01/01/10 Day #3 NYC Reviews - Balthazar, Momofuku Ko (Lunch), Sweet Revenge, Casa Mono

[uhockey]

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On January the 1st 2010 I again woke early despite being up quite late the night before – and I woke up to find out that the Long Island busses were running on some asinine “Sunday Schedule” that didn’t start until around noon – having reservations at Momofuku Ko at 12:10 this was hardly acceptable so I decided to start the day with a 2.5 mile walk from my friend’s place to the train station – making good time on the recently fixed sidewalks I arrived moments before the train and actually found myself standing in Penn Station at exactly 8am. Deciding to make my way south to browse Soho and Tribeca for a bit I guess I didn’t really think about the day – almost nothing was open, although the still-hung-over crowds in the street were admittedly entertaining. Wandering past many stores, shops, galleries while listening to The Antlers album I suddenly happened upon a long line at a red awning.

To be fair, given the fact that most gourmands are not at all impressed by Balthazar I’d never really paid attention to its location – but there it was, and it was opening at 9:00, so I figured I’d stop in for at least a pastry and a coffee. Hopping in line minutes before the doors opened I was probably the 20th person in the restaurant – and it was bustling and full within 20 minutes of me taking a seat, a line stretching down the street. Greeted quite promptly by my server and handed a menu I was offered a cocktail, water, coffee, juice – selecting a coffee I was asked if I wanted bottled or tap water – tap would suffice. Seated at a cramped little table (even for one) I have to admit I liked the feel of the room – very “French Bistro” with the long bar serving chilled seafood and drinks and a menu focused largely on bistro/brunch fare.

Returning shortly with the first of many refills of coffee – a deep and nutty blend, possibly the best I had outside of Daniel in New York (saying a lot as both Per Se and Picholine had excellent coffee) – I was offered the pastry basket with the words “Can I bring you our basket of fresh baked breads?” which I declined (I later realized this was offered to everyone, at $18, and most people did not expect it to be charged for because of the manner in which she offered it – there was quite the scene at the table next to me regarding this, actually.) Instead asking for a single almond croissant and the Brioche French Toast to accompany the coffee my server quickly disappeared to give my order to the kitchen – returning within moments to manage 4 other tables with impeccable skill – honest to goodness one of the most effective servers I’ve ever seen anywhere.

Returning shortly with my Croissant – still somewhat warm from the oven (or rewarmed) I was impressed by its girth and fluffiness – it stood tall with a nice crisp shell. Unfortunately the interior of the croissant was largely doughy and most certainly not up to par with Madeline, Payard, or Petrossian. Not that the croissant was bad – not by any means – but for $3.50 and Balthazar’s famous breads I guess I expected an exemplary croissant while this was merely average.

Merely moments after finishing the croissant I was brought my French Toast and my coffee was refilled yet again – while they were certainly trying to turn tables due to the growing line, I still must note how impressed I was with my server’s cordial and professional behavior despite being very rushed (as it turned out I overheard her speaking to a colleague noting that the two of them were covering their own tables plus the tables of a server who was running late – even more impressive.) Tasting the crispy bacon first I liked the smoky flavor a lot and found it to be well balanced between fatty/supple and crispy – while I’m not a big bacon eater, this was excellent. Next pouring the chilled (should’ve been warmed) maple syrup over the toast I first taste the syrup – certainly not pure maple like Maialino, but certainly not Mrs. Buttersworth either, for the price I’d rather expected better syrup. Tasting the buttery brioche I will note that the bread itself was sublime with essences of cinnamon and vanilla very pronounced – unfortunately while the outside was crispy and delicious, the inside was again doughy – a combination, in my opinion, of using too hot a griddle and not allowing the bread to soak long enough. Again decent, but most certainly not worth the $18 price-tag.

