Corton (Formerly Montrachet)

[oakapple]

But getting back to the food part of Corton: for those members who had eaten at Gilt under Liebrandt's hand as well as at Corton, I'm curious to hear comparisons between his food there and his food at Corton.  Sadly, I never went to Gilt (still haven't).  I've heard some say that Corton is Liebrandt's Gilt dialed back a few notches.

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I've dined at Corton twice and it's extremely good. It fully deserves all three of its stars. However, the food at Gilt was on another level, closer to four stars. Alas, the pro critics didn't see it that way. Also, the restaurant's economic model was out of whack: Liebrandt was serving food far too expensive for the prices they were charging. I believe it was $92 prix fixe, and many dishes carried supplements, so they couldn't realistically charge any more, especially after the reviews came in.

So yeah, he dialed it down considerably at Corton. There was clearly no point in trying again with a cuisine that Bruni had hated, and in the current economy a $92 menu would have been insane. Nieporent has admitted that Corton as we know it might not have opened at all, if preparations hadn't been so far along when the economy tanked. Fortunately, he made the right decisions, and the restaurant has been a hit.

[ulterior epicure]

FWIW, here are my two cents about Corton: (review: a different side of flavor...)

Here's an excerpt:

... Aware of Liebrandt’s controversial style of cooking (and some reports of over-salting; a case where reading food boards can be particularly vexing), I approached Corton with a touch of caution.

What I discovered and experienced was pleasantly surprising and exciting on multiple levels. Course after course, our meal was a visually stunning series of twists and turns through unexpected flavors and textures.

In addition, we received excellent wine service. Our stewardess for the evening, Susan (who, at the end of the meal admitted to being neither the assistant sommelier nor a wine professional), was quite knowledgeable. Whether or not she was the mastermind behind the progression, it was one of the most finely-tuned pairings I’ve had in quite a while. The wines were not only thoughtfully paired, but, with the food, they were electrifying.

Actually, the service, overall, was spotless. And here I must disclose that my dining companions had a previously unknown relationship with one of the members of the house. They were semi-regulars at a restaurant where this Corton employee had worked. Whether or not the quality of our service was boosted because of this relationship, or because it was Big Name night at Corton, or because service here is always this good, I will not know until I visit again under different circumstances.

The same is true for the food: was our food technically flawless and (nearly) pitch-perfect because of the client list that night? There really was very little room for error.  And hardly an error was made.

Or, was it because Liebrandt is always this precise?

Again, I will not know until I return under a different set of facts and figures.

...

Liebrandt’s training at Pierre Gagnaire is not lost: nearly every course came with a side-show. While I normally find this practice distracting and terribly annoying (the main reason I have not gone to Gagnaire), I appreciated Liebrandt’s approach for two reasons:

1. Every side dish had an cognizable purpose – either proposing a contrast or adding commentary to the main course.

2. Each side dish was a complete thought that could be considered and enjoyed on its own, rather than an appendage, or worse – an afterthought – to the main course.

Many have told me that the Liebrandt’s cuisine at Corton “dials back” his cuisine at Gilt. That is, he’s reverted to much more traditional techniques and flavors.

Classic French techniques and flavors are certainly prevalent in his cooking.

...

Technique aside, it’s clear that Liebrandt, like many classically French-trained chefs, draws inspiration from Asia, especially Japan. And he incorporates these foreign sensibilities seamlessly and convincingly. His sauces have a subtle, but noticeable streak of sweetness. A tinge of acid lingers in the background of almost every bite. And he cleverly replaces Western forms of umami with Asian equivalents.

...

Flavors aside, the execution and presentations were precise. Our meal was beautifully presented: full of color, style, and mindful of asymmetry.

Beyond the plate, as I had mentioned, Corton hummed along like a well-oiled machine.

Yes, we happened in on an important night for the restaurant. Yes, we happened to have a connection with one of the staff members.  And, yes, we supplemented three fantastic a la carte items into our tasting menu.

I can safely say that Corton, when firing on all twelve cylinders, is one of the most exciting restaurants I’ve encountered this year.  It certainly surpassed my expectations.  And Liebrandt is definitely a chef to watch.  I will be curious to see if and how his cooking develops over time; if and how he evolves; and if and how he stretches his imagination, while still staying within the boundaries of the New York palate.

But, if, for some reason, the restaurant doesn’t normally operate at this level, then I’ll count myself lucky for the experience.

I look forward to returning and discovering Corton anew.

