Blue Hill at Stone Barns

[Bux]

I've been back up to Stone Barns since my last post in the thread. I thought I posted about the meal, but I don't see the post in this thread, so I guess I haven't. Perhaps, I recall e-mailing my comments to Dan Barber. Shortly before we went up there to meet some friend who live in Westchester County for dinner, a French born friend, who's been a sous chef in a NY Times four star restaurant after working in a Michelin three star restaurant in France, dined at Stone Barns for the first time. He told me he thought the restaurant was operating on the level of a Michelin three star restaurant. I take what chefs say about each other with a grain of salt, sometimes they're catty and sometimes they're generous. In this case however, the opinion comes from someone I rely on to be straight with me.

My own prejudice is that it lacks the formality I associate with three star dining in France, which is not a bad thing. In fact that's probably related to the fact that I often prefer my meals at two star restaurants to those at four star restaurants. I think the kitchen is turning out food that's unsurpassed at least in New York City. The two short comings for us were that service that evening was exceptionally slow--we started dinner early and barely caught the last train back to Manhattan (that I even have to commute by the NY Central line is a shortcoming that's not their fault)--and while I like the rolls, I don't find them to be the equal of the rest of the food. I'm not sure if the length of time between courses was affected by the catered party that evening. I believe the same kitchen serves both the restaurant and events. It's also possible we got the slow end of the service simply because we were so deeply engaged in conversation with old friends we hadn't seen in a while and we had to appear as the table that could best keep itself occupied between courses. It wasn't as if we ever inquired about a delay or anything and we were having an extended tasting that doesn't appear on the menu.

I won't go into details, but one of the things that most impressed me was the Berkshire pork. Oddly enough I learned that this particular pork came from a pig that wasn't raised on the Stone Barns farm. It may sound even odder that I took this as a good sign, but I did so because later in the evening (yes we almost missed the last train, but we didn't miss a tour of the kitchen and a chance to talk with Mike Anthony) I learned that they trade their livestock with other farmers to see the results other farmers are getting with the same breed. There's an edge to the food here that goes beyond just having a dynamic kitchen or access to the best and freshest product. There's a symbiotic relationship between the kitchen and a dynamic farm.

If the food is as good as any I've had in NYC, Stone Barns surely has the advantage of the grounds. I also don't know of a more understatedly elegant restaurant interior that supports the notion of top level dining.

[towncompany]

tonight's dinner at blue hill stone barn (03.02.06):

warm fennel soup with curry marshmallow

parmesan/herb crisp

beet chip

mini beet burger with goat cheese and olive oil

foie gras/roasted squash sandwich in chocolate tuille

raw hakori turnip with sea salt

mixed greens (from the greenhouse salad) with hakori turnips and beets

poached rainbow trout with braised fennel and citrus

chatham cod with lentils

bacon and eggs (pork belly, actually pork all kinds of ways, romaine, soft cooked egg)

warm winter vegetable salad with chestnut puree

baby beef with bok choy and sunchoke stock

citrus salad with grapefruit sorbet and milk jam

chocolate mousse with chocolate krispies and egg foam (served in egg shell)

passion fruit ice cream with passion fruit souffle

chocolate covered almonds and cocoa nibs

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Dinner last night, again with the visiting therese; this time, with spouses. I hadn't been to BH@SB since right before the new year, and was having withdrawal!

This was the first time I'd ever dined at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, without Dan (or Mike) in the kitchen. It was a wonderful, wonderful meal, all around.

First: The staff is redressed! I LOVE the new FOH unis; dark blue (suits for the head waiters, vests for the runners) with blue shirts. The others were nice, but these lend a much more formal attitude. But not stuffy. Definitely a good thing.

Second: the bartender is still pouring some killer blackcurrant cosmos.

Since we were being cooked for, and did a wine pairing, and generally whooped it up, I am going to try very hard to recreate the meal.

Our amuse were little beet sliders on olive oil buns (mmmm ... I could eat a bag of those!); parmesan and herb "lollipops," and slightly smoky black bean soup with sweet rice foam (in shot glasses).