Receiving the bill and another coffee, this time in a paper cup to take with me, I have to admit I was a bit annoyed by the price – more than $30 when including the well deserved tip. Obviously I don’t mind spending good money on good food, but this was a case where I definitely felt like I was paying more for a name or hype than for quality or quantity. Bill paid I made my way downstairs to the restroom and in the less than 2 minutes I was downstairs they had already taken down my table and seated the next couple – impressive. Great service, a nice setting, decent food and high prices - in the end I have to say Balthazar was a nice touristy experience, but not someplace I’d return.

[uhockey]

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On 12/19/09 I did it – I scored THE hottest reservation in New York City. I was post-call and groggy from a 30-hour shift, I clicked, and there was a little green checkmark for one – the 12:10 seating at Momofuku Ko for lunch on 1/1/10 – what a way to start the year! I was excited – despite having reservations at Per Se, Picholine, and Daniel, tickets to the Rangers game, New Years Eve in New York, the Burton exhibit at MoMA, it was suddenly Ko that I was anticipating most. Having had great meals at Ssam and Noodle on past visits even the fact that no pictures would be allowed didn’t dissuade me, nor did the seemingly excessive price tag – this was a rare opportunity, the ONE lunch serving on the first day of a new decade.

Walking up to the small restaurant – there is no doubt that people who aren’t in the know have no idea what lies behind that door – after wandering Tompkins Square Park and watching the dogs (and unique homeless population) I walked in and was greeted immediately by a thin young man in a ghostbuster’s T-shirt. Handing him my printed confirmation ticket I was led down the small bar where three other persons (a couple and a single) were already seated. Sitting on a hard wooden bench the setting was exactly as many have described – a pair of take-out style chopsticks perched on a bottle cork, a wine glass, a folded napkin, and a small hand-printed list of alcoholic beverages. When I sat I noted Rage Against the Machine’s Killing in the Name Of playing overhead – I’d heard this song similarly in Milk Bar in May.

Casually pulling out my cell phone to text a buddy and tell him where I was I did snap a couple of pictures – four to be precise – before Chef Serpico emerged from the dish-washing area and stated loudly that no cell-phones were allowed in the restaurant. He later told a man down towards the end of the bar that no pictures were allowed, either. For pictures of the food – well, check google, but the only dish on my menu that is actually pictured is the infamous foie gras.

As others have noted, there are no “servers” at Ko – the three chefs making the dishes are plating the dishes, serving the dishes, and describing the dishes while two young men work the front of the house (checking bags, refilling drinks, changing out silverware) and another man rapidly cleans dishes in the back. While I will fully admit that it was thrilling to watch the dishes come together before me, I was a tad put off by how reluctant the chefs were to re-describe an ingredient, chat with the crowd, or show any emotion – I realize they are quite busy, but it is their choice to be on that stage and people are paying top dollar (and time) to experience their creative talents – if you don’t want to allow pictures of your masterful art, then at least have the courtesy to take praise for it (“we hear that a lot” when the girl next to me praised the Uni dish) and answer the occasional question (as an example, the man next to me inquired about the province of Salmon berry and the chef essentially rolled his eyes and nonchalantly stated “Alaska” – clearly different than at Per se where Chris and I discussed the source of their Americauna Eggs for at least 3 minutes.

Moving on to the food, the differential seat timings made a lot more sense to me as the meal came together – essentially 4 persons were served at a time in a rotating fashion so that those of us in the first sitting were getting dish 3 while the second seating was starting on dish 1 – and each chef composed different aspects of different dishes uniformly. To begin the meal, prepared by the most youthful and slender chef (and the only one with ANY personality) we were presented with a Parsnip Terrine with White Miso and Charred Bean Sprouts. Served in a squared spoon the terrine itself was mild and tasted exactly like an earthy parsnip. Surrounding the terrine was a creamy and salty piso with a texture like panna cotta. Crispy bean sprouts topped the one bite dish adding a textural component and the light dish was actually a very nice way to start.

Dish two, entitled Pommes Souffle with Hackleback Caviar and Leek/Sourcream filling was clearly Ko’s take on a traditional caviar presentation – albeit quite minimal in size. A single hollowed-out crispy French fry was presented with a dollop of salty caviar on one end and the other end sliced off and piped full of pungent sour cream. Tasty, but a mere bite – smaller than any single dish at even Alinea, actually.

