Vong

[RO94]

Going to Vong this weekend and was wondering what your experiences have been like?  Would you recommend anything in particular?

Thanks in advance.

Link to Vong (and his other restaurants as well)

[tommy]

vong is one of my favorite restaurants.  it's just a lot of fun i think.

the black plate special is very popular.  it's 4 or 5 appetizers, all of which are pretty tasty.

i can't imagine jean-georges has even seen the inside of the kitchen for years, however they still produce good food consistently.

[Pan]

Vong's a beautiful place - truly great decor. If you like fusion food, you'll have a good time. I went there twice and was very underwhelmed by the food both times. It was too much like watered-down Thai to me. And I have nothing against Jean-Georges Vongerichten: JoJo used to be my favorite restaurant a few years back.

[foodboy]

I'm with Pan on this one. Great atmosphere, not so great food. I had the tasting menu. Coconut-based soup and tuna tartare were excellent. The squab could not be cut with a knife, and everything else was so-so.

[Pat Goldberg]

I've eaten here two or three times and always enjoyed it.  Two entrees I enjoyed were lamb in a red curry sauce and rabbit in a green curry sauce.  Both really opened my eyes to the possible non-traditional uses of Thai spices. In fact, based on this, I have started cooking oxtails in green curry sauce.  Delicious.

I also had one dessert that I particularly remember.  I don't recall how it was described on the menu, but when it arrived, it was cooked farina that had been breaded and fried, served with a slice of grilled pineapple and, I believe, some coconut ice cream.  Once I saw it, I realized it was a takeoff on a German supper dish, where the fried and breaded farina is usually served with applesauce or stewed fruit.  Of course I then remembered that Vongerichten was from Alsace.  I plan to steal this idea as well.

[foodboy]

Come to think of it, I had seared tuna, not tartare.

[RockADS21]

The lowdown please - quite simply - is it worth the $$$?

[tommy]

it depends on what you're looking for.

Vong was a favorite of mine, when i was 26 yrs old or so and just getting into the whole "dining with cloth napkins" thing. it was exciting. i think in general the place has gotten a bit stale over the years. perhaps that feeling stems from the fact that i'm jaded. however, the room is rather exciting, in a casablancian sort of way. i can't think of another place that offers thai-french "fusion" (oh, that sounds so horrible) in that type of setting.

overall, it's a "fun" place, and there's a good chance you'll enjoy the food. service has always been friendly and helpful. it's rather laid back for a JG joint.

[foodboy]

I was there once in the Fall of '01 and had the tasting menu, in order to get a broad representation of the menu. Other than two dishes (one of which was a seared tuna, which is not difficult to do well), the food simply was not that good. One dish, squab, should have been served with a saw, as it was impossible to penetrate with a knife.

Really cool atmosphere. Probably fun with a large group.

[awbrig]

Well, if this means anything - which may- Vong closed in Chicago over a year ago and was replaced by Jean Georges V. with VTK - Vongs Thai Kitchen, an absolutely horrendous, inedible, casual site in which to never set foot in again. I loved Vong. I hate VTK - and so does everyone else - in which, I predict will be gone within 6 months...

I hope NYC Vong doesnt follow the same fateful mistake...

Edited January 3, 2003 by awbrig (log)

[Suvir Saran]

however, the room is rather exciting, in a casablancian sort of way.

What is the casablancian sort of way Tommy?

Being serious here... I think Morocco when I think Casablanca.

But that would hardly be appropriat for French and Thai... I wonder if I need to be in on something else.

Please explain.. thanks.

[tommy]

exotic. palatial. romantic. time stands still. i dunno. just an impression. i really didn't give it much thought.

[Suvir Saran]

exotic.  palatial.  romantic.  time stands still.  i dunno.  just an impression.  i really didn't give it much thought.

Interesting! Have you been to Casablanca? Do you think of it as exotic? Palatial? What gives you that impression?

Does Vong seem stagnant to you (time stands still)?

I used to like Vong.. have not gone back in years... Not sure what to think of it.. or even if I should return...

It was once very good...

[awbrig]

We need a recent NYC Vong review...Suvir go check it out!

[tommy]

Interesting!   Have you been to Casablanca?  Do you think of it as exotic?  Palatial?  What gives you that impression? 

Does Vong seem stagnant to you (time stands still)?

I used to like Vong.. have not gone back in years... Not sure what to think of it.. or even if I should return...

It was once very good...

hollywood. cut me some slack, i'm an ignorant american.

i'm not implying vong is stagnant (although i could probably make that argument if so inclined). i suppose when i say "time stands still" i'm suggesting that the room can be "transporting." and no, it doesn't bring you anywhere. stop these questions!!!

[Suvir Saran]

What are some of the dishes you remember from your earlier days at Vong?

