V Steakhouse

[jeunefilleparis]

Just wanted to announce, if not already done so that Jean George's steak house in the Mall of NYC, V Steakhouse, had its soft opening last night

My boss went there last night and siad that the space was quite beautiful lots of deep reds and gold tones. Her and her friend shard a filet, a sirloin, tempura potatos and she reported back that everything was good, but not the best that she has had in NYC.

Also, I was told recently that JG is in the midst of opening something else in NYC.! I dont know about you guys, but it seems like he is spreading himself way too thing! i guess we ll see what happens.

I hope everyone has a great holiday, i m off to Paris tonight:))) yeah! see you when i get back

Lauren

Edited June 2, 2004 by slkinsey (log)

[oakapple]

I believe it's called "V Steakhouse," not RARE.

[jeunefilleparis]

I believe it's called "V Steakhouse," not RARE.

ok thanks

[alacarte]

thanks for the info, Lauren, and bonne journee!

[Pan]

Ditto. Have a good trip and may the airport buildings hold up perfectly for you!

[WPep]

A link to pics of the steakhouse....

http://www.bluejake.com/images04/2004_3_jeangeorge/

[oakapple]

Florence Fabricant reports in today's Times:

One by one, the restaurants in the Time Warner Center are getting up and running. V STEAKHOUSE, the contribution of JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN, is open and taking reservations at (212) 823-9500. The menu — steaks and other meats, fish, sauces and sides — seems too mundane for the gilded-leaf canopy and ruby-red boudoir setting.

The "too mundane" comment caught my eye, as Fabricant's weekly "Off the Menu" is usually a "Just the facts, Ma'am" section.

I walked by the other day, and there's a huge gold V on the door. It was between lunch and dinner, so the door was locked, although we peeked through and saw a bit of the "gilded-leaf canopy and ruby-red boudoir setting" that Fabricant referred to.

Edited June 2, 2004 by oakapple (log)

[SobaAddict70]

The shrimp cocktail is closer to a soup, with the warm shellfish and separate bits of tomato arranged in a horseradish-flavored consommé. The restaurant's riff on French onion soup is really more of a chemistry experiment: a bowl of melted Gruyère sits beside a pile of croutons, which are next to a cup of onion and beef broth. The mixing and assembly of all of this is left to the diner.

When a celebrity chef branches out as far as Jean-Georges has, this is where he winds up: on the precipice of parody, confident that an educated public will follow him there.

V Steakhouse (Frank Bruni)

Something tells me that Peter Luger, or even Ruth's Chris aren't going to go out of business anytime soon...

Soba

[docsconz]

Doesn't sound as if this is heading for NYT 4* status. It sounds more like it will be lucky to get 2*. Food deconstruction can be fun, but the result should be that the individual parts should be better than the sum or why do it? That french onion soup deconstruction does not sound as good as the constructed whole. Now, I haven't tried it, but I'm not sure the point of that dish is really gonna be a sharp one. It appears to me that that dish at least is one for effect, simply because he can. Maybe I'm wrong here, but I doubt it.

It is sounding and looking to me more and more that J-G really has jumped the shark.

[phaelon56]

from the linked NYT review

The restaurant's riff on French onion soup is really more of a chemistry experiment: a bowl of melted Gruyère sits beside a pile of croutons, which are next to a cup of onion and beef broth. The mixing and assembly of all of this is left to the diner.

And so it goes with so many of the appetizers and the desserts....

and

Everything about V Steakouse seems to be winking at diners or snickering at itself.

It sounds to me as though V is snickering at the diners and winking at everyone else. [rhetorical] Why am I not surprised that descontructed dishes cost more than ones that someone in a kitchen had to assemble" [/rhetorical].

I already have food at home. Last time I checked it cost less than $9 per bowl for me to create deconstructed onion soup

[Brad Trent]

"...lemon meringue pie, or what might have been a lemon meringue pie had someone in the kitchen put the pieces together..."

BwaaaHaHaHaHa!!! Will somebody please tell just what the Hell is the point? Have we all gotten so bored with just eating GREAT food that we now have to have it broken down into it's base elements in order to get a rise out of us?!! Mark my words, the way this is going, in the next Jean Georges restaurant we'll be paying $150 to get dragged into the kitchen to have the master show us how to cook the food OURSELVES!!!