Then, the 15-hour poached eggs. (okay, 120 minutes) These were served in an open shell, in a cool little porcelain egg carton dish, two each, with an assortment of garnishes: brioche croutons, two kinds of caviar, salt and pepper, and some green herby puree or pesto or something. (I'm sure I missed one of the garnishes ...) Anyway, it was very very nice; we mixed and matched and concocted. I failed to ask if the eggs were poached outside the shell and then put in for service ... but I am sure it didn't matter

Next course: Sea bass tartare in a soybean sauce. The tartare was "sandwiched" between a paper-thin slice of radish. The waiter told us what kind of radish it was; it was a beautiful thing, with a red center radiating out into white. A little bit of sea salt on top was just right.

After that came a wonderful coolish dish of fruit, vegetables and nuts: apples cut matchstick thin, hazelnuts ( I think), various other things. It really does get fuzzy in my memory, right around here. Oh! Baby cabbage leaves were in there, too;

And then, some quail with braised baby bok choy, chestnut noodles, in a nice rich sunchoke broth.

Wonderful wines throughout; Derek the wine director is charming and knowledgeable and I have NO recollection of any of the particulars. (Oh, wait: Austrian, French wines were poured.)

Dessert: First, rice pudding; then a souffle with a cup of sorbet and last, a tray of little chocolate things. And last, of course, the dish of chocolate almonds in cocoa powder.

In all, really really terrific. I feel like I'm forgetting something, though; a course, perhaps, and definitely something that we were told while pouring wines. Can't wait to get back in a month or so, when the herb garden is in full bloom, and the vegetables are coming in.

[therese]

In all, really really terrific. 

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Yep. Really, really terrific. The only thing different about my meal was that my pre-dinner cocktail was a margarita made with sorrel, using a prep that maintained it's intense green color. Very cool.

Mildly controversial ssues addressed here upthread include the decor, service style, and bread. I think the first is perfectly suited to the locale, the second is similarly appropriate (though this may reflect some changes as per Fabulous Food Babe's remarks about the wait staff's dress), and I loved the bread. I loved the bread so much that I kept on eating it long after I should have stopped.

Oh, and I have absolutely no recall of the rice pudding, and what was the flavor of the souffle?

[Bux]

There's one thing I don't like about Stone Barns and that's that it's a schlepp from lower Manhattan, while Blue Hill on Washington Place is just about as far from my place as I would like to walk after a good meal and just about as far as I choose to walk on a nice night after dinner uptown before I get into a cab or subway. That said, we're just about approaching the time of year when it becomes an added pleasure to take a nice walk around the grounds and there's daylight to spare. My only other "problem" is that our meals tend to be very long there as I can't bring myself to choose and just put ourselves in Dan's hands.

For all my "complaints," it's hard to resist taking out of town friends there as we did a couple of weeks ago. It's probably a generational thing, but we don't usually do cocktails. My parents did and our daughter's generation might, but we tend towards bubblies and aperitif wines. Stone Barns usually has a reasonably priced cava, pro secco or other Italian sparkler.

I guess Dan was out in Seattle at the IACP conference. We met the Stone Barns sous chef recently and I don't know how he spells his name, so I won't mention it, but I will say that he was down in Blue Hill Manhattan sometime ago and cooked for us on a night Juan was off. To his credit, the food was as excellent as we normally expected it to be. There's no question a chef needs to know all about food and how to cook, but being a chef today is an executive position. A restaurant will never be better than what is demanded from the kitchen by the chef, but it takes a few things to put successful food on the table with consistency. One of those is depth of talent in a kitchen. It's not always easy to select, train and maintain the discipline of an entire équipe. but that's what it takes these days, even if the chef has only one restaurant. It doesn't take much to throw things off. Even a great chef can put his trust in the wrong people. The only time I ever heard consistent complaints about the French Laundry was when Doug Psaltis was sous chef there. Dan's been lucky, or talented, in being able to attract the right people as his operations have grown and the restaurants matured.

Amuses at both BHs have always been a hit with us. I've been reluctant to dwell on them because as at many restaurants, the more well known you are to the house and the longer you've been a regular diner, the more such hors d'oeuvres, you're likely to get. Some people measure value by what they get in return for the tab, but others turn their heads and are offended when a regular gets a couple of extra free canapés or soup shots. The olive oil financier has been one a real pleaser in many forms, but the "beet slider," ours came with goat cheese and beet, is a real winner. The parmesan lollipops are a neat variation on the cheese crisp theme. The herbs add a lot of flavor and the playful "stick" works for me.

