di82's Profile
FOOD POLL - EMP, DANIEL, LE BERNARDIN, JEAN GEORGES & PER SE
1. Per Se
2. EMP
3. Jean Georges
4. Le Bernardin
5. Daniel
Top 3 are all fantastic, though Per Se is in its own league if price isn't an issue. Love EMP as well. LB food was delicious but atmospher and service were lacking. Daniel has disappointed me twice and I don't have much desire to go back.
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Per Se
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019
Jean Georges
1 Central Park W, New York, NY 10023
Le Bernardin
155 W. 51st St., New York, NY 10019
Rate my Paris Reservations/ A Few Questions
Thanks to both, souphie Fish sounds like a good choice. As to L'Ambroisie, I just don't think I can justify the price right now, but someday... Needless to say I'm very excited about the current line-up (just hoping we get the same high level the restaurants are capable of despite choosing two lunches and internet offer, fingers crossed...)
Rate my Paris Reservations/ A Few Questions
I'll be in Paris for 6 nights in september. I've made reservatins at the following restaurants, 1 per day to leave flexibility depending on what we're doing and how full we are (and of course eclairs). Would love to hear general thoughts and I have some specific questions.
Saturday Dinner- Lasserre (with their 100E internet offer for 4 courses), is this offer indeed a good deal or can we expect a lower level of dishes.
Sunday- no reservation yet, ideas? Looking for moderate dinner, maybe a wine bar or someting similar?
Monday Lunch- Le Cinq- should I choose 85E lunch or the more expensive tasting menu?
Tuesday Dinner- Au Bon Accueil.
Wednesday Lunch- L'Arpege (is the Degustation Dejuner menu on the website the menu that is 135E?)
Thursday Dinner- Au Gourmand
EMP Gourmand Menu vs. Per Se -- which do you prefer?
These are my two favorite dining experiences in NY so the short answer is I think you will love both. I think that the overall experience at Per Se is slightly more memorable. The atmosphere and service are such that you really feel like they are there to make your night special. We've been twice and last time in particular they served many additional courses, and made the whole evening very special. Also, I would say that the best dishes at Per Se (oysters and pearls for example) are absolutely fantastic.
That said, we went to EMP for the gourmand menu to celebrate our engagement and it was incredible as well. I think the food overall was on par with Per Se, but while the service was very good, it just isn't the same level of coddling you get at Per Se. In any case, given the price disparity I think it is the better value if you can call it that. Also, they will do a wine pairing so getting to try 11 wines is a lot of fun whereas Per Se doesn't really do a formal pairing. Enjoy, and please tell us what you think!
Levain Bakery Unimpressive
I love Levain. That said, I think the oatmeal raison lends itself more to their big, soft, round style. That's the one that keeps me coming back. Also, all of their non-cooking items are fantastic.
BYO/Low Corkage Ideas?
Thanks- I think we are going to do Dylan Prime. The only reason I hesitate is that we've heard some mixed reviews. Any recent experiences?
Going to Jean-Georges tonight! WHAT TO GET?
Absolutely agree about the egg caviar (one of my all time favorite dishes). If you are going to do that, since there is a $25 supplement, you might as well do the tasting menu which has a few more unforgetable dishes- the garlic soup and frogs legs, and the Turbot in Chateau Chalon sauce. Enjoy!
BYO/Low Corkage Ideas?
We have a nice bottle of CA Cabernet that we'd like to take to a restaurant. I know there are a number of places that are either always BYO or offering BYO or low corkage specials now. We're considering Dylan Prime (because steak would probably go well with the Cabernet), La Sirene (I really liked it but seems like it might not be the ideal setting to enjoy a high end wine), and Alto which we went to recently and really enjoyed, but I might like to do something else. Thoughts on these restaurants? Any other ideas for byo or low corkage (under $20)? I was considering Apiary but I'd rather do a Friday or Saturday than a Monday.
Tasting Menu - One Night Only
Agree on 11 Madison- my favorite tasting menu other than Per Se. Also Jean Georges is another terrific option and there are actually two tasting menus, a classic menu that does not change and a seasonal menu. If you like wine, Veritas also does a fantastic tasting menu and has one of the best wine lists in the city.
