My next target for Restaurant Week was Hakkasan, a modern Chinese restaurant that originated in London in 2001 and opened its doors in Hell's Kitchen in April 2012 and earned a Michelin star. I was thinking that the $38 deal for dinner was a good way to try out that place as, the lack of prices on the menu often indicates a pricey meal...
I always wanted to go to The Russian Tea Room, but I admit that I heard so many things about it: food not good and overpriced, and poor service, that it was on the bottom of my list. But then, Summer Restaurant Week happened: it is a great way to try pricey restaurants at a discount (three course meal for $25 for lunch and $38 for dinner), as long as the restaurant embraces the event's purposes and does not cheap out on quality or service.
So I went to The Russian Tea Room for lunch after booking a table on Opentable. I mention it because I looked at the description of the restaurant and it said that the dress code was business casual meaning long sleeve shirts, no t-shirt or shorts. Well I guess that they are more relaxed for lunch, Midtown being full of tourists, because I saw many people wearing these supposedly not recommended outfits.
The decor of this place, created in 1927 by former Russian Imperial Ballet members is incredible, a bit over the top, as if we were transported to the 1900s. There is of course the bright red banquettes that seem to be made of plastic (it is not), the chandeliers, and the multiple paintings on the walls (not sure if there is any space left to hang another thing!).
The first experience on how pricey the place is is the cork fee: one of my friends brought a bottle of champagne from France for a celebration. Apparently, the cork fee was $55! We surely declined.
So, as we were making up our mind as far as the menu goes, they brought us some bread and butter. I admit that I thought that the bread was not that fresh at that point...
Then, I chose an appetizer: goat cheese and mushroom blinchik that is a crêpe filled with goat cheese, wild mushrooms, melted onions, served with a sauce made with lingonberries.
When the dish came, I thought that it was a small portion. Fortunately, it was delicious, goat cheese and melted onions pairing very well together, the later having a nice sweetness. And if you love mushrooms, you will not be disappointed either as they definitely stood out. The crêpe itself was perfect: very thin and well cooked, it was nicely soft. I just wished there was more of it.
For the entrée, I got the chicken à la Czar that is sautéed chicken breast with roasted red peppers and mushrooms in a light cream sauce.
Interestingly, they were not at all consistent with the serving: I got two mushrooms, while one of my friends got plenty.
And in fact I picked that dish for the mushrooms! Fortunately, the chicken was well cooked and moist, perfect when dipped with the cream sauce that was, as advertised, light.
For dessert, I chose the chocolate pyramid, made with bittersweet chocolate mousse and with a raspberry filling:
That was a delicious dessert: light, not too sweet and very chocolate-y. I surely recommend it. I ate it with an espresso that was quite pricey ($8).
Although it was a bit inconsistent, I liked my lunch at The Russian Tea Room: for $25 we got a good deal and had a decent meal. I should mention the service that was quite good. Would I go back outside of Restaurant Week: probably.
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
We dreamt about going to Per Se for a while and decided, for our wedding anniversary, to go there instead of traveling. It was worth it. Acclaimed Chef Thomas Keller and his crew, led by Chef de Cuisine Eli Kaimeh are like magicians. They not only make disappear your appetite and a large sum of money from your bank account, they also erase any memory or reference to any good meal you had before going to Per Se. Yes, after dining at Per Se, any good restaurant will be like going to MacDonald's after tasting the burger at Minetta Tavern. This team shows so much technique and artistry that we were blown away.
Before I talk about the food, let me tell you a bit about this restaurant. Located on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center, the American Chef Thomas Keller opened Per Se in 2004. It soon received the accolades of critics and easily gained three Michelin stars, reaching the top of the New York dining scene and being constantly mentioned in best restaurants ranking, including world best.
Arriving at the restaurant, my heart was beating faster from the excitement to finally go there. We sat few minutes in their anti chamber of heaven, looking at the blue doors that are a reference to Thomas Keller's flagship The French Laundry in California (the dining room has 62 seats like The French Laundry - another reference?).
Then, it was time to start this culinary adventure. We were warmly welcomed by the staff and got seated at a table overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park, the latter reminding me that I would probably need the gym later on...
To make sure everything was at its place, they brought Jodi a little stool for her bag...
I started by ordering a glass of wine picked from their impressive list displayed on an IPad.