BeeT's

[Suzanne F]

* * *

[docsconz]

* * *

A guess, opinion or knowledge?

[Suzanne F]

Nothing but a guess. Bruni would get murdered (figuratively) if he gave such an important personage as J-G only 2, but from the way he described the place, he'll never give it four unless a lot changes.

And while I think the "deconstruction" bit is somewhat disingenuous, I like eating that way.

[docsconz]

I have had some good and fun deconstructions, however, these sounded particularly gimmicky

[Pan]

If that's a 3-star review, I'm a monkey's uncle. Bruni indisputably liked some of the food, but the overall impression he leaves us with in this mini-review is not only a bad one, but an overwhelmingly bad image of fakery and even quackery. Look at the end of the article again:

The setting is a big, booming room that looks more Vegas than Manhattan, with its ornate crystal chandeliers, gold leaf and red upholstery. Everything about V Steakouse seems to be winking at diners or snickering at itself.

When a celebrity chef branches out as far as Jean-Georges has, this is where he winds up: on the precipice of parody, confident that an educated public will follow him there.

Don't you get the sense that, with these arch comments, Bruni doesn't think an educated public should follow Vongerichten there? Or am I overinterpreting Bruni's words?

Also, I don't believe Bruni is likely to fear the outcome of giving one of Vongerichten's places 2 stars, and my other thought is whether or when he might revisit Spice Market and what the result may be.

Finally, is a trend emerging from the Megu review and this Diner's Journal to the effect that Bruni doesn't like theatrics he interprets as smoke and mirrors, and prefers a restrained ambiance that doesn't detract from or try to distract the diner from what should be great food?

[sashimi]

I definitely agree with Pan. I felt the review had a decidedly negative tone. I can't see how Bruni could make the comments he did and proceed to present "V" with 3 stars.

My guess is 2 stars.

[docsconz]

So far I like what I see of Bruni. He appears to not be swayed by gimmickry without substance. I agree, based on my interpretation of this review, two stars would be a gift.

[plpcolumbia]

* *

Go Frank, go!

[Suzanne F]

If that's a 3-star review, I'm a monkey's uncle. Bruni indisputably liked some of the food, but the overall impression he leaves us with in this mini-review is not only a bad one, but an overwhelmingly bad image of fakery and even quackery. Look at the end of the article again:

The setting is a big, booming room that looks more Vegas than Manhattan, with its ornate crystal chandeliers, gold leaf and red upholstery. Everything about V Steakouse seems to be winking at diners or snickering at itself.

When a celebrity chef branches out as far as Jean-Georges has, this is where he winds up: on the precipice of parody, confident that an educated public will follow him there.

Don't you get the sense that, with these arch comments, Bruni doesn't think an educated public should follow Vongerichten there? Or am I overinterpreting Bruni's words?

Also, I don't believe Bruni is likely to fear the outcome of giving one of Vongerichten's places 2 stars, and my other thought is whether or when he might revisit Spice Market and what the result may be.

Finally, is a trend emerging from the Megu review and this Diner's Journal to the effect that Bruni doesn't like theatrics he interprets as smoke and mirrors, and prefers a restrained ambiance that doesn't detract from or try to distract the diner from what should be great food?

It's not a review, it's Diner's Journal. He's put the place on notice as to what he thinks is wrong; they can change or not -- it's up to them. Of course, if they know what's good for them and not overcome by hubris, they will.

My interpretation of "educated public" is "people who have heard of J-G." If any restaurateur were to rely on a truly educated public (such as eGulleteers), s/he would go broke pretty fast.

All I'm saying is that people might call for Bruni's head, should he give such a darling of NY dining a less-stellar review. But it's way too soon for a Spice Market re-review. That would be admitting that the vaunted NY Times made a mistake.

And finally, I think you are right about Bruni's preferences in ambience and focus on the food and the total experience. And for that, I too applaud him.

[oakapple]

Bruni would get murdered (figuratively) if he gave such an important personage as J-G only 2.....

These are the ratings JGV's New York properties currently carry:

**** Jean-Georges

*** Jo Jo

*** Spice Market

** Mercer Kitchen

** 66

I couldn't find a star rating for Vong, but the Ruth Reichl quote on the website says it's "not quite up to the standard of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's other restaurants (Jo-Jo and Jean Georges)."