Dish three was another single bite and was presented by the third server (a young cook receiving extensive instruction from “Serpico” throughout the meal.) Called Duck Leg Terrine with Burnt Mustard and Salmon Berry I actually did not fancy this dish at all as the duck was a nice compressed texture but the combination of burnt mustard and salmon berry gave it a very gamy and unrefined taste.

Dish four marked the last of single bit dishes and was presented by Chef Serpico on a bed of ice filling a wooden box. Called Shigoku oyster with Herb Vinegar and Sunflower Seed I have to admit I was a tad hesitant – I don’t like raw oysters all that much. Smelling the dish first and then sucking the fresh bivalve from the shell I must say I was impressed. Briny as expected the heavily accented vinegar (I asked what the herbs were and was told “it’s a blend”) managed to temper the oyster quite nicely while the salty sunflower seeds added some crunch.

Dish five – a dish that the head chef had been working on since I took a seat, was a tasting of raw seafoods - Medai with Crispy Scales + Chives + White Soy, Kombu cured Fluke with Water Chestnut and Shiso Flower, and Diver Scallop with Buttermilk + Chives + Poppyseeds, Mackerel with Yuzu + Masago + Shallots. Arranged in order of lightest to heaviest fish flavor and instructed to be eaten in that order for an “ideal” experience I followed along, though I wanted to eat the Mackerel as I assumed it’d be the least inspiring. Beginning first with the Medai, my second favorite of the group – smooth and well accented by the chive/soy I quite liked the crispy scales shaved over it. Second, the Fluke – too many mild flavors, it literally tasted like the water chestnut more than anything else. Third, the scallop – wonderful. Completely raw and well complimented by the bitter buttermilk and crunchy poppy seeds, definitely my favorite of the set. Finally, the mackerel – like the version at Per Se the fish was surprisingly mild and the yuzu smoothed out any heaviness that may have been left to linger. The masago (actually masago caviar) nicely added a degree of saltiness that brought everything together.

Taking a break for a trip to the bathroom I chuckled at the setup – books ranging from Adria to Keller to Julia Childs to Batali to “the importance of fat” lining a bookshelf above the toilet. Returning to my seat I saw that my group had already been given their next dish and mine was waiting behind the counter. Presented with full title by the friendlier server, dish six was Uni with Puffed Black Rice + House Tofu + Pineapple Dashi, Ama Ebi with Crispy head, and Chutoro Tartare with Tomberry + Shiso + Scallion. One of my absolute favorite dishes of the night there was no “instruction” on how to eat this so I began with the Ebi – succulent and sweet with a crispy head that I believe was salt cured prior to frying. Progressing next to the Uni – a soup served in a bowl with a large spoon – this was either the second or third best taste of the meal as the fruity yet savory broth really brought out the briny sweetness of the fresh urchin (shucked from shell just prior to plating) and the puffed rice added a nice texture – like oyster crackers in soup, almost. The final taste, Chutoro Tartare blended with sweet, savory, and sour – delectable and simply melt-in-the mouth.

Dish Seven followed a bit of a delay as we watched the plating with great anticipation. Entitled Beefcheek Ravioli with Pickled Jalapeno, Cilantro, Trumpet Mushrooms - spicy as one may have guessed, but actually quite nuanced in the manner in which the spices progressed. The first taste in this elaborate plating was the barbeque spices from the smoky and savory beef inside the two ravioli but after this reached the palate the overarching theme of the dish was actually the manner in which the heat of the jalapenos forced the cilantro into the sinuses creating another degree of “heat” without being Buffalo-style-hot wings hot. Very intriguing dish.

Dish eight could have been amazing and should have been great – unfortunately an overcooked egg made it somewhat mundane. Poached Eggwhite with Black Truffle in bacon broth and Bagel with Bacon Scallion Cream Cheese started out looking great – a poached egg in broth with a decent amount of aromatic black truffle shaved tableside – what made the dish lack was that the egg was overcooked and somewhat spongy without the yolk. On asking why no yolk I was told “it would cover up the truffles.” Funny, I thought the bacon broth did that. The “bagel” was actually an eggy roll stuffed with oniony bacon cream cheese – it was quite excellent and paired well with the other half of the dish.