I went for a glass of Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py, 2012:
We made our choice from the menu. Per Se proposes two prix fixe for $310 service included: the vegetarian menu (Jodi's pick) and the Chef's Tasting, each of them having 9 courses. For each course, you have two choices, some of them including an up charge, as prepared with luxurious items such as foie gras, caviar or truffles. Know that the menu will change on a daily basis, although some of the dishes, search as the first course I got seems to be a recurring choice.
So, let's see what we got!
Amuse-Bouche:
For Jodi, it was a cone with Belgian endives, grapefruit and cream cheese:
For me, a cone with marinated salmon and cream cheese:
Cheese gougères (choux pastry mixed with cheese):
I love when they bring amuse, because not only it opens your appetite, but it also contributes to the excitement of the whole experience.
First Course:
For Jodi - Meyer lemon-lime sorbet, served with Rocky sweet melon, Hass avocado puree, Yarrow blossoms and finger limes:
For me -
Oysters and Pearls
Sabayon of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and white sturgeon caviar. This dish is very often served on the menu apparently and, after the first bite, I understood why: what is surprising about it is how well these ingredients worked together, texture wise, flavor wise and temperature wise. The sabayon was hot while the caviar and oysters were not; it was sweet, while the caviar was slightly salty. I really loved that dish that was like bringing the appetizer and dessert together.
Second course
For Jodi - turnip "Bavarois":
Composed of Stonington nori, compressed nectarine, Persian cucumber and charred hearts of romaine lettuce.
For me - Hudson Valley Moulard duck foie gras:
At that point, I had a choice between a salad of marinated tomatoes or a foie gras for $40 supplement. I did not think twice and went for the latter. It was served with a confit de canard sauce, oat Streusel, stewed blueberries, fennel bulb, amaranth and black winter truffle, as well as the most delicious brioche ever, drizzled with coarse salt:
Funny enough, I was half way through the brioche when they removed it from the table, causing my heart to drop, but it was to replace it with another one. Well, they could have left both on the table: they would not have made it that long there...
There was also some salt for the foie gras brought to the table, coming from different countries such as a sel de Guérande from France or the black salt from Hawaii.
I did not use the salt as I thought the dish did not need any and was perfect as is. The only regret is that, although it had the visual of truffle, it did not have the aroma.
At the same time they brought us the second course, they brought some butter and bread. The first butter was a honey butter, shaped like a beehive:
The second one was from a farm in Vermont where they have only ten cows:
It came with a small bread:
But then, before the third course arrived, they came with a beautiful bread basket:
Jodi chose the pretzel bread:
While I chose the mini-baguette:
All these bread were deliciously fresh and crunchy when expected.
Third course
Jodi - Griddled corn cake:
Served with Brentwood corn relish, pole beans, tomatoes, quail eggs, mâche (green salad) and black winter truffle.
For me - Crispy skin Mediterranean lubina:
Served with Rick Bishop's snow peas, green market radishes and horseradish crème fraîche. Lubina is in fact sea bass; that was definitely the star of the dish: it was perfectly cooked and that crispy skin was succulent. I also appreciated the fact that the crème fraîche was not overpowered by the horseradish.
Fourth course
Jodi - English pea "flan"
It was served with morel mushrooms, asparagus, heirloom carrots and garlic scapes.
For me - Butter poached Nova Scotia Lobster:
The dish was composed of the lobster, greek bottarga (salted, cured fish roe called
poutargue
in French), avocado squash, cranberry beans, stonecrop and garbanzo beans vinaigrette. Just the presentation was amazing, from the plating to the popping colors. But the best was of course the flavors that were like a concert in my mouth, the bottarga adding a subtle bitterness and the avocado some richness to a perfectly cooked lobster.
Fifth course
This was a long awaited course: the truffle course. For Jodi, it was a pasta course and she had the choice between basil agnolotti and the gnocchi with truffles. For me, it was either the fricassee of Salmon Creek Farms' pork belly or the tagliatelle with truffles. Each truffle dishes required a supplement of $125. I admit that we hesitated a bit and then went for it, thinking that we would probably regret not having them and, as it was a special occasion...
The black winter truffles, that are from Australia, came in a box. When they opened the lid, our noses got invaded that this fantastic smell so characteristic of these ugly fungus. They shaved them generously on our plates, making us wonder how they know when there have to stop.
So, the dishes were:
For Jodi - russet potatoes gnocchi with parmigiano reggiano (parmesan) and black winter truffles (of course):
For me - hand cut tagliatelle with parmigiano reggiano (parmesan) and black winter truffles (of course):
Do not think that we left the shavings that were on the side of the dishes: for that price, we surely ate them!