I may just go and eat a meal there.. to see how time passes by these days...

PS: Not to tease you or belittle you, Casablanca is one of the least exotic cities in Morocco, or rather the world. But yes Hollywood can make many places look different than they really are.

[helenas]

Quick report from yesterday's dinner at Vong.

We had some sort of "business/meet old friend" kind of gathering there, so i couldn't concentrate on the food that much. But overall we really enjoyed our meal. Thanks to tommy's recommendation, we ordered a black plate for three - we got five defferent kinds of rolls, four matchinig dippings and salad. As a main course i had thai lobster - smart choice as it seems (here is the recipe, btw). My companions had a rabbit curry (he was happy about it) and grilled beef (he was not). All the portions were very generous, including the appetizers.

Desserts were not that interesting and it probably was our mistake not to order a white plate.

As for decor, once again, what tommy said.

[Robert Nesta Marley]

isn't there an existing vong thread out there? i seemed to have run across it early 2002.....

[smithi]

Vong has a great $20 lunch special every day of the week...a nice way to view and try the restaurant inexpensively.

[SobaAddict70]

My sole Vong experience was several years ago during Restaurant Week.

I don't remember much about it except that I couldn't hear my companion and also that the space wasn't very well lit. (Times may have changed, but that experience soured me on the place.)

SA

[oakapple]

On Friday night, a friend and I enjoyed the tasting menu at Vong ($65) with paired wines ($45).

The selections were as follows:

THE TASTING PLATE

Crab spring roll, tamarind sauce

Prawn satay, sweet & sour chili sauce

Lobster & daikon roll, rosemary ginger sauce

Duck rolls, plumb sauce

Raw tuna and vegetables, namprik vinaigrette

Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco, Valdobbladine

This was a large plate of appetizers, mostly looking like sushi rolls or dim sum. There were four of each item (two apiece), except for the duck rolls (one apiece). We were also each presented with a sauce dish with four compartments, one for each appetizer except the duck rolls, which already had the plum sauce inside. The sauces contrasted beautifully, and all of these items were immaculately prepared. We were delighted with this hefty start to the meal, and it was difficult to wrap our minds around the fact that four more courses were to come.

CHICKEN & COCONUT MILK SOUP WITH GALANGAL & SHITAKES

Rudi Wlest Rhein River Riesling 2004, Rheinhessen

This was a wonderful soup. I didn't taste much chicken, but the coconut and shitakes were plainly evident.

STEAMED STRIPED BASS WITH SPICED CARDAMOM SAUCE,

CABBAGE, & WATERCRESS

Jeanne Marie Viognier 2004, California

This course was less successful. The bass was rather dull, and we were given far too much of the watery cabbage, which added nothing to the dish.

ROASTED VENISON WITH PUMPKIN-LEMON PUREE

AND JUNIPER BERRY JUS

Mas du Boislauzon Cotes du Rhone Villages 2003, Rhone

This was about as good as venison gets. It didn't taste gamey at all. Two slices were prepared rare, with a wonderful crunchy char on the skin.

WARM VALRHONA CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH

COCONUT SORBET & PEPPERED TUILE

Domaine la Tour Vielle Reserva Banyuls, Banyuls

Is it any surprise that a Jean-Georges Vongerichten tasting menu would end with a chocolate cake? I'm not a big chocolate fan, but this was a dessert no one could pass up. It had a warm exterior and a molten center. Superb.

Overall, the fish was the only course of the five that misfired. The cuisine had Vongerichten's fingerprints all over it, although one wonders how much time he devotes to Vong any more. (Pierre Schutz is the credited chef de cuisine.) The paired wines were generally well chosen, but I found that after three whites in a row, my tongue was a bit deadened to the red that came with the meat course.

Service was attentive and precise. My only complaint was that our server spoke with such a heavy accent that we could not grasp his explanations of the courses as they were presented. After a while, we just gave up on him. (Thankfully, we were presented with a card listing the menu and the wines, which we kept with us all evening.)

My companion and I felt that the courses came a shade too quickly. At more than two hours, no one would say we were rushed out of the restaurant. Yet, I sometimes had up to half-a-glass of wine remaining when the next glass was presented. Tasting menu courses tend to be small, and you don't want to be chugging the wine afterwards.

By the time we left, the restaurant was full, and the noise level loud. Much as we had enjoyed our evening, we were more than ready to give our tender ears a rest.

Edited December 5, 2005 by oakapple (log)

[AzianBrewer]

I am not a big fan of fusion but I have been to Vong twice. The first time was with company and second time with friends. I ordered the rabbit curry and it turned out pretty good. The peach and pepper ice cream sounds a little strange but tasty. Avoid ordering lobster from this place. I made a mistake ordering an overcooked crustacean covered with herbs on my second visit. It was chewy and OD with herbs. I probably won't go back there again.