The Monday Room

[Nathan]

its kind of shocking that it doesn't have its own thread here. it's also shocking that it hasn't received more critical attention.

I'd heard very good things from reliable sources for some time. I haven't eaten at Public itself in a couple years...but I remembered the food being uneven...sometimes very good, sometimes less successful. good wine program though.

well, the Monday Room is pretty spectacular. very different design aesthetic from Public. extensive wine list by the half glass, glass, half-bottle and bottle. about a dozen small plates available.

we opted for the tasting menu of five savories with paired wines (which the menu noted were wines "not normally available by the glass") (base price of $85), subbed some courses (our sommelier noted that the tasting menu is only a guide), and asked for a couple specific pairings.

the kitchen had too heavy a hand with the acidity on the eel. liked the components though.

foie was good but not exceptional.

cocoa short ribs were simply superb. one of the best short rib dishes that I've had anywhere.

sashimi of tasmanian sea trout was good and the accompanying grilled bread with butter, lemon and caperberries was quite clever.

the dashi custard with lobster....also terrific.

pumpkin panna cotta with sage ice cream and candied squash was nifty.

we opted for an additional pairing with dessert which upped our bill significantly...but it was really really good.

the pairings were the real star of the show. extremely well done. the dry sherry with the eel was nice. the predictable riesling with the foie was still very good, but the particular chardonnay (a wine I generally don't like) with the lobster and dashi custard was absolutely fricking terrific.

highly recommended.

Edited January 19, 2008 by Nathan (log)

[docsconz]

Restaurant details, please.

[Nathan]

its a small room off of Public.

[LPShanet]

Yes yes yes. Definitely overlooked since it's been open and to some extent I hope it stays that way. The food is really nice, and the pairings have been done expertly all three times I've gone. But it's the atmosphere that makes it such a find. It's just like sitting in the library at someone's rich uncle's mansion. Very mellow. So please do try it, but please don't tell anyone other than your close friends and those who will properly appreciate it:)

[DALI]

i was there not to long ago and had a good experience there however i found the food to be less the average.

the eel- good but what is the point of that cucumber slice on the bottom of the spoon.

short ribs- sorry but you must have never had a good short rib before because they are tough. the puree tasted of vanilla extract, and i forgot what the veg. was on the dish but it was cold.

foie- average at best and the same as in public.

trout - enough said it was good but nothing more than good.

dashi custard- i don't like custards but that is a personal preference and will not comment on it

snail and oxtail rav.-holy cow. biggest rav i have ever seen. a little dry tasted like the oxtail was under braised. also same as in public.

tongue- is this supposed to be a joke. gray meat under cooked and some sort of tuile that was not good at all. the dish had some sort of middle eastern vibe to it. some sort of eggplant relish with some pink onions in it and a baba ganoush that was not very well balanced at all.

the worst part about the food is that it is supposed to be the chef doing all the cooking for the Monday room. there were also two items that were on the menu that they did not have.

[Nathan]

this time the eel was perfect.

there's a good scallop dish with little chunks of pancetta/belly (the scallop could be cooked slightly less...but that's a personal preference)...the sauce would be overly sweet if it wasn't cut perfectly by the white they paired.

interesting venison carpaccio.

this food really is about the wine...it doesn't make sense to eat it without getting almost every course paired.

[LPShanet]

this time the eel was perfect.

there's a good scallop dish with little chunks of pancetta/belly (the scallop could be cooked slightly less...but that's a personal preference)...the sauce would be overly sweet if it wasn't cut perfectly by the white they paired.

interesting venison carpaccio.

this food really is about the wine...it doesn't make sense to eat it without getting almost every course paired.

←

Totally agree with Nathan's wine pairing comment. Much of the food is intended to be paired and doing without is like leaving an ingredient out of the dish. It's part of the balance and was designed that way. Going back next week, and will provide an update/report.

[kathryn]

Any recent reports?