Dish nine, beginning the second half of the menu, reminded me of something I’d had at Moto 366 days earlier – bar food. Featuring Korean Chili Fried Chicken, Fried Mustard Greens with Black Sesame Sauce and White Sesame seeds, and Duck fat Fried Rice – honestly, it tasted like a crispy chicken wing – no more, no less. While the rolled duck fat rice was tasty and unctuous, the show stealer was actually the mustard greens with the bite of the greens tempered beautifully by the salty sesame sauce and a unique texture added by the seeds.

Dish ten was a sort of intermezzo, I guess. Littleneck Clam Dashi with Kombu – pretty straight forward, salty with plenty of brine.

Dish eleven and apparently some of my co-diners were getting full – perhaps the wine pours were heavy, I don’t know. Matusake Mushroom Ravioli with Buckwheat, Coriander, Pine Needles was actually one of the more inspired taste pairings of the day with a single pre-prepared (the night before according to Scarpetta) ravioli that tasted like the very earthiest of mushrooms paired with crispy buckwheat, a mild reduction with strong hints of coriander, and the overarching essence of pine plus whole pine needles from the grill. Quite unique I have to say I really liked this dish and the manner in which a lot of things I’d never think to place together managed to compliment the overall feel of the dish so well.

Finishing strong, dish twelve was an enormous langoustine filleted and served atop a crispy turnip cake and flanked by poached cauliflower florets and crispy (think potato chip) lily bulb slices floating in a creamy miso sauce. Very Japanese in presentation and flavor this was potentially the most attractive dish outside of the beef cheek ravioli and the flavors worked very well together to form a fragrant and sweet dish somewhat akin, oddly, to coconut shrimp but vastly superior.

Dish thirteen – perhaps the most talked about dish in New York for the past couple years – was Lychee, Pinenut Brittle, Riesling Gelee, and Shaved Foie Gras. Expecting great things I was not let down – you really cannot “think” how this dish tastes and feels – like the most unctuous foie gras but also harkening memories of peanut butter and jelly, plus a “built in” wine-pairing with the Riesling. Perhaps not as incredible as Lee’s at TFL or Gras’ at L2O, but the best foie gras prep I’ve tasted in New York.

The final savory of the afternoon was another excellent dish – potentially the best of the meal outside of the foie. Confit Lamb and Pistachio cassoulet topped with panko, sliced lamb neck, matcha peanut butter mayo, salsify was yet another odd combination but essentially featured a center “ring” of cassoulet made with pistachio instead of beans beneath a golden panko “crust.” Topping this were pieces of al dente soft salsify “noodles” and an oily reduction tasting of equal parts peanut butter and green tea while the side of the dish contained a small folded slice of griddled lamb neck – just overlapping the cassoulet.

Moving forward and bridging to the sweets we were next presented with the cheese course – and an excellent one at that. Described as a Comte Puff with Swiss Chard, Golden Raisins, and comte sauce the dish displayed varying colors of the yellow/gold/green spectrum and was actually quite fetching to behold and smell. Taking a bite I was impressed by the creaminess of the comte and the manner in which the raisins sweetened the dish while the chard helped bring forth the nutty flavors of the cheese.

Hoping that the desserts would continue the trend set by dishes 11 through 15 I was rather disappointed when we received neither the cereal milk panna cotta nor the fried apple pie but instead two…odd combinations. No stranger to sweet/savory desserts after Providence, Trotter, Moto, and Alinea I have to say I wasn’t really prepared for what Ko had to offer – the first being Carrot Horseradish Ganache, Sweet Butter Ice Cream, Candied Ginger, and Pie Crust Crumble. Perhaps this dish would have worked if the pie crust or the ice cream had any flavor but in reality they only served to add some contrast of temperature and texture to the over-the-top heat of the horseradish and spice of the ginger.

