Per Se

Per Se, 10 Columbus Circle, 4th Flr, New York 10019 [site]

I was actually fooling around with OpenTable when I realized that Per Se opened up reservations for 2 this Sunday. I see it like a chance opportunity, so I booked it. (I originally booked it at 7pm, then realizing the dinner prices, I switched to 1pm for lunch. While I normally don’t believe in dressing up for food, or anything (I have a limited wardrobe that constantly require me to borrow clothes), I would make Per Se an exception, since it is one of the top three restaurants in New York, if not America (the two other biggies are Le Bernardin and Jean-Georges).  Consistently 3 Michelin stars since opening and named the 9th best restaurant in the world, I guess I should really try this place out before Jonathan Benno leaves next month to open his new restaurant. That, and Frank is a fan of Thomas Keller.

The view out the window was astounding (you could see Central Park), and I felt very welcomed. Frank wanted to get the nine-course tasting, but I knew I would be too full to stomach all that. He seemed reluctant, but he followed my lead for sparkling water and a non-alcoholic cocktail (I’m still staying away from alcohol for now).

The waitstaff was very attentive and asked about my allergies. I was actually willing to sacrifice rashes for tasting, but they urged me to switch a menu item due to an ingredient related to shiitake mushrooms (which I was very grateful later since it tasted so good). Frank ordered everything opposite of mine. We had a cheese ball and tuna tartare on a sesame cone to start off, and the cheese really stirred up my appetite.

This was the Santa Barbara Sea Urchin “Au Naturel,” which had Horseradish “Bavarois,” Fork-Crushed New Crop Potatoes, Mustard Cress and Garden Dill with Mustard “Aigre-Doux”. Simply put: Uni on mashed potatoes with wasabi. It was okay, I wasn’t a big fan of horseradish, but I could clearly distinguish the three tastes. I favorite taste of this dish was garden dill and mash potatoes because of the light flavor.

There were two types of butter. The one on the left was unsalted and the one on the right was salted. The waitress mentioned the regions of the butter, but I didn’t pay close attention. I just knew I found the unsalted one more to my taste while Frank preferred the salted one. Besides the fresh roll of bread, I didn’t find their bread too impressionable.

This was the switch I made from the Tuna Tartare, the Four Story Hill Farm’s Sweetbread “Cannelloni,” with Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Caramelized Salsify, Watercress Leaves and Parmesan Cream with “Sauce Perigourdine.” The Parmesan cream just complimented the sweetbread so well that it put a smile to my face. I never thought it would taste this good. ^_^

The fish was delicious, but it didn’t melt in my mouth (Frank’s prerequisite for good fish). The meat was a right amount of chewiness, but I loved the crispy top layer. This was the Sauteed Filet of Long Island Striped Bass, with Fennel Bulb, Persian Cucumbers, Meyer Lemon Confit, Romaine Hearts, Nicoise Olives, and “Pain de Campagne” Melba with Caper Emulsion. The contrast of flavors worked well in this dish.

This was my favorite dish of the day: the Liberty Farm’s Pekin Duck Breast, Sauteed Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras, Cornbread “Pain Perdu,” Braised Swiss Chard, and “Ragout de Gesiers et Cerises.” The duck was cooked to perfection and it was the best foie gras I ever tasted, despite the political incorrectness of the offal. The cornbread, the greens, everything came together in this dish. It was one of the best duck dishes I ever had.

The dessert of the five-course lunch was the Chocolate Orange, Chocolate “Pave,” Peanut Butter “Cremeux,” Chocolate-Orange “Roulade,” and Candied Peanuts with Cara Cara Orange Sherbet. This dessert didn’t capture me. Maybe because I’m not a fan of chocolate. Maybe the flavors were too rich. I actually liked Chikalicious’ desserts better. Then again, I do have a lighter palate. I liked the sherbet and the candied oranges out of this whole dish. It also came with a cold chocolate drink, but I was indifferent to it.

On a complimentary dish, I love creme brulee, and they made it quite well. I actually liked this better than the main dessert, just wished the taste lasted a little longer.

