Picholine

[southern girl]

Admin: Reports and general discussion of Picholine from 2004 on may be found: here)

For my final dinner in the City I headed for another favorite stop...Picholine.

I began the eveing with a gift of Picholine Bellini from the house. A very nice touch.

On to bigger and better things...wine and dinner. Speaking of big...I enjoyed a 1999 Batard Montrachet from Jean Noel Gagnard. This is wine that was big enough to stand up to the full flavors of the accompanying tasting menu that I chose. It is a wine I will buy to put away in my cellar. It is very well structured with minerally notes but also some rather forward fruit. I am guessing it will age beautifully (just a guess though )

The amuse consisted of Risotto wrapped in a grape leaf sauced with a rather strong vinaigrette and covered by a large slice of summer truffle; Dover sole encasing chopped lobster with vegetables and a lobster roll.

The tasting menu began with Potato Foam with gaufrettes and Osetra caviar (thanks to the dreaded caviar allergy , my waiter offered to make a substitution from thr a la carte menu). We compromised, I tried the potato foam...a broth based vichyssoise covering salmon roe served in a martini glass with the guafrette as garnish. I can see how this would be a lovely dish with the osetra...the salmon roe imparted an orange color to the foam...and didn't have enough salinity...but, it was nice of the kitchen to experiment.

At this point I supplemented the tasting menu with the Sea Urchin Panna Cotta with ocean Gelee...one of my favorite dishes. The panna cotta is delicate with the sweet flavor of uni and is surrounded by the gelee which as a wonderful sea brinyness (sp?) to it. A lovely combination.

The next course was the foie gras of the day. A large slice of foie cooked crispy on the outside with a dash of sea salt and molten on the inside, served over a roasted peach. The combination of the tart sweetness of the peach versus the rich foie was simple but elegant. There was a dash of vanilla which I found to be an unnecessary addition, but, it didn't harm the dish...I could have just done without it.

Next came Grilled Line -Caught Pompano over green tomato chutney and Romesco Emulsion. An odd dish...after living in FL for many years, I have a hard time seeing pompano with grill marks. It is such a delicate fish. This was a thin filet partially overcooked on the thin end. Placed over the chutney which had a strong vinegar flavor to it. For me, this dish just didn't work. I think perhaps in the entree portion offered on the a la carte menu it would fare better...since I am sure the fish would have been thicker and had a better chance of survival against the grill.

Licorice-Lacquered squab with foie gras, glazed turnips and spiced rhubarb marmalade followed next. Although the squab was juicy and a perfect med. rare it had deep grill marks in its skin...I gues I just have a thing about grill marks...I find them offputting. The spiced rhubarb marmalade was a wonderful accompaniment. Just piquant enough to cut the fat in the foie and the squab. Vegetables were perfectly cooked. Again a dash of vanilla in the jus I could have done without, but, overall a lovely dish.

Now, my favorite thing at Picholine...the cheese ! I always just turn Max or Theresa loose here. As usual Max made some lovely choices. He aslo mentioned he was off to D.C. to do a cheese judging...can you imagine tasting some 300+ cheeses ?!? Anyway, here are the cheeses he selected Perail, Taleggio, Serra, Innerschweizer Schafchas, Val Bagner, English Cheddar, and Peral (yes, different from Perail). Served with the toasted breads which I ignore, and quince jelly, pressed plum, pressed figs and dates all of which I do enjoy with the cheeses. Max also chose a lovely sherry as an accompaniment, Pedro Domecq "La Sibarita" Palo Cortado.

Dessert was the Milk Chocolate-espresso Gateau with Mocha Granite and espresso foam. Very nice soft chocolate timbale shaped cake especially tasty when swept through the espresso foam!

A selection of chocolates presented in a picture frame served over chocolate bark. Minature Lemon Bars and Madelienes which were yummy...other assorted cookies and candies which I didn't try.

Another great meal with outstanding service and everyone checking to make sure I was not wanting for anything.

[Damian]

Thanks for another outstanding write-up Southern-G. It's been great reading about your NYC food odyssey.

[Fat Guy]

Indeed, thank you.

Do you have any words for those who think the cheese course at Picholine is overrated?

[Robert Nesta Marley]

where are you going, southern girl?

(uh, the south, maybe?...)

[southern girl]

FG, I suppose some people might dislike the discourse that comes with the cheese...personally I like to learn! I do not see how they can find fault with the product...the cheeses are served at perfect ripeness and the selectio is large and varied. Maybe I'm prejudiced since I have always been treated so well there....naaahhh

Nesita, I guess since Las Vegas (home) is in Southern Nevada you could say I am going South...(some would say I have already gone south )...then back on the golf tour...Flint, MI; Chaska, MN; Seattle; and Vancouver between now and the 1st of Sept. I am looking forward to trying FG and Cabrales suggestions for Vancouver and some of the ones the NW board posted for Seattle!