The second dessert fared a bit better than the first but was again foiled by a subpar cold component. Titled Bitter Orange Sorbet, Earl Grey Cake, Celery, Fudge the overall flavor of this dish was indeed “bitter.” Probably one of the largest celery consumers in the United States I must admit I was excited when I saw this added to the dessert – it worked wonderfully with the mild and buttery cake and deep and heavy fudge. What through the whole dish off, however, was the sugarless sorbet that tasted exactly like a bitter orange – not exactly the kind of flavor you want to finish a meal. Scooping the sorbet to the side I enjoyed the celery/fudge/cake combination but really have no idea what they were thinking. I understand being eclectic – the olive and orange at Providence or the Mustard Granita at Providence – but this just didn’t work.

Dishes collected we were handed the bill - there was no coffee, only single serving espresso, as Jay-Z waxed poetic about selling cocaine overhead. Paying the bill I have to say I didn’t really feed I’d gotten my money’s worth – not when Alinea is putting 21 sublime courses on the table for only $50 more in Chicago and other places in New York provided excellent meals for less – but in total I was glad I’d had the chance to experience the cuisine and watch the chefs at work – that part of Ko is indeed special. My gripes about the picture policy still stand, but I do understand…that said, the surly and snarky attitudes of the chefs, especially Serpico weren’t appreciated – I don’t want to be pampered, but I’d like to be treated better than the kid at McDonalds would treat me and that is regardless of how high end your ingredients are. A final example of the service – after paying the bill a jar of house pickles and a Kimchi rice-cake wrapped in Nori were slid down the bar with a “Thanks for coming.”

Service gripes aside, there are some things that Ko does very well but there are also some dishes that don’t make sense – and I don’t think it is in a “evolving the art of food” way, either. For 17 courses I felt the first 4 would absolutely have served as canapés or amuses at 99% of fine dining establishments and that the mid-point of the meal was quite weak while the desserts were assuredly sub-par. Following a somewhat logical progression from the amuses through the mild fishes to the heavier courses, cheese, and dessert it felt like Ko was trying to be fine dining without fully committing – and perhaps that is Chang’s goal here. For my dining dollar I’d sooner go back to Noodle Bar and order 10-15 items to form my own tasting – though I will admit I quite liked the pork and rice cake which I ate before heading up to ESPNZone to catch the Rose Bowl.

[uhockey]

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Walking around the Bowery, SoHo, and then Tribeca after my meal at Ko I was surprised how many places had closed up their doors for New Years Day – the CBGB John Varvatos Store, 95% of the galleries, many restaurants and eateries – yet the streets were full of people and that area plus Greenwich Village is just a nice place to wander, even in the cold. Having looked at the online list of Buckeye Bars I noted that most were small places on the Upper West Side and instead decided I’d go watch the Rosebowl at the ESPNZone – a party of one is usually an easy squeeze at a place that big. Browsing my map (yeah, I sharpie and plot out multiple eateries on one of those Streetwise maps) I realized Sweet Revenge was in the area and decided to stop by for a cupcake before making my way (on foot) north to Times Square.

Entering the small shop I was amazed – it was absolutely packed without a seat available, three young ladies behind the counter, and everyone had an amazing looking dessert and a coffee or wine in front of them. Squeezing between a few chairs to browse the cupcake case one of the servers made her way around the bar to say hello, tell me about the selections and the ones they were baking in back that would be out soon, and overall just to be cordial (asking if I lived in the area and when I said no asking where I was from and how I’d heard of them) – after Ko this was a nice touch. Selecting two (out of 7 I’d have liked to try) I paid the relatively modest fee and the cakes were packed into plastic sealable cups and bagged for me – great customer service and smiles all around.