Daniel vs. Jean Georges
Yes- I found it considerably less romantic. Actually, I liked the room in the same way I like the rooms at JG and Per Se (elegant and classy, but not traditionally romantic). I thought the old decor was kind of old-fashioned but definitely romantic. My SO was very disappointed with the new decor as she had very much enjoyed the more "french" feel of old Daniel. In fact, even our server commented that he liked the old decor better. For me, I would say new Daniel and JG are about equal in terms of romance.
Your 10 favorite Manhattan restaurants?
No order
Per Se
Eleven Madison
Perilla
Jean Georges
Lupa
Pisticci
Veritas
Compass
Bar Boulud
Cru
popping the question, just need a setting
Great choices! Per Se is our favorite in NY with JG and EMP tied for second. I had my post-engagement dinner at EMP and we did the 11 course and it was fantastic. They gave us a wonderful corner table, overlooking Madison Park. It's a big restaurant so it naturally depends where you are sitting (as table distances from each other and views vary), but I am sure that if you tell them your plan they will make it a magical evening, as they did for us.
That said, JG is also terrific and we've had only great meals there. I also might consider calling Per Se to see if they have any cancellations. If I was sure that one restaurant would deliver a one of a kind memory, it is Per Se. Let us know how it goes. Congrats!
last minute planning - dinner for two to celebrate engagement Wed night
The Modern is a good choice- solid food, cool setting. Veritas was terrific and is a bit more intimate if you're looking for that. And my choice, incidently my choice for my own post-engagement dinner a few months ago, is Eleven Madison. Wonderful grand setting across from Madison Park, with awesome food and fabulous service. Any of the three will be good choices though. Congrats!
Daniel vs. Jean Georges
We just went to Daniel for our anniversary. This was the second time we'd been and this meal was definitely a huge improvement over the first meal. The food was consistently very good (though nothing was particularly memorable). With regard to the comment I've seen a lot that Daniel is romantic, with the new renovation we found it to be elegant but much less romantic. Service was very good.
With that said, I would still pick JG. We've been to JG 3 times and had memorable and wonderful experiences each time. I just think that JG hits highs in terms of food that Daniel does not. The egg caviar dish and the turbot with chateau chalon sauce are two of my all-time favorite dishes. I'm sure you'll have a great meal either way though.
Alto- BYO help
Thanks whiner, we took your suggestion and really enjoyed it. It was very smooth and elegant, nice soft red fruit flavors with underlying herbal characteristics. It actually reminded me of a Burgundy. It went particularly well with the pasta courses and was also wonderful on its own. It was strong enough to stand up to the meat course though I did feel like it was harder to taste the secondary characteristics during the meat course (perhaps also because I was only able to decant for 1.5 hours). Overall, a terrific suggestion- many thanks!
Alto- BYO help
Hi, we're going to Alto this evening. As you may know if you are in NY, Alto now has no corkage for one bottle. I'm going to pick something up at Astor later today and I wanted your opinions. Not sure exactly what we will be having, but based on the menu online I would guess the following:
1st Course: Uovo "Bio" con Animelle e Tartufo Nero
soft poached organic egg, sautéed veal sweetbreads, black truffle, marsala
and Terrina di Fegato d’Anitra al Moscato con Rabarbaro
hudson valley foie gras terrine, pinenut crocante, braised rhubarb
[I'm thinking we'll get Champagne from their list to go with these].