[dagordon]

I'll post more about our meal later, but for now I have to say that our meal last night at Corton (7 course tasting, with $145/person Burgundy pairings) was arguably the greatest meal we've had in the U.S. And we were given no special treatment.

[dagordon]

So, a little more detail. Our meal:

Foie gras chantilly, asparagus

Jean Velut Brut, Montgueux NV

Uni

“Noir” Gelée

Jean Claude Thévenet Blanc de Blancs (Cremant de Bourgogne)

Clotilde Davenne Saint Bris ‘Vieilles Vignes’ 2006

Foie Gras Bon Bon

Tristar Strawberries, Mozzarella Ice Cream

Edmond Cornu Bourgogne Aligote 2007

Rollin Pernand Vergelesses 2004

Ivory King Salmon

Orange Blossom, Heirloom Carrots, Argan Oil Jus

Boisson-Vadot Meursault ‘Grands Charrons’ 2006

J.M. Morey Chassagne-Montrachet ‘Chaumées’ Premier Cru 2004

Squab

Cèpes Tartare, Anise, Combava Jus

Louis Jadot Pommard Clos de la Commaraine 2006

Five-Year Aged Gouda

Lychee, Saffron Honey

Trousseau—Puffeney Arbois Rouge ‘Cuvée Les Bérangères,’ Jura 2006

Raspberry

Black Sesame, Coconut

Pineau d’Aunis— Côteaux de Pizy Brut Rosé, Loire NV

“Old Fashioned” Palette

Dark Chocolate, Cherry, Whisky

Rogue Dead Guy Ale Oregon

Macaroons, pate de fruits

--

The only possible quibble I could have about the food was that the mozzarella ice cream didn't have very much flavor on its own (as opposed to other versions of mozarrella ice cream I've had). But it's not clear that it was supposed to have very much flavor on its own, as it's function was just to provide a counterpoint to a strawberry "soup". It often annoys me when people say 'but I couldn't really taste the X' for some dish where X is an ingredient. As long as the dish would have tasted different without X, X is serving a purpose.

I won't do a blow-by-blow as there was so much going on on the plate with every dish here that this would take too much time and effort on my part.

In any case, I agree with many of U.E.'s general comments on the food. But though he clearly enjoyed his meal, it seems that the food spoke to me (and my wife) to a significantly greater degree -- to the point that we both though that this was perhaps the best meal we've had in the U.S. We never ate at Gilt, and the food very well may be more restrained versions of what he was doing there, but for us the balance that was struck was dead-on perfect.

The wine pairing was outstanding. I noticed many of the bottles were from Rosenthal and I already picked up several that were poured for us. The Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, and Pommard were particularly memorable.

[ulterior epicure]

@ dagadorn: For your sake, I'm thrilled to see they finally 86'ed the "Cocao Nib Financier." I'm a little jealous, as the dark chocolate and whiskey combination was one from the a la carte dessert menu that I had been eyeing that night.

[Dave the Cook]

If you want me to remember your name, you should write it on your forehead with a Sharpie the first few times we meet. If you want me to remember your address, you should insist that I etch it into my forearm with a tat needle.

We got turned around coming out of the subway, so I called the restaurant to get directions. The hostess recited a precise instruction set, including how to negotiate the tiny park at 6th and West Broadway -- a malevolent intersection that, earlier this year, caused significant confusion for a native New Yorker.

We emerged from the green space on the correct street, but by then I'd forgotten the street number. Once we'd decided we'd gone too far, I swallowed my pride and pulled out my phone again. This time, a man answered. Immediately.

"Mr. Scantland?"

"Yeesss?"

"Turn around."

"Okaaaay . . . "

"There is a woman. She is dressed in a white blouse and black skirt. She is waving at you."

"Uh huh . . . "

"Please wave back at her so that she knows you have seen her."

"Okay . . . "

"Now please come join us for dinner."

And so we also made it to Corton the night of the 12th.

* * *

We had the tasting menu, too, though we opted for the second-tier ($85) wine pairings. I have just a few things to add to what others have said:

• There was what I guess was a pre-amuse: an excellent gougere and a pretty, and pretty tasteless disc of spring pea genoise.
  
• The amuse delivered after we had placed our order was an oyster of unusual size, by which I mean enchantingly small. Other details escape me; I recall it being very good.
  
• The squab was perfectly cooked, though I can understand how a mere visual inspection might cause one to think otherwise, as it's deep magenta -- the color of the raw bird. Just poking at it with your fork will reveal the deception; the meat is firm. And tasty.
  
