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Jean Georges and Nougatine 2005 - 2008


mukki

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I'm going for lunch on Monday after coming out to NY to run the marathon on Sunday. Is there a dress code of any sort? Would rather avoid bringing clothes I don't need...

I would not advise showing up in your running shorts and tank top after you've just run a marathon. :laugh:
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QUOTE(Andy Fenn @ Nov 2 2006, 07:26 AM)

I'm going for lunch on Monday after coming out to NY to run the marathon on Sunday. Is there a dress code of any sort? Would rather avoid bringing clothes I don't need...

We will also be there Monday for lunch (my brother in law is running...) and the lady on the phone said:

business casual

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I would say upper end of business casual, even at lunch.  I personally would feel uncomfortable without some kind of jacket, but that's just me.

but you likely wouldn't be the only one without a jacket, which is probably the important part.

"business casual" is pretty well defined as it relates to jackets. as in, don't worry about a jacket. from the staff's perspective, no one would like twice if you didn't wear a jacket.

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I would say upper end of business casual, even at lunch.  I personally would feel uncomfortable without some kind of jacket, but that's just me.

but you likely wouldn't be the only one without a jacket, which is probably the important part.

"business casual" is pretty well defined as it relates to jackets. as in, don't worry about a jacket. from the staff's perspective, no one would like twice if you didn't wear a jacket.

There were a few people definitely trying to stretch the "business casual" past its limit last time I was there. Jeans. :wacko:

So yeah, you would by no means be the only one without a jacket, but I've gotta agree with BryanZ on this one -- anything less feels a bit weird to me.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am having dinner at the Nougatine room pre opera on December 13. This will be my third time at Jean George, but first time in 2 years. I am really excited about dining there again, thanks to the positive reviews.

Barnstormer BBQ

Rt. 9W

Fort Montgomery NY

845 446 0912

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  • 3 weeks later...

Another great lunch at JG today.

The place was really bumping, certainly the most crowded I've seen it. On one hand, the restaurant seemed more alive and festive than any other time I've been before. On the other, it lost some of its airy elegance. Not a complaint, just reflection on this season in the city.

The staff was really great about seeing to our time constraints. We had a 1:30 reso and needed to get out by 3. We were able to get three savory courses and dessert plus petits fours with a bit of time to spare. They brought out the food efficiently and I praise them for that. Service was still quite polished, though, again, not as refined as its competitors.

We had (from memory):

Amuse of hamachi sashimi, cured ginger, chive; parmesan panna cotta, roasted beet, arugula puree; ravioli with black truffle apple??? (not quite sure on this last one)

Santa Barbara sea urchin, black bread, butter, jalapeno, yuzu - I added a bit of Manni Per Mi olive oil because I thought it rounded out the citrusy and spicy notes of the dish. A great dish with a noteworthy balance of strong flavors. The spice of the jalapeno was quintessentially JG. I thought the portion was a bit small, but mainly because I'm an uni whore.

Scallops, caper-raisin emulsion blah blah blah - A classic and what I riff off of when I do scallop dishes

Bruleed foie gras, dried cherries, pistaschios, wine gelee - Another classic, this time with cherries and pistaschios. The more I have this dish, the more I realize that great foie dishes are made not necessarily by the quality of the foie itself but by the chef's control of the bitter and acidic accompaniments.

Poached and grilled escolar, lemon spaetzle, crispy trumpet mushrooms, shallot vinaigrette - Very tasty, nice acidic fish dish with enough creaminess from the spaetzle and earthiness from the mushrooms to give it balance.

Venison, chili broccoli rabe, quince puree??, Cabrales foam- This dish looked like something I would serve. It was probably tastier, though. Venison seemed a bit tough to cut at first but was very tender in the mouth. I would've liked more spice in the broccoli rabe but it did add a nice fresh, green note to the plate.

Late Harvest dessert - I was less taken by this dessert than Ling on her recent NYC trip report. I thought it was good, but I actually liked the apple side of things more. The beet/chocolate side was an interesting (in both the good and strange senses of the word) combination that I liked but didn't love. Think sweet/bitter chocolate minerally/sweet beets.

Ling also commented on the quality of chocolates at JG vs. Gordon Ramsay. While I do appreciate the thinner coating of chocolate at JG, those at GR look more professional. The fillings in the latter were also more pronounced to my palate.

Great meal, great restaurant, never ever disappoints.

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Late Harvest dessert - I was less taken by this dessert than Ling on her recent NYC trip report. 

Well, it was good, but I didn't love it. I much preferred my desserts at Gordon Ramsey, but the citrus shooter that came with the Citrus dessert at JG was great. :smile: Still, of the 3 meals in NY where I had dessert (GR, JG and Bouley), I liked the desserts at JG the least.

Ling also commented on the quality of chocolates at JG vs. Gordon Ramsay.  While I do appreciate the thinner coating of chocolate at JG, those at GR look more professional. 

Do you mean you like the look of the molded chocolates (like at GR?) I don't think I got any molded chocolates at JG.

The fillings at Jean Georges were more balanced and tasted fresher to me.