I also thought the presentation of the slow cooked egg and roe worked, but my two companions felt it was overly playful with two many elements. De gustibus non est disputandum. Stone Barns is also an experimental farm. I don't know how much it's done so far to prove that sustainable farming is economical, but it's clear to see that that at this time of year, they have access to tender and tasty produce, the likes of which most restaurants can only hope to find at the Greenmarket at the height of the season in these parts. They are also raising livestock, most notably pigs that impress even Spanish visitors. When one factors in the flavor and, I suspect, the nutritive value of these foods, one might view the economics of farming as some more complex than dollars per pound of product.

The lighting remains at a provincial NY level and too dim for what I think of as a world class restaurant. Service can be slow at times, and I suspect intentionally so to allow time to digest when a very long menu is undertaken.

[therese]

The lighting remains at a provincial NY level and too dim for what I think of as a world class restaurant. Service can be slow at times, and I suspect intentionally so to allow time to digest when a very long menu is undertaken.

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It is a bit dark in the dining room, now that you mention it. And it's positively gloomy in the WC.

We sat down to dinner (having had cocktails in the bar while waiting for the rest of of our party) at about 6:45 and barely made the 11:something train back to the city. About as long as I spend on a comparable meal in Atlanta, but my travel time is only 5-10 minutes each way.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Rouget! Holy gee, how could I have forgotten that, especially after my yip-yapping about how difficult it is to clean without ripping half the flesh. And how perfec French Laundry's is... With flash-fried parsley on top, and a little liquid of some sort. Very nicely done.

Rice pudding with a scoop of something, was our dessert amuse. Man, those guys can cook!

edited for clarity ...

Edited April 3, 2006 by FabulousFoodBabe (log)

[chefboy24]

my dad is up visiting from tennessee. (he moved back down there). i grew up in westchester however.. he's meeting me in westchester for lunch (stopping thru on business). i haven't seen pops since september, since i got the new apartment in brooklyn.

so i'm thinking blue hill at stone barns.

dan barber was my graduation speaker at cia and i've eaten at blue hill a few times in the village.

so aparently brunch is $42 , 3 course price fixed. sounds good.

but i work in the biz and i want some sort of hook up. anyone know anything?

fabulous food babe?

or.

does anyone know any great lunch/brunch on sunday in westchester near white plains?

i'm obviously trying to get something for nothing, but i have nothin but love for dan barber, and $$ is hard to come by for me.

thanks.

[chefboy24]

i'm on the waitlist.

tried chiboust instead.

*fingers crossed*

[chefboy24]

i'm on the waitlist.

tried chiboust instead.

*fingers crossed*

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insane brunch!

review to come.

totally 3 star (nyt) experience. 100%

i'll be back.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

i'm on the waitlist.

tried chiboust instead.

*fingers crossed*

←

insane brunch!

review to come.

totally 3 star (nyt) experience. 100%

i'll be back.

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Phil -- I saw this way too late. Did you eat there, did you get to meet Dan?

[gaf]

For a discussion of my dinner at Blue Hill Stone Barns, see

Blue Hill Stone Barns "Dinner"

[chefboy24]

i'm on the waitlist.

tried chiboust instead.

*fingers crossed*

←

insane brunch!

review to come.

totally 3 star (nyt) experience. 100%

i'll be back.

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Phil -- I saw this way too late. Did you eat there, did you get to meet Dan?

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sorry, missed your post too, hehe.

no dan wasn't in but i did get a tour of the kitchen. it is HUGEEEEEEEEEE.

sommelier hit the nail on the head with a nice bottle of cristom.

the eggs to go that they had gathered that morning were top notch.

it was really a great meal...but i think more so because i took my dad out for the first time and paid and i haven't seen him in a while. but nothing was awkward, and everythign was delicious

[fchrisgrimm]

Had another fabulous dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns two Friday's ago, and I'm opting to post back here in NE because it is close (in Westchester) for Fairfield locals and has as much a contemporary New England vibe as anything.