• In some instances, I think the lesser pairing has some advantages. For example:
  • A flute of excellent sparking wine to start -- Cotilde Davenne Cremant de Borgogne;
    
  • We got two pours with the uni: Takasago Ginga Shizuku and Albert Mann Riesling Schlossberg Grand Cru Alsace 2007 -- an enlightening "compare and contrast" exercise.
    
  • I think the match we got with the "Old Fashioned Palette" -- a Corton-style Manhattan -- was probably better than Rogue Dead Guy Ale, which, though a very good beer, is still beer. dagordon, what did you think of it?
    
  • With the pate de fruits, we got a nice surprise: Hitachino Nest White Ale. Yes, I know it's a beer, but it worked very well.
    

Having impressed us with a startling introductory service coup, the staff did not disappoint. Service throughout was impeccable.

[tan319]

really cute story!

meal sounds incroyable as well...

[dagordon]

[*]In some instances, I think the lesser pairing has some advantages. For example:

[*]A flute of excellent sparking wine to start -- Cotilde Davenne Cremant de Borgogne;

[*]We got two pours with the uni: Takasago Ginga Shizuku and Albert Mann Riesling Schlossberg Grand Cru Alsace 2007 -- an enlightening "compare and contrast" exercise.

[*]I think the match we got with the "Old Fashioned Palette" -- a Corton-style Manhattan -- was probably better than Rogue Dead Guy Ale, which, though a very good beer, is still beer. dagordon, what did you think of it?

[*]With the pate de fruits, we got a nice surprise: Hitachino Nest White Ale. Yes, I know it's a beer, but it worked very well.

I'm not a huge beer person, but I enjoyed the Rogue Dead Guy Ale with the Manhattan. At the very least, it was a refreshing change of pace.

FWIW, we did have the Clotilde Davenne, with the uni. And we had two pours with three of the courses, the 2nd through 4th. I agree that it was extremely fun having two pours! Though this made the beer with the final course even more welcome, as we'd had ten glasses of wine each by then. (Well, actually my wife bailed from the pairings at some point toward the end, as she's tiny and was starting to slur her speech .)

[ckkgourmet]

I'm really astonished. Having heard from so many trusted sources about the pleasures of Corton, and having liked Gilt well enough, I return from my dinner at Corton this evening extremely disappointed in my meal there. Some of the food was decent, but very little of it stood out as either well-conceived or even interesting. It wasn't that I thought Corton would be like Per Se or anything of that sort: I didn't go with specific ideas of what I'd experience, but I thought I'd try something new and important. New and important is not what I found.

We had the tasting menu. The uni was nothing extraordinary: the numerous flavors in the dish didn't add up. The foie gras bon bon was good in itself but accompanied by extraneous items (including a flavorless burrata ice cream with cherry sauce and an entirely unremarkable spiced butter to go with the brioche). Things got better after the bon bon. The salmon was good, even refined; the squab was more than acceptable. But both were accompanied by smaller plates that contributed little or nothing. The gouda course was fine, too, although here the brioche was hard and dry, over-toasted.

Whereas the savory courses were rather up and down, the two desserts added no excitement. We did not end on a low note, however, because the petit fours were excellent.

Given the above, I'm forced to conclude that Corton is an inconsistent restaurant. I take it on faith that some of these dishes can work under the right circumstances, but for me, tonight, they looked like exercises in bad judgment. We overheard the table next to us speaking to our server, the very Susan mentioned by U.E. above, and they criticized many of the same things. I felt vindicated when, in reply, this Susan seemed to agree with them, adding that the wine pairings, not the food, were the restaurant's real strength--I now regret not having ordered them.

I found service erratic. At times it was rushed, at others slow. I was seated 20 minutes after my reservation.

Does anyone remember why Gilt failed? Was it inconsistency or "wayward" invention? Or both?

Edited June 20, 2009 by ckkgourmet (log)

[oakapple]

Given the above, I'm forced to conclude that Corton is an inconsistent restaurant.

I am not sure whether it is inconsistent, or whether it consistently produces dishes that some people like a lot more than others.

I found service erratic. At times it was rushed, at others slow.

We are fans of Corton, but on both of our visits we have found this to be the case.

I was seated 20 minutes after my reservation.

I don't really hold this against the restaurant, though it is probably approaching the outer limit of what is acceptable. However, they ought to comp you a drink (which I am gathering they did not).

Does anyone remember why Gilt failed? Was it inconsistency or "wayward" invention? Or both?