Making my way to the street with my rice cake and pickles from Ko plus the two cupcakes I made my way up to the ESPNZone less than 2 minutes before kickoff – walking in I gave the lady my name and told her I didn’t really need a table, just a seat at the bar. She gave me one of those vibrating things anyhow, and told me it’d be about 2 hours if I did decide I wanted a table. Making my way up to the second and then third floor I sure enough did find a seat at the bar and although all I drank was water throughout my stay I was treated as well as anyone else – which was quite nicely. As the bar was 90% Buckeye fans and 75% of them were pretty well inebriated it really wasn’t too hard to make friends – I even managed to have a couple hold my seat for me when I stood up to go to the restroom and when I went outside to eat at halftime.

Starting first with the Ko Pork Cake and then moving on to the cupcakes – I started with my standard, the Red Velvet. A stunning example entitled Crimson and Cream the cupcake was anything but “standard” red velvet in that it was indeed a dense and perfect cocoa cake, but the sweetness was provided by a combination of sugar and raspberry juice while the cake itself was filled with a fresh Raspberry puree – complete with seeds. Topping off this cake with a luscious (and not at all grainy, but rather almost Crisco-smooth) cream cheese, it may have been the best Red Velvet I’ve ever eaten – or at least on par with the version at Bouchon Las Vegas.

The second cupcake was their “special” of the day – and it was better than the Red Velvet. Entitled Fleur de Sel the cake itself was essentially flour and Valrhona Dark Chocolate – like a fluffier version of a top-notch brownie. What put this cupcake over the top, however, was an exceedingly complex Dulce de Leche Buttercream – I swear it tasted largely vanilla and caramelized milk, but there was also an essence of rosewater laying underneath. Topping all of this was a drizzle of sticky sweet caramel and flakes of fleur de Sel. While I can’t say I’ve had every cupcake in New York, this is the best I’ve had and the service/experience was tied for “best” with Two Little Red Hens.

With the Buckeyes handling the Ducks I left the ESPNZone without dinner plans – I’d originally had Daniel on the docket but moved it back a day when I scored the Ko reservations because I didn’t know how hungry I’d be. Making my way out and wanting to go somewhere that I could order small plates, or at least not a tasting menu, I first considered Artisanal but then decided to head further South down to the Batali owned Casa Mono. Arriving just before 8:45PM the place was (as expected) packed, but there was an open seat for one at the bar just calling my name. Coat and bag checked with the ridiculously cute coat-check girl I took my seat and once I declined alcohol my water glass was filled immediately (and kept full throughout the meal from an unseen hand reaching from behind but never once interrupting.

)

A few notes about sitting at the bar in January – it is absolutely fantastic to watch the cooks, especially the head chef, do their craft at such a rapid place (about a plate every minute or two – cooked, plated, decorated) without missing a beat – it reminded me of The Bazaar or Crop and was excellent. That noted, you will get elbowed by passers-by (not the staff) and every time the door opens you can fully expect a blast of cold air. While the elbows were a tad frustrating, the air was never really a bother as I was in a sweater and the grill was damned hot, anyhow. Service, both at the bar and at the seats, was very professional and my only “gripe” is that they require one to order everything at once instead of adding courses depending on hunger (something that was encouraged at Bazaar.)

Moving onto the food, my server suggested 2-4 dishes depending on hunger and strongly recommended a couple of daily specials that sounded excellent (a prawn paella with truffles, for instance) but I instead opted to go with the items I’d targeted on the online menu weeks before – I mean, really, if a duck egg, sweetbreads, and foie gras are offered on a menu I’m probably ordering all of them. Orders placed I was told “excellent choices, that duck egg will knock your socks off.”

Watching the chefs work (and that coat check girl, too) I must note the music – this is a Batali restaurant and the music followed suit – a little too loud, but excellent featuring the Doors, Hendrix, The Who, and The Stones. Arriving approximately 5 minutes after my order was placed (and after I’d watched the chefs make about 10 other dishes I’d like to try) I received a basket of bread – a crusty Italian served with a bowl of bay leaf and rosemary olive oil with about 6 whole olives. Excellent flavor, good balance, smooth and glassy – I ate two mini-loafs of the bread and asked for some extra olives which were presented without question or charge.