We were with four other people who hadn't eaten there before, so we all ended up going for "the Farmer's Feast" - the seven course dinner (thank goodness we were part of a crowd - Leslie would have never let me choose that!) -- Though I should say that when we went with Leslie's family, we had a "can the chef cook for you?" meal that was terrific - and our special needs on that night included two vegans and one diner with a broken jaw that could only have liquids and soft foods -- Anyway, this time we got there at 8 Fri, had drinks, sat down at 8:30, and were out of there at 12:45! Almost closed the place. Splendid meal.

Three Pre-Ap's:

Tomato Water

A quarter of a just picked and raw patty pan squash - almost tasted like a radish - yum.

A tiny green squash, wrapped in pancetta, breaded with panko, and pan fried.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with tomato ice cream and seared watermelon chunks.

Fresh baby greens salad with favas and a soft fried breaded egg. Their eggs are great - always laid that day. Not sure how they make the egg - must boil it just long enough to have some firmness, carefully shell it, bread it, and fry for just a few more seconds. It's amazing because it has no shell and holds it's shape, but is barely firm.

Sockeye salmon (I'm assuming it was cooked by vacuum packing in a bag and boiling until done - what do they call that?) Completely moist, but still with the deep red color. With lightly fried fresh corn, pancetta, and more favas. Forget the sauce.

Four local cheese gnocci with, as I recall, a fava bean sauce.

Wonderful pork chop with a juicy square of back bacon - instant heart attack! (But you'd go with a smile on your face!)

Fresh berries with a custardy-sauce of which I can rarely remember the name.

A variety of desserts followed for all...

(a former Free Press publicist has been working there as a pastry chef, which was the reason for the original res - as she's leaving soon to drop some offspring)

Chocolate bread pudding with Earl Grey ice cream

Raspberry tart

and a few others.

Drank some of the seasonally house specialty drinks before - some had the basil mojito, Leslie had an elderberry champagne cocktail, I had a cucumber martini. With the meal, this ligjht-drinking group drank a Ken Wright Pinot Blanc and a Patricia Green Oregon Pinot noir.

I've raved elsewhere about Blue Hill, so I am somewhat raved out. But this is dining at the highest level. I've heard the "it's farming not cooking" complaint, which stumps me - when you can get ingredients that are so same-day, from this earth fresh, why fool with them too much? The preparation is impecable and you can taste that actual fresh ingredients.

The setting is gorgeous, the dining room is spacious and beautiful (hip/mission/formal)_and the service is solid. Outside of NYC, it is without question, for my money, the finest restaurant within driving distance for dinner (from Westport, CT). Beyond that, I'm hard pressed to name a restaurant in the US that has given me more of what I'm looking for in a dining experience.

Last note - they do seem to be booking up earlier and earlier, so if you want to go for a special occasion in the Fall, best to call now.

[WHS]

Last note - they do seem to be booking up earlier and earlier, so if you want to go for a special occasion in the Fall, best to call now.

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Next available Saturday reservation is October 14th at 10p.m.

[rich]

My wife and I had dinner Saturday evening - 10pm seating (seated at 10:05pm), finished at 1am.

It was truly an overwhelming and outstanding experience. We opted for the chef's tasting menu and they were very, very accommodating about changes. My wife can't eat raw tomatoes or shrimp of any kind and since this is tomato season that was one of the highlights.

But they substituted a trout dish for her while I had the incredible "tomato salad." They also substitued a cheese course for dessert since neither of us are big dessert eaters and just before the last course I asked for either an addition or substitution - I wanted the poached eggs and wild mushrooms - they did it seamlessly. I even got the recipe for the poached egg and tried it today - worked perfect.

We spent 45 minutes at the bar before being seated and my wife ordered a black current cosmo, I had a Sawmill River Pale Ale. My wife said her cocktail was spectacular and my beer was excellent. We had two bottles of wine with dinner - half bottle of Navarro Gewurztraminer and a full of a Graff Family Mourvedre.

A couple of comments - there were more young children and babies than I ever remember seeing at a high end restaurant. In fact, I asked the hostess if a child in tow was a requirement to eat there.

Even though we were the last to be seated and the last to leave, the staff was gracious and we never felt rushed. Service was perfect (I was even allowed to pour my own wine - a rare treat at high-end spots).

Bread service was impeccable and the timing was perfect. Portions a bit large for a tasting menu - at $95 arguably the best value in greater NYC metro. Grounds were breathtaking and absolutlely spotless. Dining room was comfortable and classy without a bit of pretentiousness.