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I am not sure if ckkgourmet is defining "inconsistency" the way I do, but I do not recall any complaints to that effect. The cuisine at Gilt was more ambitious and more outré than at Corton. The major critics did not warm up to it—not because it was inconsistent, but because the concept was consistently not to their taste. I think they were wrong, but their opinion carried a lot more weight than mine.

People always debate how much the critics' opinion matters, given that some places are quite successful despite poor reviews. Of course, the reviews at Gilt were not poor. It's just that a place charging $98 prix fixe needs the reviews to be ecstatic, and they certainly were not. Another problem could be that the clientele that Gilt's location attracts was probably looking for much more traditional food, more akin to the restaurant that formerly occupied that space, Le Cirque.

Anyhow, Liebrandt was gone pretty quickly, and his successor, Chris Lee, served much more conservative cuisine. Lee has now moved over to Aureole, and you don't hear much about Gilt these days, although it is still open.

Edited June 20, 2009 by oakapple (log)

[Bobster]

We had the tasting menu.

I did as well right before the reviews came out and I felt sadly the same.

The uni was nothing extraordinary

This was very painful to read.

I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience.

[ckkgourmet]

Oakapple, you're right that I've played a bit too loose with the word "inconsistent." I was attempting to be respectful of the other diners whose opinions I value (like yourself), and who have enjoyed Corton. My tendency has therefore been to assume that, whatever the so-so quality of my experience, yours and others are more typical of those who dine at Corton. And because I do like experimental cuisine, and liked quite a bit of the food at Gilt under PL, my problem was not one of sympathy or taste, but rather a matter of an off night.

That said, if I had not your and other reactions to Corton's excellence, I would conclude that my meal resulted from bad judgment on the part of PL. Without rave reviews, I would have (perhaps precipitously) concluded that the problems of my meal went beyond execution. As I mentioned in my last post, we found the uni, in particular, to be a muddle. I like a complexity of strange combinations, or the subtle commingling of subtle flavors. Complexity and contradiction are my friends. And, yet, this dish did not seem to really add up to anything interesting. It seemed like a slur, a blurred, ill-conceived thing. In the same vein, I might assume that the secondary dishes throughout the meal did not add complexity or contrast of the interesting kind. Grating to me as it might be to concede, I think that one possible reaction to Corton, again based on my single experience, is that some aspects of my dishes were gratuitous and ornamental.

p.s. We were comped a bottle of sparkling water for waiting 20 minutes to be seated. I'd rather have been seated promptly.

[oakapple]

p.s. We were comped a bottle of sparkling water for waiting 20 minutes to be seated. I'd rather have been seated promptly.

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As of course you should be, but I do have some sympathy for the restaurant's difficulty, because it is difficult to predict how long patrons will linger. They have some cushion built into the schedule, but occasionally even that precaution is not enough.

[tan319]

Wouldn't PL be at the F&W Aspen event being held now?

I thought all Best New Chefs attended it, that it's kind of required.

[ckkgourmet]

Wouldn't PL be at the F&W Aspen event being held now?

I thought all Best New Chefs attended it, that it's kind of required.

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Perhaps, but I now have read more on this thread and I have noted that several individuals have complained of lackluster dining experiences at Corton, even on important evenings when the chef and culinary celebrities were present.

[Sneakeater]

If Corton can't be excellent with PL temporarily absent, then it's a failed restaurant.

[ulterior epicure]

Wouldn't PL be at the F&W Aspen event being held now?

I thought all Best New Chefs attended it, that it's kind of required.

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But Liebrandt's absence should be an excuse for the restaurant's failure to operate at top speed.

[ulterior epicure]

If Corton can't be excellent with PL temporarily absent, then it's a failed restaurant.

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Agreed.

But maybe what oakapple pointed out is right: maybe the food is consistent, whilst diners' proclivities are not.

It is helpful when diners/posters are able to discern and articulate whether a dish is executed properly, but just not to their liking, or whether it is just a botched go. From ckkgourmet's descriptions, it seems that he/she is not necessarily saying that the food was not executed properly, but rather, they didn't really excite his/her palate.

[tan319]

If Corton can't be excellent with PL temporarily absent, then it's a failed restaurant.

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Well, I surely wouldn't want to suggest that, I'm sorry if I did.

Edited June 20, 2009 by tan319 (log)

[Sneakeater]

If Corton can't be excellent with PL temporarily absent, then it's a failed restaurant.

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Agreed.

But maybe what oakapple pointed out is right: maybe the food is consistent, whilst diners' proclivities are not.