2nd Course: Pappardelle con Ragu di Agnello da Latte, Olive e Santoreggia
wide ribbon pasta, roast baby lamb ragu, taggiasca olive, summer savory
Agnolotti del Plin, Spugnole e Marsala
piemontese duck ravioli, morel mushrooms, marsala and veal sauce
3rd Course: Carre di Angnello con Melenzane, Caperi, Olive e Ricotta Salata
rack of lamb, tomato-eggplant marmellata, capers, olives, ricotta salata
Tagliata di Manzo con Crocchetta di Patate, Porcini e Vino Rosso
creekstone farms sirloin, black truffle potato croquette, porcini mushrooms
red wine-bone marrow salsa
We're hopeing to stay around 100, a little more is fine and obviously less is great if there's something good. Seems like all of the dishes could support a fairly robust red. Here are a few I found, so let me know your thoughts on those or feel free to do your own search on http://www.astorwines.com
Bacio Divino 1995
Clos de l"Obac Priorat 2004
Torremuga 2004
Il Sodaccio 1995
Pertimali, (L Sassetti) Brunello 2004
Chateau La Comerie 2000
Clos Dubreuil 2000
Per Se or Jean-Georges
Per Se. Not to say that Jean Georges would not also blow you away (it is my 2nd or 3rd favorite restaurant in NY), but if you can afford it Per Se will absolutely blow you away. They differ somewhat in style with JG being a little more cutting edge in its flavor profiles, a little more french with asian influences. Per Se tends to be more straightforward and playful (in the sense of taking standard foods or preparations and twisting them in a completely new way- eg the salmon ice cream cone). Both have dishes that I will always remember and both are lovely spaces, actually across the street from one another. The overall Per Se experience, service, care, countless extra dishes, personalized touches, etc were what really set it apart for me. BTW, the JG lunch is a great idea and one of the best deals in town. Either way, have a great time.
Daniel Review - Very Long, Very Sad
Great review. I had a very similar experience the only time we've been there. The food was good (some courses were very good but not great, others were average). The service was highlty mediocre, though I think we just happened to get a waiter (perhaps new?) that did not know what he was doing. In any case, I agree that if I'm going to pay that much money in a city with so many other fabulous choices, pretty good doesn't cut it. I was seriously considering giving them another shot for our upcoming anniversary but your post (and several of the replies) may have convinced me not to. I would rather go back to EMP or JG (or even spend a little more for Per Se) than risk another less than stellar meal here. BTW, I quite like Bar Boulud so I think I'll stick with that.
What does everyone think is the best tasting menu, short of Per Se?
My personal favorites (after Per Se) are Eleven Madison and Jean Georges. Not sure when you last were at Eleven Madison, but if you haven't been since Chef Humm started a few years ago, that would be my pick for blow me away tasting menu. We also just recently had a tasting menu at Veritas which was terrific and they have one of the best wine lists in the city.
Veritas: a la cart or tasting menu?
We went on New Years Eve so they had a special tasting menu that day, but it was terrific. Some of the dishes on the current menu were included in that menu possibly with variations. Chef Pugin uses terrific ingredients in his tasting menus and does the smaller portion sizes very well. While I've not had the a la carte, I'd guess that the tasting menu is the way to go, especially if you generally like tasting menus. Note that it is $155 rather than $88 for the 3 course.
1st anniversary dinner - Jean-Georges or Gramercy Tavern?
I'll go the other way and say JG. Both are good options and they are completely different styles so it depends what you prefer. JG provides the more "wow" experience imo, in that the setting is wonderful, the service is fantastic and at its best the food takes you to places that GT doesn't. Particularly if you like the whole french, tasting menu, wine pairing, coddling type experience JG is great. On the other hand, GT is warmer perhaps, has more comforting, crowd-pleasing type food, and more relaxed service. I find that atmosphere nice, if crowded. I'm confident you would leave GT saying that was really good. JG you might leave saying wow (as we did) or it might not be your scene because of the formality and the more challenging food. Either way, I'm sure it will be great- enjoy!
Convivio or EMP for Restaurant Week?
See my comments and two other very positive reviews (and photos) in this thread- http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/588710
I thought it was fantastic- we've been several times both during RW and not, and I thought the overall experience and all of the dishes were right on par with those we've had during normal (Non-RW) meals at EMP. What I've found here is that a lot of dishes that sound boring (or odd?) end up being really good and interesting. For example, I never order chicken in a restaurant of this calibar but I decided to take a chance and was paid off with one of the best chicken dishes I've had. BTW we went to GT today which was also very good, though not quite as good as EMP, IMO.
What's the plan for restaurant week?
We had almost exactly the same lunch there yesterday- except the boudin blanc instead of the tagliatella. Agreed that everything was terrific, especially both appetizers which were great! The sommellier (who has helped us several times before) helped us pick a terrific German Riesling. We just recently (two weeks ago) had our post-engagement dinner at EMP where we had the Gourmand menu which was fantastic. But I must say that all of the dishes we had during our lunch could have been inserted into that menu and would have held up very well. The gift certificates are quite dangerous as we too already eat there more often than we should. For those that haven't been, however, I highly recommend you try during RW- EMP is our second favorite restaurant in the city behind only Per Se.