It was delicious: not only because of the truffles with their pungent aroma and wonderful taste, but also because the creamy cheese sauce and the pasta were scrumptious. We definitely did not regret the extra cost.
Sixth course
For Jodi - Croustillant de pommes de terre:
It was served with ruby beets, French leeks, Spring onions, mustard cress and "bordelaise".
For me - Marcho Farms' "selle de veau" (veal loin):
It was composed of Oregon morel mushrooms, good nugget potatoes, Tokyo turnips and brown butter jus. The veal loin was just ok for me, as I did to really like the texture, but, with all the components of the plate, it made it successful, especially the morel mushrooms and the brown butter jus.
Seventh course - cheese course
For Jodi, Moses sleeper cheese from Vermont (it is close to a French brie), with walnut "melba", heirloom cauliflower, stonecrop and Royal Blenheim apricot compote.
For me, Consider Bardwell Farm's "pawlet", with Hadley Orchards' Medjool dates, Jingle bell peppers, glazed broccoli, petite parsley and "Romesco":
It came with a tiny garlic ciabatta bread:
I did not know what pawlet was, but I really liked this soft and buttery cheese from Vermont.
Eight Course - Assortment of desserts
That is when the madness started: desserts were coming one after the other, each one more exquisite than the other.
First, Jodi got a Victoria sponge cake with blackberry jam, vanilla and white chocolate buttercream and green market berries.
For me, a strawberry soda, lemon verbena pastry cream, champagne granité and French meringue:
Then, Jodi got the fig ice cream with a rose geranium gelée:
And I got a toasted almond ice cream with a garniture from Montélimar, a city in France known for its nougat.
For our anniversary, they brought us a dessert made of white and dark chocolate mousse inside:
And when we thought we were done, they brought us some more. For Jodi, a dessert called "Loma Sotavento", made with salted caramel, peanut "Nutella" and red verjus jelly.
For me, a chocolate mint made with a Valrhona chocolate ganache and with an "After Eight" and mint tea purée.
And when we thought we were done, they brought us some more (I think I already said that...)! First were chocolates:
They came with this big box full of different chocolates, the top row being dark chocolate, the middle row white and the bottom row milk chocolate.
I picked:
- on the left, an olive oil and rosemary white chocolate where these two surprising ingredients burst into my mouth delightfully.
- on the bottom right, a vanilla bourbon milk chocolate.
- on the top right, a Mats brothers Madagascar dark chocolate.
Few minutes later, came a semifredo cappuccino and donuts, a dessert from The French Laundry:
And what I would call a magic box:
It opened, revealing some more sweets!
In the bottom were chocolate truffles:
In the middle, macarons:
On top, some nougats and caramels:
And then for home, some shortbread cookies with chocolate in the middle.
It was as if the dinner was ending with fireworks. We left full, not only in our bellies, but full of memories: we will remember that dinner for sure. Everything was on point and the food was spectacular, not only taste wise, but also the way it was presented, each plate used to serve the dish looking as if it was custom made.
This is definitely a restaurant I recommend for a special occasion if the price is not an issue. Chapeau Per Se!
Enjoy (I surely did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Before stating that you definitely do not like fish, go to Le Bernardin, the three Michelin starred restaurant of Chef Eric Ripert and Maguy Coze, located in Midtown Manhattan. This place, opened in 1986 is the pinnacle of seafood in America and kept a solid reputation all these years. There is no doubt Chef Ripert is talented, crafting an elegant and tasteful menu that even the most skeptical will rave about, but, behind the scenes is one man, an incredible fish butcher by the name of Justo Thomas, who takes care of more than 1,000 pounds of fish per day, requiring three people to replace him when he is on vacation! Thanks to his craftsmanship, you will not find one bone or fish part that you cannot eat, filleting fishes to perfection and ensuring you have the best quality on your plate, making the whole experience there unforgettable (I just drooled by the way just thinking about it).
We went there for our wedding anniversary, for a first celebration (yes, we had two!). I do not really remember the decor, three years ago, when we went for dinner, right before their renovations, adding a lounge to the restaurant, where I believe you can just walk in and have a more casual experience than in the dining room (Gentlemen, jacket is required). The decor is classy, modern and warm, with a beautiful painting in the back from Brooklyn artist Ran Ortner representing the sea, dominating the entire dining room.
As we were still deciding what to pick from the menu, they brought us an amuse bouche.
It was composed of:
Goat cheese and beet in phyllo:
Oyster from Washington State with sea beans:
Carrot and ginger soup with a tuile:
That was a great way to start, my preference going to the soup because I thought that it had complex flavors. Even Jodi, who does not like carrot loved it.
