We arrived at 5:30 as one of two parties there, however, they sat us right next the other guests. We asked to be moved to a different table and were immediately granted a better one which had less of the late sun on our backs. Thankfully, this early, minor gaff proved to be the lowest point of the evening. Everything from there on out was delightful, from the food to the superb service.
Perry St. is about as far west as you can get, pretty much overlooking the highway and river. However, the design of the restaurant is such that you get all the good parts of being near the water and no sense that cars are speeding past you. We all made a conscious effort to try all the dishes on the small menu which essentially gives you two choices for each course, but changes every four weeks. Let's begin:
Amuse Bouche
Carrot Puree crystallized ginger foam. The perfect way to the start the evening, two sips of something that was so airy it can hardly be called soup. The foam was exquisite and the puree was the perfect temperature, warm but not hot.
First CourseSauteed Shrimp fried baby artichokes, lemon fennel vinaigrette and paprika oil: Plump and succulent, the shellfish were. They were too fishy for Elizabeth but I liked them. They reminded me slightly of the mighty diamond shrimp appetizer at Oishii Sushi in Boston.
Roasted Beet Carpaccio fresh ricotta, crystallized wasabi and black bread: Black bread does not suffice as a description. These croutons were hands down the best croutons I'd ever eaten, fresh, but crunchy, oh so buttery. I love roast beets and the fresh ricotta combo was right in every way. I could eat this everyday.
Second CourseSlowly Cooked Salmon truffle vinaigrette and steamed maitake mushroom: a perfectly cooked piece of salmon. Gotta love sauteed scallions. I was the only one at the table who had choosen the skate which was to my mind was superior.
Pan Roasted Skate braised leeks and pistachios, aromatic spiced vinaigrette: I don't care if it's a cheap fish, pan roasted skate gets the job down. Between the skate and the mashed potatoes was a secret compartment of braised leeks and pistachios which kicked ass, great combo. I can not say what was in the aromatic spiced oil, but it's such a beautiful color and I asked for extra bread to mop up every last drop.
Grilled Beef Hanger Steak smoked paprika butternut squash and caramelized brussels sprouts: I actually didn't try any of the meat, but I hear it was perfectly down and it looked beautiful. I would get this next time.
Fried Chicken smoked gravy, roasted sweet potato and lemon confit: My least favorite dish, but still really good anyway. The dark meat on the plate was better than the white. I loved that they poured the gravy from a white porcelain tea kettle, table-side. The sweet potato wasn't anything special but the lemon confit was out of this world. I ate mine and Elizabeth's. Tastiest was to eat lemon ever!!
Warm Valhrona Chocolate Cake and vanilla ice cream: classic dish done well. Molten in the middle, mmmm.
Frangipane Torte with pineapple sorbet: I choose this dessert and was mildly happy. The flaky torte was nice, not to sweet and went well with the sorbet, but didn't blow my mind.
Green Tea and Chocolate Petit Fours: Fortunately, this final note did blow my mind. Jean Georges always keeps it real classy with the Amuse Bouche to begin and Petit Fours to end. I love that. $35!!!??? Yeah, it doesn't include wine or tip, but if you are a baller on a budget don't sleep on Jean Georges' deals.
1 comment:
Noah's right about this meal -- and more than right, since I appreciate from his description things about the food that I don't think I realized at the time!
A few notes.... Do walk there through the West Village. Ideally, on an unusually warm spring evening in April, when all the trees are in bloom.... How weird is it to find the world coming to life -- sharp winter loosening up (thanks, Horace) -- in NYC (Rome?)? Maybe you have to be coming from the Berkshires (Sabine farm?)....
Have memories of a different time -- late 60's in high school (me), working as something more like a grown-up on social projects there (my D), when the same streets were so different, yet not so different....
Remembering when you were so much younger, and now you're walking with your daughter and her N, in a hurry (the stream races through this shady grove -- thanks, Horace). Who could have imagined all this, then? (Before E or N was even a gleam in a father's, or mother's, eye?) Who knows what the future will bring?
Eating together. That moment (those discrete moments as one in a meal, with others). Time stops in retrospect, and moves. At the time, it is in flux.
Thanks, Noah, for taking us to a wonderful meal and for being its Horace, too.
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