Wine list amazing - with several good bottles below $50 and a rare, nice selection of half bottles.

Only negative - it has got to be one of the more difficult spots to drive and return. You must stay the night in the area as we did. Thankfully we made a dry run to the place while it was light or it could have been a difficult find.

Overall one of the top three eating experiences ever - how this place doesn't receive the highest possible rating from every critic is beyond me. Bill with tax and tip (including cocktails and wine) - a very reasonable $368.

Edited August 14, 2006 by rich (log)

[James Kessler]

Any word on brunch? No reports of how it works and menu options, etc?

I've got brunch reservations this Sunday. I'll report back.

[James Kessler]

Sunday Brunch I found out, is not really a Brunch but really a Lunch. Not exactly what I was looking for, but still good.

Unbloody Mary

tomato water, horseradish gelee

Strawberry Sangria

Strawberry puree, fresh berries

Chilled Corn Soup with corn relish and cilantro (good, but not necessarily great.)

Green Beans and egg croquette, sea salt, minced fennel, assorted greens. (very good dish!)

Meatloaf

zuchinni puree, green beans (this dish was a touch saltier than it needed to be.)

poached chicken

quinous, corn, zuchinni, very subtle and tasty. Most of the chicken was intentionally underseasoned to bring out the natural flavor. The quinous mixture was a little more liberally seasoned, which helped the overall dish. One piece of chicken with the skin still on was also more liberally seasoned, and very flavorful. VERY enjoyable dish overall. My favorite from this meal.

bread pudding

caramel ice cream, salted peanuts

strawberry coupe

vanilla mousse, rasberry granite.

Overall, very good meal. NOT a Sunday Brunch IMHO. The menu was labelled LUNCH, and that's what we got. A nice lunch. I guess it was a bit of a letdown since we were expecting lovely egg dishes (other than the croquette) and possibly waffles or pancakes or ham, or something more like a traditional brunch menu.

Oh yes, one more thing... not something to be overlooked. The table rocked back and forth as we ate. We're not really that tough critics on service I think, but the wobbly table really cut into our enjoyment of the meal. I would not expect that at a great restaurant like this one.

>Please forgive me if my spelling is a little off in this post. Just a bit sleepy now. Wanted to get this done tonight before bed. Goodnight.<

[rich]

Oh yes, one more thing... not something to be overlooked.  The table rocked back and forth as we ate.  We're not really that tough critics on service I think, but the wobbly table really cut into our enjoyment of the meal.  I would not expect that at a great restaurant like this one.

<

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The old wobbly table syndrome (WTS). There are many remedies and most are self-medicated. First, ask for a matchbook cover and place underneath offending leg. Second, use extra napkin under offending leg. Third, remove offending leg and balance table on remaining three. Fourth, throw table through nearest window and proceed to eat on floor, which has no offending legs. Fifth, asked to be moved to another table that has perfectly good gams. Sixth, fling table at first restaurant employee to pass by - it's a guaranteed attention grabber. Seventh, sit at the bar where no legs will ruin your enjoyment (make sure the bar stool has shapely, straight legs). Eighth, pretend you're on a cruise ship and sailing through a storm. Ninth, make sure the table tilts toward your dining companion - that way no food or liquid will fall on you. Tenth, after the meal complain of sea sickness, sue the restaurant and leave without paying.

All of these remedies have a very high proven cure rate. And while some may be a bit more drastic than others, I have used each one over the years will success. I will never again allow my meal to be ruined by WTS - I have taken the cure!

Edited August 28, 2006 by rich (log)

[docsconz]

I finally had dinner here - stunning! More to come....

[tupac17616]

I finally had dinner here - stunning! More to come....

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Good to hear! I've got dinner reservation on April 15th. I look forward to your report!

[Sethro]

Good to hear; I'm going this Sunday...

[Sethro]

Very nice experience. Service was outstanding and the room was beautiful.

Standouts were: eldeflower royale, mini-beet burger, cauliflower and greenhouse greens with fromage blanc, passionfruit souflee.

Berkshire Pig was unpleasantly chewy, but imediately replaced by lamb and carrot gastrique.

Dining time elapsed the 4 hour mark, so the pacing could have improved, but otherwise it was terrific.