Then, they brought us some bread and butter.
There was a large choice of bread for sure.
Jodi picked the pretzel bread
And me, the sundried tomatoe and fennel (pretty good).
We opted for the prix fixe dinner, the tasting menu looking good, but having plenty of dishes that Jodi would not like. For $135, you get three dishes and a dessert. Pricey, but totally worth it.
The first dishes were in the section
Almost raw
. For Jodi, it was the striped bass:
It was a wild striped bass tartare, Jicama salad with a champagne-mango emulsion. For most of the dishes, the sauce or emulsion was put at the end, poured slowly by the wait staff, like a ceremonial gesture.
It was served with some toasted sourdough bread.
I got the yellowfin tuna that was layered over foie gras and toasted baguette, with chives and extra virgin olive oil on top:
This was a nice take on surf and turf, and it worked! Similar to a carpaccio, I loved the combination of fish / foie gras, with the added crispiness from the baguette.
The second dishes were from the section
Barely touched
. For Jodi, it was the white tuna or escolar poached in olive oil and served with niçoise olives, grilled maitake mushrooms and a citron (lemon) vinaigrette.
For me, the king fish and caviar:
It was served with brioche bread.
Similar to Jodi's first dish, the light marinière broth was added at the table.
Et voila!
This was a fantastic dish: the king fish was sliced like a sashimi and not at all overpowered by either the broth or the caviar that gave a very slight saltiness to the dish.
Then was the last dish, from the section
lightly cooked
. Jodi ordered the crispy black bass, served with wood ears mushrooms and water chestnuts, and bathed in a black truffle hot and sour pot au feu:
She was a bit disappointed, especially after she tasted my dish...I tried it and liked it, the fish skin being deliciously crispy and the fish being perfectly cooked, but I have to agree with her that we could barely taste the truffle.
So, on my side, my last dish was spectacular! It was a surf and turf made of white tuna (escolar) and kobe beef.
There were three elements to the dish:
The escolar with its soy-lemon emulsion:
The kimchi and Asian pear:
The kobe beef:
That was the best dish of the evening and, considering what we had so far, it is a pretty big statement! The escolar was so good, with its nice grilled taste, it was literally melting in my mouth. So was the beef that was tender and juicy (I drooled again!).
Last was dessert. Jodi ordered the S'mores (smoked Madagascan chocolate crémeux, Graham cracker sablé, Tahitian vanilla ice cream) that she inhaled:
And I ordered the banana, a dessert composed of a roasted banana mousse cake and ice cream, Piedmont hazelnuts:
I loved it: it was quite light and delicate, not too sweet, perfect if you love banana!
But it was not the end. They brought us a small plate with, from left to right, a cherry chocolate (that had peanut in it), a salted caramel (my favorite), a peach pate de fruit and black currant financier:
I should of course mention the wine. I went for a glass of Meursault "Les grands charrons", a Bourgogne from 2011.
With its medium-bodied flavor, it was perfect with the fish.
Dining at Le Bernardin was a sublime experience: the service was outstanding and the food beautifully presented and delicious. Yes it is pricey, but this is the kind of restaurant where you will not be disappointed. So I guess there is no need to ask me if I would go back: you know the answer!
Enjoy (I surely did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
There are so many Thai restaurants in New York, that I was a bit skeptical when I received an invitation from Kao Srisuphasiri, one of the owners of Larb Ubol, a Thai restaurant located in the bottom part of Hell's Kitchen. Even there, that restaurant is surrounded by other ones serving Thai food. I soon understood why Larb Ubol is original.
Well, like many Thai places, you do not go there for the decor and they admit that they prefer putting the money on the food as this is the reason why customers come back. Entering in the restaurant, you immediately notice the big empty space at the entrance: at this point, they are not really sure what to put there, whether a plant, fountain or tables. For the moment, it is nice because it does not feel too crowded.
The decor is very simplistic:
banquettes and chair backs are covered with Thailand’s traditional checkered pha khao ma cloth used to fashion everything from sarongs to hammocks
. On the ceiling and walls, some small umbrellas coming from Thailand:
So, it was clear that we were there for the food, and we made sure we tried several dishes prepared by Chef Ratchanee Sumpatboon, who worked for 20 years in New York City, in well known restaurants, such as Zabb Elee. Her menu is Isan cuisine, from the North East of Thailand, characterized by its heat, chili peppers being prominent, as well as sticky rice, used as we would bread.
