Le Bernardin vs Per Se

[sethd]

PS  I'm going back to PerSe this Tuesday yay!  And I was told that Chef Benno will be around thru the winter.

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Great news about Chef Benno; I'm having a special birthday celebration at Per Se next month, and I'm so happy that Chef Benno will still be at Per Se (of course Chef Keller will ensure that whoever is at the helm will be wonderful!).

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I have had recent meals at Per Se when Chef Benno has not been in the kitchen and the meals have been superb. If Chef Benno leaves and his second is elevated to chef de cuisine, Per Se will not miss a beat.

[Sneakeater]

The problem is not in executing dishes. It's in creating them. We have no idea if Chef Benno's sous chef has the chops to create menu additions as good as what Chef Benno's been serving over the last several years.

[Sneakeater]

(Although I should add that I went to a recent wine dinner at Per Se where we were led to believe the final tweaking of the menu was done by a sous chef rather than Chef Benno, and I have to say I found the result to be spectacular.)

[sethd]

The problem is not in executing dishes.  It's in creating them.  We have no idea if Chef Benno's sous chef has the chops to create menu additions as good as what Chef Benno's been serving over the last several years.

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I have had many dishes that I know have been created by the sous chef and they have all been superb!!!

[jdanton]

This was personal preference, but I preferred Per Se to Le Bernardin. I shouldn't have done the full tasting at LB--I felt like it was too much, and the progression got too heavy in short order. The lobster with sauce gribiche (which is really a hollandaise) was very good, but was in the first half of the menu and fairly heavy.

If I go back to LB it will be for the standard menu.

[mis]

I was in new york and I ate at both restaurants on 2 back to back days. I had the chefs tasting menu at Per se, and The 3 course prix fixe at Le Bernardin. You cant go wrong with either restaurant, but I have to say, Le Bernardins service was excellent, but Per Se's was exceptional. My only (minor) complaint is that its worth doing some prior research before going to either restaurant because there are some excellent off the menu items at both restaurants(I had to ask for coffee and doughnuts at per se, and the infamous "egg" dessert at le bernardin, both were worth it though)