5 Year anniversary dinner????
Both good choices- Convivio is a very good deal at $58 for four courses. I'll also add our personal favorite in this price range, Perilla. We've been many times and have never been disappointed.
Wine for Post-Proposal Dinner
Well, she said yes. :) We had a wonderful dinner to celebrate yesterday at Eleven Madison. Thanks for all of the great advice! We decided to go all out and do the Gourmand 11 course tasting menu which was phenomenal. We had a lot of food and a lot of wine and it was great (though I'm still recovering).
So we started with the 1/2 bottle of Billecart-Salmon '96. It was a beautiful champagne. My fiance (hey this is the first time I'm referring to her that way) thought it was very complex and I could tell she really liked it. I thought it was quite yeasty upfront and then opened up nicely in the glass with berry flavors. It went very well with the canapes and caviar course.
Since we had the 11 course menu we let the sommelier pair some of the middle courses by the glass. With the beet salad and fruit de mer he paired a german riesling (Steinmetz spatlese) and an alsace riesling (Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile) that were very nice and it was fun to compare the two. We had two different sweet wines with the foie course, a Rousilliere that was like the esence of pear, and I didn't catch the name of the other though it was more in the style of a Sauternes. Then we had a very nice Puligny-Montrachet with the turbot and lobster courses.
We ordered the 1997 Fontodi Flaccianello and had that with the patridge course, the steak and shortribs course and the cheese course. Wow! Great choice, the nose was huge and beautiful. It was quite soft with a core of cherry but the undertones of earth, violet?, and a really pronounced herbal flavor that we both noted that we'd smelled before but couldn't identify. This wine prompted a discussion about taking a class or getting a smell kit or something so we can get better describing what we taste. In any event we loved it and it went especially well with the steak course.
So thanks again everyone. Just spending the night with my beautiful new fiance would have been enough I'm sure, but you all helped make it a very memorable experience!
My Culinary Fantasy Trip Next Week and I STILL need help :(
Wow, quite a line-up, I'm very impressed. We just went to Veritas on New Years Eve and it was terrific. Here's my report- http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/579582
I haven't been to Gordon Ramsey but I've heard mixed reviews, so I'd be inclined to go with Veritas though obviously you should defer to someone who's been there. Other than that, I would definitely keep EMP and JG as they are our second and third favorite restaurants in NY behind Per Se. It will be very interesting to see what you think!
Wine for Post-Proposal Dinner
Thanks everyone for the wonderful help! Looks like the big day is going to be tomorrow. I've been reading through reviews of your suggestions on cellartracker. I think I've narrowed it down to the wines listed below. I'd love to hear additional comments. Also, I think its possible that we may decide to do one of their tasting menus (either 5 or 11 courses) so if anyone has feelings about which wines might be best over a variety of courses I'd love to hear- or should Igive in and do their pairing? One thought I had was possibly doing three halfs- the 96 Billecart-Salmon champagne, the Robert Weil 1993 Auslese Riesling (we like Riesling), and then either one of the Beaucastels or Domaine Gros Frere et Soeur Clos du Vougeot Musigni 2005.
Otherwise we'll likely do the 96 Billecart and a bottle of one of the following reds:
2004 Roty Charmes Cambertin Villes Vignes
2004 Jacques Frederic Mugnier Clos de la Marechale
Beaucastel 1985
Fontodi Flaccianello 1997
Wine for Post-Proposal Dinner
So many choices! Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions everyone. I'm googling to find descriptions of all the wines. I think it would be good to go in with a few different ideas and decide based on what we order. I'll definitely report back after (it may be this week or next depending on other factors).
Wine for Post-Proposal Dinner
Thanks- great suggestions both of you. I actually recently had a glass of Clos de L'Arlot 04 which I loved. I've never really explored Burgundies because of budget and lack of knowledge but I think this might be a great chance to try (perhaps with the advice of sommelier as well). Also, we actually visited Rafanelli when we stayed in Healdsburg last year- I enjoyed all of their wines though I'm not really a big zin fan.