By the way FG...what happened to the rest of those suggestions

[southern girl]

In need of a cheese fix...and an early meal so I could catch the Alabama-LSU football game on tv...I secured a 6pm reservation. I tend to either eat late here or on Sundays to avoid the pre-show crush. The restaurant gets very busy with people in a rush to make their shows. Some of them seem to inhale thier food and be way to stressed to enjoy what they consume. I had three hours before kickoff...and used most of that time.

I was treated to the house cocktail...a glass of Champagne with pomegranete juice and a garnish of seeds and a lemon peel. Very refreshing. The amuse consisted of a spoon of Hamachi Tartare, a spoon of diced lobster with a hint of citrus oil and a lovely goat cheese panna cotta. For my dining adventure I chose the tasting menu royal. I was in the humor for a good bottle of red...but the menu called for white...I was not thrilled by the selection of white half bottles. The sommelier offered to open something he thought I would enjoy....a Corton Charlemagne, Rapet, 1997...and pour it by the glass. Lovley selection. The first course is one of my favorite at Picholine...Sea Urchin Panna Cotta with Chilled Ocean Consomme and Osetra Caviar (no caviar...allergic). The sea urchin panna cotta was smooth a deeply flavored. Unfortunately, the geleed consomme did not have usual briny strength I enjoy.

Second Course: Duck and Wild Mushroom Croustillant with White Alba Truffles...

a puff pastry package stuffed with duck confit and wild mushrooms, served over a mushroom cream sauce and topped with truffles shaved tableside...copious amounts of truffle ! I chose to ignore the pastry...rmove the confit mushroom mixture and enjoy it with small amounts of the sauce and every shaving of truffle...excellent dish...I enjoyed a taste of the red wine I had chosen, Musigny, Jacques Frederic Mugnier, 1997.

Third Course: Warm Maine Lobster, Carmelized Endive and Vanilla-Brown Butter Vinaigrette- Perfectly cooked lobster with only a hint of vanilla flavor (thankfully)...nicely carmelized endive.

A Surprise from the Kitchen: French Sardines "En Colere", Fingerling Potaoes and Olive Vinaigrette-Remembering my love for sardines, my captain snuck in this course...the sardine is served on its belly which is stuffed with bread crumbs flavored with carrot, onion and parsley then it is basically wrapped around and its tail stuck through its mouth...What can I say...I love sardines and the olive vinaigrette provided a nice foil for the stuffing.

Fourth Course: Poached Day Boat Halibut, Bibb Lettuce and Pistachio-Foie Gras Vinaigrette- The halibut, a nicely sized piece, was unfortunately a bit overcooked. I liked the diced foie gras with pistachio that topped the fish though. Interesting combination.

Roasted Loin of Millbrook Venison, Chestnut Spaetzle, Cabbage Confit and huckleberry Sauce- Three medium sized rare medallions...loved the chestnut spaetzle.

Cheese Course: Valencay (semisoft goat); Epoisses (cows milk...wonderful runny); Spenwood (sheep milk) firm; Innerscheweizer Schafchas (sheep milk, soft); Cheddar (cow milk from Somerset, Eng. hard) and Harbourne Blue (goat milk blue, semisoft)

Enjoyed withGewurtztraminer Altenbourg "Cuvee Laurence" Weinbach, 2000.

I ran out of time for dessert ...so my captain decided I had to have a few cookies and chocolates to enjoy while I watched the game ...overall another very good meal with stellar service.

[Beachfan]

Yumm!!

They are a nice spot to get one's truffle jones attended to, aren't they?

[Wilfrid]

I haven't been back to Picholine in a while. I'll put it back on my list - thanks.

[Wilfrid]

An unplanned walk-in for late dinner at Picholine after "Dinner at Eight" at the Lincoln Center (pretty good; the sets are spectacular and Byron Jennings makes a great suicidal alcoholic).

Anyway: the sea urchin panna cotta was creamy but too mild in flavor; I really like sea urchin and expected to taste it more.

Scottish red-legged partidge: the breasts and legs only, although I did get a finger bowl so they might as well have served the carcass too. Good meat, but a little underseasoned.

Big surprise: only two - predictable - American cheeses on the trolley. Was a time Max McMalman could put together a complete tasting of American cheeses. Max wasn't serving. Soft, smelly Pave d'Auge from Normandy was the highlight of the plate.

For once I got my moneysworth with a fairly young Burgundy. A 1998 Corton Close du Roi - completely open, soft and delicious. I thought the list of digestifs was a bit dull, but enjoyed a grappa liqueur.

Still planning to go back for a more leisurely meal. The front room remains quite lovely. Front line service was fine, but if the busboys want to moan about post-theater diners I wish they'd do it out of earshot.

[La Niña]

Don't you find the tables too close together?

[Wilfrid]

I didn't notice that. It was pretty empty by the time I got there.