Looking at the menu, I immediately noticed the absence of the massaman or penang curry I am used to seeing in Thai restaurants, the only well known dishes being Pad See ew or Pad Thai. I guess that is where Larb Ubol is different. So, it was time to check it out!
To start our feast, we ordered a Thai beer (Singha):
As well as Thai iced tea that was perfect to cool me from the heat of the dishes.
To start, we ordered a couple of appetizers. First was the Larb, a spicy ground meat salad that gave its name to the restaurant (Ubol comes from the city of Ubon Ratchathani where the Chef grew up).
We had the following choices for the ground meat: chicken, pork, beef, veggie duck...We went for beef (
Nuer Larb
). It was good, but spicy and I loved mixing the spicy meat with the refreshing cucumber or mint leaves. I liked it so much that I kept going at it.
Then, I tried the grilled chicken liver skewer (
Tub Yang
), served with a tamarind dipping sauce:
If like me, you like chicken liver, this dish is for you. I admit that it was a bit dry, but the tamarind sauce did its magic, making it a very enjoyable appetizer.
The next dish was Peek Kai Tod or marinated chicken wings, served with a sweet chili sauce:
I thought it would be spicy, but it was not the case at all: the sauce was on the sweet side and was perfect with the moist chicken wings. Good dish for bird lovers.
Then, we had the Pukk Boong Fai Dang or sautéed morning glory with fresh chili:
I do not think I ever had morning glory before. It looks like this:
I enjoyed the dish, but should have ordered it with crispy pork as I am not too much of a vegetarian. The morning glory tasted a bit like spinach, maybe a bit less bitter.
Then was the Chicken Pad Ped:
It is one of their Chef's special, composed of chicken, Thai eggplant, bell pepper, basil, wild ginger and drenched in a spicy curry paste. I should add the large quantity of peppercorn...
After one bite, my mouth was literally on fire and I was glad I had the sticky rice and Thai iced tea to cool down!
I also ate some Pad See Ew that helped against the heat:
We went for the tofu version that was very good.
Last was dessert: we ordered the fried ice cream.
I always find fried ice cream to be an interesting dessert: who got this idea to fry ice cream?
This was a very addictive dessert, the vanilla ice cream pairing well with its shell that was slightly crispy and deliciously sweet.
This was a very good dinner and I am glad I had the opportunity to try a different cuisine. Larb Ubol is definitely unique and stands out from the traditional Thai restaurants. Would I go back: certainly. But this time, I'll ask for non spicy dishes...
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
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| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| The Cannibal | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Flatiron / American New | |
| * Street Address | |
| 113 East 29th St. (bet. Park & Lexington Ave.), New York, NY 10016 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 686-5480 |
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| El Colmado | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Hell's Kitchen / Spanish | |
| * Street Address | |
| 600 11th Ave., New York, NY 10036 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 582-7948 |
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Tabata Ramen | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★☆☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Hell's Kitchen / Japanese / Asian Fusion / Ramen | |
| * Street Address | |
| 540 9th Ave , New York, NY 10018 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 290-7691 |
“My mission is to introduce organic Korean food – especially our BBQ – to Americans throughout the country, as well as to travelers from abroad,” says Mr. Kim. “I started working in a Korean restaurant as a waiter in college, just loved the industry and was promoted to manager. Here at Madangsui I’m always delighted when people love our food – and even more so when they come back for more!”
“We use only USDA prime meat,” says Mr. Kim. “Our beef comes from pasture- raised and grain-finished cattle that are humanely treated by American cattlemen and we use wet- and dry-aging methods with the utmost care. So what we serve is the highest quality American beef, prepared Korean style.”
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Madangsui | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Midtown West / Korean | |
| * Street Address | |
| 35 West 35th St., New York, NY 10001 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 564-9333 |
 |
 |
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| BXL Cafe | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★☆☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Times Square / Belgian | |
| * Street Address | |
| 125 West 43rd St., New York, NY 10036 | |
| * Phone | |
| 212-768-0200 |
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Abboccato | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★☆☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Midtown West / Italian | |
| * Street Address | |
| 136 West 55th St., New York, NY 10019 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 265-4000 |
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Remi Restaurant | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Times Square / Italian | |
| * Street Address | |
| 145 West 53rd St., New York, NY 10019 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 581-4242 |
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Faces and Names | |
| * Overall | |
| ☆☆☆☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Midtown West / American New / Burgers | |
| * Street Address | |
| 159 West 54th St., New York, NY 10019 | |
| * Phone | |
| 212-586-9311 |
