Jefferson

[Bond Girl]

After months of convalescing in South of France, Simpson Wong is back and ready to reopen Jefferson. The new menu is gentler, more accessible, with lower price points and in trendy mix and match style. If the test dinner tonight is any indication of the restaurant to come, Jefferson will definitely be a place to visit for finely executed Asian influence fares.

We started off with a simple savory fried squash, and moved into a sweet caramelized scallop with avocado puree and potatoes, and then was refreshed with a lemony salad before digging into a crispy skined salmon in a ginger broth with greens. The duck was absolutely delicious on top of a bed of carrots and beat. Then, we had a brilliant dessert of tapioca pudding with mango and coffee ice cream, followed by a caramelized banana with ovaltine ice cream and popcorn. Consulting chef for Wong's fabulous desserts is none other than Pichet Ong of the Spice Market fame.

Will report back when the place officially opens in September.

[Pan]

Sounds like a place I might enjoy. Where is it?

[Bond Girl]

It's on west 10th street.

[jeffperez62]

South of france??!! I thought Wong was on the disabled list. Oops........wrong Wong!

[Bond Girl]

Despite and experienced crew and weeks of preparation, the opening of Jefferson was not uneventful. Earlier that day, the basement was flooded and the manager was still trying to restock the bar. Nonetheless. the soft re-opening of the Jefferson still packed in a full house. The new menu is more tapas to be shared among friends and less trendy eating. Among the six of us, we ordered a bunch of skewers (calamari, fish balls, duck and mushrooms). some grilled shrimp, grilled squid on corn, the salmon that was in the Times, and the duck. All the dishes was well prepared and tasty. It seemed that Simpson has worked out all the kinks during the week of the test runs. Although I wasn't wild about the Salmon, but that has more to do with my own personal preference of not liking cream sauce more than anything else. Pichet Ong's dreamy desserts finished the meal with a fresh berry and lemon cream trifle, a beautifully rich chocolate cake with cream, a dish of delectable ice creams (vietnamese coffee, balsamic and respberries) and with cookies, an assortment of sorbets and cookies (the coconut sorbets were superb), a panna cotta with grilled pineapple. With food like this, I'd eat here everyday.

[Luckylies]

I've always thought that Jefferson was so very proffesional and glorious. Just too damn expensive. It was not that the quaility of the food was lacking or the service was bad, it never was... it was just impossible to justify that kind of pricing in my mind...anywhere. I'm very happy things have been shaken up a bit and perhaps what was poised to be a major player in my hood, will now have the chance to shine. I wonder if the drink prices will go down too. I could usually only afford one in good conscience.

let's just say I'm very excited for the new Jefferson.

[Bond Girl]

I've always thought that Jefferson was so very proffesional and glorious. Just too damn expensive. It was not that the quaility of the food was lacking or the service was bad, it never was... it was just impossible to justify that kind of pricing in my mind...anywhere. I'm very happy things have been shaken up a bit and perhaps what was poised to be a major player in my hood, will now have the chance to shine. I wonder if the drink prices will go down too. I could usually only afford one in good conscience.

let's just say I'm very excited for the new Jefferson. 

←

I don't think the drink prices have came down but the food prices definitely have. King (who if the chef at Kuma Inn) spend $40 at the bar last night. I'm not sure what he had. But, dinner for 6 people includes a 30% tip was $25 per person.

[smgarsh]

sounds like a nice place.

The menu sounds like its Asian fusion? Is the entire menu "tapas" style?

What is the average cost per dish and how many should you order per person?

thankyou

[Bond Girl]

Jefferson Menu

Jefferson Grill

121 West 10th Street

New York, NY 10011

212-255-3333

Chef Owner Simpson Wong

Preview Menu

September 2005

You are welcome to design your meal according to your appetite- from one to multiple course tastings

All dishes served are appetizer portion size

We encourage Family-style dining  

Skewer Bar

Seafoods         Scents           Price 

Shrimp                 orange       2.50

Salmon               fennel       2.00

Sword fish         lemongrass   2.50

Scallop                 miso             3.00

Squid                   parsley       2.00

Baby octopus   lemon       2.25

Fish balls               basil           1.75

Mackerel               cilantro       1.75

Meats and Poultry              Scents    Price

Beef                                     chlii          2.00

Pork                                     clove       1.75

Duck and scallion                   anise       2.25

Chicken balls                         thyme       2.50

Chicken                               rosemary   1.75

Beef tripe                             kafir lime   1.75

Vegetables             Scents           Price 

Shiitake mushroom     scallion         1.75

Zucchini                     coriander         1.00

Thai eggplant       tumeric       1.25

Okra                         curry         1.25

Asparagus               balsamic           1.50

Snacks

Wasabi smelt fish with crispy lemon peel    5.75

Zucchini blossom with three cheese     6.75

Avocado squash with artichoke heart and banana blossom 6.50

Grilled Fava beans with sea salt      6.00

Crispy shrimp cocktail with pineapple mint salsa   7.00

Seafoods

Calamari a la plancha with corn and lemon verbena  7.50

Black bass and herb spring roll with spiced tomato water           13.95

Too many ingredients stir fried prawns     9.75

Three-minute salmon, sunchoke and Malabar spinach            11.95

Day boat scallops with truffle avocado and potatoes            10.50

Jefferson Grill’s ‘Kung Pow’ scallops and chicken              8.95

Tuna and Y.T. sashimi, shaved celery, black rice crisp, chili lime vinaigrette       10.50

Cardamom and pistachio nut crusted cod with tamarind-stewed snake beans        12.95

Meats and poultry

Quail with Jersey peaches and thyme, grilled romaine heart    8.95

Cornish hen au jus, celeriac root puree and braised leek 10.50

Duck leg confit with candy beet and turnip, sansho peppercorn glaze  11.95

Grilled baby short rib Korean style, yogurt cucumber ribbons  9.75

Vegetables

Eggplant ‘sandwich’ with feta cheese, roasted pepper and rocket  8.25

Sawtooth herb coulis

Roasted heirloom cherry tomatoes with cranberry and soy beans  9.50

Wax bean and red onion in dill and walnut sauce   7.50

Mushroom! Mushroom! Mushroom!     tbd

(Daily preparation)

Between the six of us we had 6 different entrees and may be 12 skewers. I ordered one of each desserts on the menu so there were 6 desserts and everyone was very very stuffed after that.

[smgarsh]

wow. Thank you very much bond girl

Jefferson Menu

[Bond Girl]

Here's the qualifier, Simpson comped a two of our entrees and all our desserts, so if you want to get a real sense of the prices, check out the menu.

[FatTony]

Sorry if this is old news but according to the Times, Simpson was convalescing in the south of France after a heart attack brought on by the stresses of running Jefferson and the '40 teaspoons of butter' he was ingesting each (day? week?) in the course of tasting his dishes. (Is this normal?)

Anyway, as a long time fan of Jefferson I wish him all the best with Jefferson Grill and look forward to checking out the new menu.