Edited by Ling (log)
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  • 3 weeks later...

so, how tough is it to nab a reservation at Jean Georges for dinner (the main, formal dining room. not Nougatine). A friend of mine that lives in New York has been dying to go and we've been talking about it for a while. But the "catch" is that I live in Dallas and would have to travel for this. Obviously, for me, a weekend meal would probbly be the easiest from a travel perspective, (miminal, if any, time off from work) but I imgine a Friday or Saturday night reso may be difficult to come by. Also, they indicate they take reservations only one month in advance, making it a little bit harder to plan out very far in advance.

any thoughts? Tips?

Jeff Meeker, aka "jsmeeker"

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A couple weeks in advance you'll be fine. There are really only two difficult tables to book in NYC, Per Se and Babbo (I'm not sure about Atelier and Ramsay now). Other than that, with a couple week's at most notice you'll be fine.

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A couple weeks in advance you'll be fine.  There are really only two difficult tables to book in NYC, Per Se and Babbo (I'm not sure about Atelier and Ramsay now).  Other than that, with a couple week's at most notice you'll be fine.

awesome. Good to know.

Jeff Meeker, aka "jsmeeker"

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I was back at JG for lunch on Tuesday with my mother and sister. It was their Christmas present from me. I'm very giving, I know.

Anyway, things were nice as always. Although I preferred the hamachi in the previous amuse to the cured salmon in this one, a poblano foam draped over a slice of pinapple was totally delicious and unexpected. I had the foie, as always. Also got the scallops, snapper crusted in nuts with sweet and sour mushroom broth, and the turbot with chateau chalon sauce as first courses among us. I just wrote about the scallops and foie. Well actually I didn't write much, but not a lot changed in 13 or so days since my last visit.

I had never had the snapper before, and I think this was the first time I'd had the turbot. Anyway, both dishes were excellent. JG is a sauce man and here it showed. The turbot was actually surprisingly firm but that chateau chalon sauce is totally insane. Does anyone know how to make it? I looked online to little success.

It was the sauce, too, that made the snapper, not the crust. Although it added a bit of texture and complexity to the dish, it was the broth that again made the dish excellent. Heirloom tomatoes added further bursts of acidity.

I highly recommend those dishes, probably more so than the escolar that I had on my last visit.

The mains were actually a little bit disappointing, especially in comparison to the first courses. We had the grilled sweetbreads, lobster, and signature quail dish. The sweetbreads were fine, but not great. I would've like them crispier and less pasty. The lemon "puree" they were served with was very, very interesting. It would've been at home on a wd~50 menu to be sure. The lobster I had sampled on a visit a while ago was worth the $5 supplement to be sure, but this lobster dish was merely good. The quality of the lobster wasn't all that great, but it did have a very nicely spiced, apple-y sauce that I really enjoyed. My mother, however, didn't really appreciate the sauce, as she thought it overpowered the lobster. I'm pretty sure the quail has been on the menu since forever and it's still a good dish, but I actually prefer quail in simpler presentations. In this dish and in the lobster dish, the spices tended to overwhelm rather than complement the star of the dish. If I have one technical criticism of JG's cooking, it is this.

Regardless, another enjoyable meal that helped me on my way to financial ruin. Lunch for one may be cheap, but for three, with drinks, it is not.

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What is the attire for lunch at JG? Slacks required? Can you get away with a nice pair of jeans provided the rest of the outfit is smart?

"A man's got to believe in something...I believe I'll have another drink." -W.C. Fields

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What is the attire for lunch at JG?  Slacks required?  Can you get away with a nice pair of jeans provided the rest of the outfit is smart?

You can. I would suggest a sports jacket though. A tie is not necessary. You will be more comfortable with a "smart" outfit.

John Sconzo, M.D. aka "docsconz"

"Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster."

- Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

Docsconz - Musings on Food and Life

Slow Food Saratoga Region - Co-Founder

Twitter - @docsconz

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I would hope they are frowned upon. I enjoy wearing jeans as much as the next person, however I think that there are some restaurants of which Jean Georges is one where the setting, the staff and the cuisine calls for more respectful attire. Just my thoughts.

Porkpa

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I would hope they are frowned upon. I enjoy wearing jeans as much as the next person, however I think that there are some restaurants of which Jean Georges is one where the setting, the staff and the cuisine calls for more respectful attire. Just my thoughts.

Porkpa

I do not disagree with you, however, "nice" jeans are indeed permissable there.

John Sconzo, M.D. aka "docsconz"

"Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster."

- Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

Docsconz - Musings on Food and Life

Slow Food Saratoga Region - Co-Founder

Twitter - @docsconz

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Thank you both for the info, I wasn't trying to "get away" with anything just wondering since i didn't know. This is what I expected.

"A man's got to believe in something...I believe I'll have another drink." -W.C. Fields

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My wife and I will be going to JG for dinner 2 Saturdays from now - first time there.  Any tips on getting the best experience possible?  Any must-orders, stay-away-froms, best tables, etc?

My two cents. Others may disagree:

Must-orders: definitely the foie gras brulee if going a la carte; or scallops with caper-raisin emulsion, egg caviar, turbot, molten chocolate, etc....the JG classic tasting menu since it's your first visit.

Stay-away-from: Venison with cabrales foam and broccoli rabe, black bass crusted with nuts and seeds in a sweet & sour jus (I know other eG'ers have enjoyed this dish, but it just didn't do much for me)

Just go with your gut. The menu is not a minefield by any means. Very, very solid restaurant. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful meal regardless of what you order.

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