I was full, but complimentary candies kept coming. Had to try some. It was okay.

We each when home with these, which I gave to Alice and Pete. I tried it later that day. It had a nutty orange chocolate taste to it. Alice and Pete didn’t really find the cake astounding, but maybe their expectations were too high.

On an end note, I like the restrooms a lot. Clean, shiny, noveau, and reusable towels. Every stall had a private sink, and there was no staff waiting for you there (I have a fear of bathroom waitstaff o_o;;). Would I go back again? Maybe in the summer, since my wardrobe is so limited… Did I have fun? Yes, I did. And I think every foodie would too. ^_^

One of Jean-George’s

The Mercer Kitchen, 99 Prince Street, New York 10012 [menu]

***Note*** I forgot to take pics again due to being famished and without a camera, but since this is a popular restaurant, I would like to credit these photos thanks to Flickr. =)

So after walking around famished for a while, Frank and I decided that Mercer Kitchen was probably our best bet for dinner that night. The prix fixe menu was no longer active, but I didn’t care for the prix fixe anyways. Frank got the Tuna Spring Roll for an appetizer, which surprising tasted like the same one we had in Jojo’s. I got Crab Cakes instead.

I thought the crab cakes taste great, besides the hint of ginger (I’m not a big fan of ginger). I love real crab cakes in general, the kind where you can flake out the pieces of crab meat instead of those cheap supermarket imitations where it is mainly breaded by-product of some sort. When the food came, my dish was actually a lot larger than Frank’s.

Frank’s slowly baked salmon dish with truffle mashed potatoes was actually very delicious, if you like the taste of salmon (I’m not a big salmon fan due to too many salmon dishes in the past few months… the taste becomes sickening then). But the salmon was very soft and juicy and not dry at all, something that fish gets very easily and then loses its flavor. This was skillfully cooked to retained optimum moisture.

As for my breast and confit of duck, delicious. Perfectly cooked to the right temperature. My only concerned for this dish is the portion was a bit much for me, I couldn’t finish the whole thing. I think jasmine rice would have been a better combination too, instead of wild rice, but I’m a jasmine rice fan. So far, Jean-Georges restaurants haven’t disappoint me at all, I would love to try his other restaurants now, besides Mercer and Jojo’s.

Fancy me, French cuisine?

La Grenouille, 3 East 52nd Street, New York 10022 [see menu]

*WARNING* – I forgot to bring my camera to this event, sorry ^_^;;

La Grenouille from Vanity Fair magazine

So instead, I shall list my courses for that evening, along with Frank’s.

My Menu:
Appetizer: Les Ravioles de Homard à l’Estragon (Lobster and Tarragon Ravioli)
Main Course: Homard et Lotte aux Endives (Lobster and Monkfish with Endives)
Dessert: Poire Fondante au Saint Nectaire (Melted Pear with Saint Nectaire)

Frank’s Menu:
Appetizer: Aumônière d’Oeuf Poché Périgueux (Beggar’s Purse of Poached Truffled Egg)
Main Course: Le Magret de Caneton Braisé aux Coings et Miel d’Acacia (Braised Duck Breast with Quince and Acacia’s Honey)
Dessert: Soufflé Chocolat (Chocolate Soufflé)

Frank’s dessert was a lot tastier than mine, since my pear was a bit bitter which lost its sweetness as a dessert (it’s no longer on their menu). Overall, I think my main dish was the best lobster dish I’ve ever tasted. That and I found my new favorite fish: the monkfish. It almost taste like… lobster.

Besides the food listed above, we also had a complimentary pea soup in the beginning, a choice of 3 varieties of fresh made bread (I chose olive), sweet biscuits and light cookies after the main course (the madeleines were so soft in the inside and crispy on the outside), and chocolate truffles after your desserts. It felt like an abundance of food, even in small portions.

Logistics of eating at La Grenouille: There is a free coat check that you need to tip later, a jacket is require for men (so dress up ladies), you will need to tip the captain and his waiters at the end of the dinner, but there are no towel lady at the restrooms (it’s only one stall).