So I wouldn't conclude that the Times considers JGV untouchable. I agree that it's too soon for a second look at Spice Market, but I would look for it in a year or two.

[juuceman]

Mark my words, the way this is going, in the next Jean Georges restaurant we'll be paying $150 to get dragged into the kitchen to have the master show us how to cook the food OURSELVES!!!

i'd pay the $150 to cook with jg..

i stopped by after dinner last week and checked the room out.. based on size alone, i'd say two stars.. it'd be a good way for bruni to start out.. maybe an indication of actually taking the food and decor into account over the stardom of the name outside..

-j

[Suzanne F]

Well, okay then, I take it back (* * *) that is. The rest still stands.

[Pan]

based on size alone, i'd say two stars

Please explain/elaborate.

[Mister_Cutlets]

I reviewed the restaurant friday in Newsday.

http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-fdnotes38...0,6716793.story

here's the text:

V Steakhouse

10 Columbus Circle

Upper West Side

212 823 9500

Jean-Georges Vongerichten might be the most influential chef in the world: he did as much as anyone in the world to pioneer the current wave of global fusion cookery, and he arguably does it as well as it can be done. His brilliant innovations, like the use of herbal and vegetable oils in place of butter and cream, put the final nail in the coffin of traditional French cooking; and his restaurant empire, which spans the world, has made his name one to conjure with from China to Peru.

But can he make a steak?

It’s far from a no-brainer. V Steakhouse, Vongerichten’s latest creation, reflects something of a dilemma for the great chef. Everything about his style is cerebral, refined, austere; while everything about steakhouses is elemental, instinctive, and infantile. The great steak house makes a man feel like an infant, frolicking in a paradise of buttery hash browns and charred beef fat. I took it for granted that Vongerichten would seek to elevate the basic chop-house vocabulary; the only question was whether this Pygmalion treatment would take.

As it happens, it did. There are some tensions left unresolved at the end of the day, and it’s hard for a steakhouse devotee to give up his or her prejudices entirely. But V Steakhouse is a great restaurant, whose food entirely lives up to the illustrious name of its creator. The room itself is gorgeous, with commanding views of Central Park South and exquisitely sculpted art-nouveau trees to canopy the room. And of course the service is faultless, with an army of alert functionaries ready to leap to attention at the slightest glance.

But a steakhouse must be judged on its steak. I ordered the top of the line item on the menu, a $60 wagyu sirloin from Texas’ Yama ranch. Wagyu is the ultra-juicy breed of cattle from which Kobe steak is made; old-timers will recognize it as looking and tasting like American prime beef did twenty or thirty years ago, when red meat was still an absolute value in American culture. Wagyu steak shouldn’t be called Kobe, which is the result of diabolical techniques practiced only in Japan; but it’s profoundly rich, tender, juicy, and bursting with bovine flavor all the same. The only fault I found with it was that it lacked the rugged char imparted by steakhouse broilers; V uses a custom Hearthcraft brick oven, powered by gas and lump charcoal. It did an incredible job on the D’Artagnan veal chop ($38), a delicate, almost immature piece of meat whose outer surface was beautifully crisped and flavored by the oven. But a steak the Yama wagyu requires rougher treatment.

The side dishes and appetizers were one area I thought uneven. None of the various potato dishes, such as the tempura-battered “fripps” ($6) or the potato and truffle croquettes ($6), were better than great hash browns; and the creamed spinach ($6), carefully sauteed leaves served atop an elegant custard, was neither challenging in the way so many of Vongerichten’s side dishes, nor as gratifying as the original. Vongerichten should just let himself go: the braised celery hearts ($6), poached in beef fat and then sprinkled with fried garlic, celery leaves and a little olive oil and soy sauce, is better than any creamed spinach I ever ate.

Desserts followed the same script. The chocolate layer cake ($10) was delicious but uninteresting, and felt a little perfunctory. But the berry soup ($8), a masterpiece, was pure Vongerichten: a bowl of perfect strawberries, pitted cherries, blackberries, and razzberries with a dollop of creme fraiche on top, to which is added, with a servile flourish, a bracing elixir of lemon juice, lemongrass, basil, mint, and a little Tahitian vanilla bean. The taste was strange and striking, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere; it made me remember how great Vongerichten restaurants are in their own celestial sphere. The great man has tried to touch the soil here; but V steakhouse is at its best when unfettered by convention.