's looking like JG or LeB.
Thank you all for the help...but by all means, if you have more opinions, keep them coming!!
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OK, back in NYC in a little over a month and I am absolutely stuck on where to go. The only request my wife has made is that we do not hit Per Se again.
I will take the advice of the e-gulleters. One meal. No limits, no constraints as to time or price.
I want a tasting menu, long, luxurious meal. I like a ton of courses over a few hours. I like French, rich food, but am completely open to other options. (Per Se is my first choice...but see the one request from my dear bride above.)
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon? Alain Ducasse? Jean Georges? Chanterelle, Le Bernardin, Other choices? I am open, and will look very much forward to your thoughts.
Forgive the breach of etiquette if this sort of open request is frowned upon.
Many, many thanks.
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Glad to hear I had the best (available) info. Thank you for confirming what I had heard/read.
I would love to read a follow-up Bruni review as his last big 4 star review, but I have a feeling that will happen somewhere, if not Per Se.
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This is good. I have heard through the grapevine they are seriously hurting, so I'm not surprised but I'm very glad for you. Enjoy it! The sous chef will likely be your cook, too!
I'd heard the same, but that it would still be potentially hard to get a 4 to 2 adjustment. We were flexible with time, though, and they were able to make the switch for us.
As for the sous chef comment, Chef Benno is still the Chef de Cuisine, no? I see sickchangeup's comment above that he should be until at elast the end of the summer...you were just making a joke? I hope???
The rumor on the blogs is that Benno is leaving to do his own thing very shortly.
I'd heard that, but I thought it was confirmed that he is still the chef until further notice. I should hope we are not going when an unknown entity is chef.
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This is good. I have heard through the grapevine they are seriously hurting, so I'm not surprised but I'm very glad for you. Enjoy it! The sous chef will likely be your cook, too!
I'd heard the same, but that it would still be potentially hard to get a 4 to 2 adjustment. We were flexible with time, though, and they were able to make the switch for us.
As for the sous chef comment, Chef Benno is still the Chef de Cuisine, no? I see sickchangeup's comment above that he should be until at elast the end of the summer...you were just making a joke? I hope???
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ARGH! The couple we were going to dine with Saturday night just bailed on us (albeit for a very, very valid reason). I just called, they can not move us to a two-person table (I understand the policy, but hell, it was worth a try). They have my number, and will call me if one opens up (not going to hold my breath)....and I have only until tomorrow at 6 to cancel or confirm.
I've been talking about Per Se since they opened, waiting for a time to get to the city with enough notice for a reservation....been actively working on that for over a year, and I don't want to let it go.
If I can not find a replacement couple (my wife is not interested in meeting anyone new for a long dinner, so no meeting any egulleters for me), anyone have any words of wisdom, or I am out of luck?
EDIT:
NEVER MIND!!! They just called, and WE ARE IN FOR TWO! WHEW!
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Hi there,
Check out http://www.forkliftcatering.com/
One of the chefs is an old friend, and I have eaten food prepared by both of them. Always impressive and delicious. If you do contact them, tell Jamie that Josh said hello. Dennis should remember me, too.
I'd not be surprised if either of them were members here, as well.
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You asked for thoughts a while ago now, hope you still care, and that this is helpful.
Oh, Cocoa is a new Restaurant in West Hartford on Farmington Avenue. The space had previously been Puerto Vallarta.
I've eaten there twice now. Once was very soon after they opened, and again just a few weeks ago.
On the first visit: The service was so horrendously bad that I came very close to swearing it off as a "banned" choice. My wife (we both have worked in the industry at one time or another in our lives) convinced me to consider the fact that we had seen but one server, and that is no way to judge a restaurant. More importantly, the food was very good.
Ahi Tuna Tartare: More creative than delicious, but overall not a bad dish. Finding the right balance of the rice and "sweet sauce" to go with the fish wasn't straightforward, but some experimenting with an unusual presentation made it fun.
Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella Ravioli: Do it. Lovely and expressive. The tomato/garlic butter sits perfectly with the flavors coming from the cheese, and helps it linger just long enough to take a sip of your wine, smile, and take another bite. Yum.
I did no salad course, my wife did, she seemed to enjoy, sorry, I don't recall which she had.
Vanilla Bean Duck Breast: I judge restaurants by their duck (perhaps not fair to some restaurants if this is not where the chef(s) shine). Nearly every new restaurant I go to, if there is a duck entree, I order it. Easy to get OK, hard to hit a home run....I'm rarely angry about a duck dish, (though it has happened, sigh...), and occasionally I get wowed, and I love it. This dish came close...especially for CT. The apples and cranberry flavors played spiritedly against the succulent duck. Well cooked, well presented, and enjoyable. The yukon potato cake was hearty enough to survive with this bold dish, and made short work of any extra liquid on the plate.
On the second visit, I do not recall appetizers, but did repeat the duck...and it was just as good. Well, maybe just a hair shy of as good...I think the duck itself might have been less flavorful, as the prep, cooking, and everything else seemed identical. The service was MUCH MUCH MUCH better. The first service person was no where to be seen (perhaps no longer in their employ?), and our needs were met efficiently and professionally. Not blown away, but quite happy with the service.
We will add Cocoa to our (admittedly rather small) rotation of restaurants in the area.
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Thank you. I intend to take notes, if not pictures (I think my wife might kill me if I did...she would see it as embarrassing, I'm sure).
When I call to confirm, I will request a brief kitchen tour.
Any other hints/suggestions to making it an even more special/personalized event?
If you are there in two weeks as well, I might see you there!
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Two and a half weeks until our anniversary dinner at Per Se. I am so excited. Sorry, just had to share.
Since moving away from NYC (granted, only 2.5 hours) my idea of a good restaurant is one that I don't give less than a "B." My idea of "great" service is someone who will actually bring/have brought my Martini and oysters at the same time if I so request (it's a very specific personal item...don't ask).
Please, Per Se....reaffirm my love of fine dining.
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CRAZY idea? Well, deep into a bottle of Glenlivet 1969, a good friend of mine and I designed a restaurant in a circle, with a ring of trampoline running around the edge, out about 10 feet into the floor. Ceilings approx 20 feet high. Walls covered, the entire circumference to the ceilings, with wine storage. All wait staff are midgets (or, alternatively, not, but those of very short stature are used when....) you order a bottle of wine, they run, jump, hit the trampoline, and launch through the air, fetching your wine, and running ti back to the table. Include a bit of a high-end circus (de soleil?) theme. Why do the launched individuals need to be midgets? i don't know. just seems to fit with the idiocy.
Anyway, we sobered up, had a good laugh at our idea, and have spoken of it rarely since.
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Well,
Just found out that my wife made us some reservations during our next trip to NYC. We are usually down every few months, but I've been meaning to get to Per Se since it opened. Can not wait.
There was only a 4 top available, so we had to find another couple. I don't know if it's the economy or just timing, it wasn't that easy to find two friends who were interested. Two finally came through (whew!).
Eaten at FL, and Bouchon Vegas. Am really excited for per se.
Anyway, no real input, just wanted to share.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns
in New York: Dining
Posted
No indeed. My wife was game to try, but for the freezing rain and general yuckiness of the evening. That said, my dear bride, who doesn't care for the "fancy food" that I enjoy, has admitted that it was the best meal of her life (this from a woman who regarded Per Se as "mostly inedible," and Jean-Georges as "double yuck-yuck" as some of you may recall). It was likely the best non-French meal I've ever had. Service was wonderful, friendly, attentive and informative. Food was stunning. I did not have one course that I would have been OK missing.
We look forward to going back in the spring.