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I have little doubt that that's what's happening. It didn't strike me as the type of place that would be inconsistent.

I was just reacting to what I perceived (apparently incorrectly) as one excuse offered (by someone other than the restaurant).

Edited June 20, 2009 by Sneakeater (log)

[ckkgourmet]

I think what we’ve all been missing, or simply not saying, is that there actually can be critics of Corton who DO appreciate PL’s mode of creation, but nevertheless find PL wanting in this very mode. Indeed, some diners may truly like his approach and yet think that he occasionally fails by its own standards. Even the greatest artists may regularly flub up their own game.

This is NOT my position on PL at Corton, but it is one I could see myself entertaining if future visits to Corton were to be as so-so as my first one. Saying that Corton probably does not have a consistency problem, and suspecting that some diners are simply reacting based on their own preferences, may be true, but simultaneously nullifies the possibility of this “middle” position.

[Wemedge]

here's the deal happening with corton:

what happens with 3 star restaurants in nyc is that all walks of life attend 3 star restaurants. upper east side grey haired ladies, nj housewives, bridge and tunnel trash, tribecca foodies......

people get high expectations. everyone wants that 8 pm reservation saturday night. most people attend between 7 and 9 on friday and saturday. corton may be an exception because they are more booked than mosxt 3 stars in nyc.

guests just bitch. expectations are so high that people create mountains out of molehills. corton is great. once in a while there is a miss, but most courses are a hit. his food is pretty much brilliant but once in a while there is a flop.

which is why places like jean georges and per se are better..... there are less flops. but who cares? $78 for 3 courses? damn good.

[taion]

Ate there last night and came out suitably impressed. They have three levels of wine pairings now – one from their by-the-glass list in the 60s, one from the country wines list in the 80s, and the pick-your-price Burgundy/Bordeaux pairing starting at like 110 and going up to whatever.

Service was mostly as expected, with only two noticeable glitches. There was a delay in taking our wine order (it was taken just after the amuses were served), probably because our captain had the sommelier come by to discuss wine pairings with us after we told her that we were interested in the tasting menu, and after having the pairings described to us, asked the sommelier to come back in a few minutes after we had decided (we opted for the middle tier of wine pairings and were duly rewarded). The other was that the server knocked the salmon skin chip off my salmon on accident while saucing the dish, so the skin chip ended up getting soggy (but it was still good, and the rest of the course was still incredibly good).

Comparing and contrasting a bit with UE's blog entry – The uni is now topped with caviar, which works very nicely with the rest of the little course. As noted, the foie is now on the tasting menu. The salmon was absolutely stunning, perfectly cooked, with incredibly intense vegetables on the side, enough so that I didn't think the summer truffles that it now comes with actually added all that much. I enjoyed the squab quite a bit, with the fat adding a nice contrast to the breast meat, but I can see how some might not enjoy it quite as much. The raspberry dessert was indeed excellent. Definitely one of the best meals I've had in quite a while.

A few other little interesting quirks. Grub Street mentioned Aureole's planned "parallel tasting menu", but I think the side dishes at Corton really already basically do this. Sure, they're in smaller portions, but they're interesting and distinctive enough that they almost do count as additional courses in the same way, making Corton an even better value than it appears at first. On the flip side, this gets a little out of control. We were seated at the little two-top closest to the entrance (maybe not the best table in the house, but wasn't too much of a problem), and at some points, the use of table real estate was a little ridiculous – for the foie course: two large plates with the foie, two smaller bowls for the side dish, two small plates for the brioche, plus a little block with a butter for the brioche; all this in addition to two bread plates, two water glasses, two wine glasses, and the two kinds of butter that were already there. This used up table real estate to an extent that it was a little silly that the actual foie came on one of the typical large, mostly empty plates, rather than maybe a smaller one that would have been more appropriate to the amount of room available on the table.

I think what made Corton really click for me was that the food, while intellectually satisfying, did not depend on being enjoyable intellectually. Unlike with, say, wd~50, everything could be enjoyed without devoting lots of thought to the food, but thinking harder made things better. That's more or less my sweet spot for food complexity.

[oakapple]

here's the deal happening with corton:

what happens with 3 star restaurants in nyc is that all walks of life attend 3 star restaurants.  upper east side grey haired ladies, nj housewives, bridge and tunnel trash, tribecca foodies......

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How many insults and stereotypes is it possible to pack into one post? Are you going for the new indoor record? I mean, really... None of these things are true.

[robert40]

Wow! Good thing New Yorkers did not welcome chef that way when he came through the tunnel for the first time.