[docsconz]

DINNER MARCH 30, 2007

I was hoping to get this out sooner, but I have been waiting for the restaurant to email me a list of the dishes that we were served. Unfortunately, after a week and several calls that appears to be not forthcoming. That being the only glitch in an otherwise superb dinner, I will proceed...

Although we were hoping to get there early enough to tour the grounds before our 6PM reservation, my wife and I got a late start and only managed to arrive on time for the reservation. It's too bad, because from the little we did get to see, the grounds look lovely.

The restaurant is located in the lower roofed building on the right.

We were a party of six that included my wife and I, JosephB and his wife and two young Italian graduate students acquainted with Joseph through mutual friends. The company turned out to be very pleasant and quite enjoyable. While good or bad company can affect how one perceives a meal, I find it more often true that good or bad food can effect the quality of the company as people tend to relax more when the food and service live up to or surpass expectations.

I started with a delightful cocktail that consisted of fresh pear juice, sake and vodka. It was quite refreshing. I don't particularly enjoy overly sweet cocktails. This one was perfectly balanced.

We opted for The Farmer's Feast tasting menu at $110pp.

We were presented with a board of house-grown greens that would go in a salad.

Fresh carrots and bok choy presented as they were could have been a joke if they hadn't been so fresh, beautiful and delicious. This was the epitome of haute barnyard.

Dehydrated beet chips packed a lot of flavor and had a nice texture.

Foie gras like pork liver sandwiched between chocolate wafers with what I believe is Maldon salt. This dish was a revelation as I never knew pork liver could be so unctuous and delicious. The combination worked well. The liver was from estate raised pigs (Berkshire if I'm not mistaken).

These mini beet burgers were clever with well balanced flavors.

Crisp sesame coated salsify sticks shone. This is what pristine ingredients is all about.

Silky, delicious house cured coppa.

Warm oyster with caviar in a chowder like liquid. This was my favorite dish of the night as it combined great texture, the essence of the sea and plenty of umami. It was swallowed in one take.

This was another beet dish, though I honestly don't remember what it was like!

"Fried" egg with blue potatoes and mixed green salad. An excellent dish, the potato was initially cooked sous vide then dipped in panko and quickly fried. The dish inspied me the following day when I was at the Union Square Greenmarket. I bought pheasant eggs and great greens. On Sunday for dinner I made a salad with the mixed greens, bacon, potatoes fried in duck fat and fried pheasant eggs along with a mustard vinaigrette with apple cider vinegar. .

Leek and Jerusalem artichoke. This was a dish of pure flavors and technique.

Sous vide hake in a carrot broth. The flavor and texture of the fish was perfect. The fish was flaky and moist. The carrot broth was a touch on the sweet side, but it worked with the fish.

Berkshire pork belly with shiitake mushrooms and house made pasta - delicious and hearty.

Rack of lamb cooked sous vide and finished over hay. I had excellent 3 Corner Field farm lamb at home the night before, so I probably didn't appreciate this quite as much as I otherwise might have. Nevertheless it was delicious. Any contribution from the hay was subtle.

Pre-dessert of a citrus pot de creme-like delight.

Queso fresco souffle with black pepper ice cream. This was a stunningly good combination. The black pepper ice cream added just enough complexity and bite to the delicate souffle.

Mignardises. By this time I was getting pretty full, but still managed to taste one of each.

The meal was excellent from top to bottom without any mis-steps. A number of dishes were exciting by virtue of their simple purity, while others were due to their complexity and ingenuity. All tasted great. The room itself, although too dark to be ideal for photography was comfortably elegant. The service led by Jennifer, he wait captain was outstanding. Their motions were ballet like in their choreography without being overly formal or pretentious. Jennifer, in particular, found the right line between precise service and warmth. So many servers are chatty and overly friendly. She struck the perfect balance by engaging at the right times and to the right degree without losing sight of her job and professionalism. So far this is my number one restaurant meal of the year.

[Fat Guy]

I really like that use of various presentation platters, boards, elongated plates, slabs, racks, etc. for quasi-family-style service. Very few restaurants take that kind of advantage of the opportunity that a tasting menu for a large group presents.

Has there been discussion of the phrase "haute barnyard"? Does that come from the New York Magazine people? It's not a designation I'd necessarily embrace.