Arriving shortly after I’d started working on the bread was my first dish - Duck Egg with Mojama, dried potatos, and winter truffles. Probably the most famous dish at Casa Mono there is good reason – the egg was flawless and creamy, the Mojama (something I’d not tasted previously) salty and not at all fishy, the dried potatoes “dry cooked” like a baked potato but certainly not “DRY” and the smooth truffles lending an earthy component and their complex aroma – wowing. Clearly an in interpretation of breakfast with the combination of eggs, potatoes, and a meat I’d eat this for breakfast anytime – and although it is still early it is the best savory I’ve eaten in 2010 – better than anything at Ko, A Voce, or Daniel.

Telling my server that my socks were indeed knocked off my plate was collected and I went back to watching the cooks as they prepared what must have been 10 orders of Brussels Sprouts for various tables – it is apparently their #1 seller. Arriving after approximately 15 minutes (longer than Baba O’Reily, at least) was Sweetbreads with Fennel al Mono. Perfectly fried and piled three high, the sweetbreads were wonderful – creamy interior, crunchy exterior, no gaminess at all and melt-in-the mouth. Set atop pan seared fennel – cooked just past perfect with a little bit of char – and topped with a reduction of golden raisins and I believe some sort of sweet alcohol – this is a beautiful dish that I’d heard mixed reviews of in the past but found to be on par with the excellent deep-fried sweetbread preparations of Chang and Symon.

My final dish – and another winner – was Foie Gras with Cinco Cebollas. Drizzled with truffle oil just prior to service and again piled high (clearly Casa Mono has an interest in vertical food) this dish was astounding. Featuring creamy leeks, a “flower” of red onion, long sliced green onions, pickled cipollinis, and I believe also scallions as a base, topped with toasted bread, and then with the large portion of seared foie (smelling this cooked in front of me was fantastic) I found this dish fascinating in the same way as Savoy’s preparation in Vegas – using something pungent and heavily nuanced to temper the unctuous liver instead of something sweet – and I think I may have actually liked this version better.

While I could have eaten more and considered requesting the goat with rainbow chard be added to the tasting I opted to follow the rules and instead proceeded with dessert - a no-brainer just like the first three dishes. Prepared at the station closest to back I didn’t get to see this one made aside from the torch used to caramelize the bread, Bread Pudding with Port Poached Pear and Caramel Ice Cream was the first horizontal plate of the night featuring a “scoop” of the pudding, a half of a warm and punchy pear, and thick-rich caramel ice cream. While the pudding itself was excellent with hints of cinnamon, custard, and pumpkin I found the pairing with the port pear to be a tad strange until I tasted it with the bitter-sweet ice cream that sort of smoothed everything out creating an overall flavor of an alcoholic pumpkin pie – unique and good, but not as good as the savories – again, better than the desserts at Ko, though.

When it was all said and done I was full but not stuffed and happily paid the bill before collecting my coat (they need to move that coat check girl to the front of the house, seriously.) Bid farewell by my server and the lady taking reservations at the front I made my way to the street and walked past Bar Jamon where there was a line – definitely a hot spot on a Friday Night. Overall I must say I really enjoyed the experience and if I lived local I could see this being the kind of place to go with friends for food and drinks at night – but I also agree with Casa Mono’s Michelin Star because the food, service, and experience is on par with most of Batali’s other restaurants – perhaps even better.

[Miss Needle]

Because of your post, I was inspired to try the fleur de sel cupcake from Sweet Revenge today. Marvelous! A bit too much frosting for my taste (but that can easily be scraped off), but still really wonderful. Cake was deliciously moist and complex. I'm dying to try their other cupcakes at a later time. Did you notice the tiniest bit of caramel filling inside the cupcake? I found it to be a nice surprise.

I have to say I'm quite impressed by your appetite. Nice posts and have a wonderful time in NYC!

[uhockey]

Glad to help! :-) I'm back home now but had a great trip.

[steve h.]

Casa Mono is my "goto" place after a day game at Yankee Stadium. Bar Jamon, at the bar, is great for a ham plate and a glass or two of cava.

I'm glad you're enjoying places I like.