Jean Georges

I went for the Classics Tasting Menu dinner last week. I had been to Jean Georges many years ago and remembered it as one of the best meals of my life. I am not sure if I am more jaded or just didn't enjoy some of the classics,

During the first few courses the only one that wowed me was the egg caviar.

The last few courses made up for it, the lobster and squab dishes had the layers of...+READ I went for the Classics Tasting Menu dinner last week. I had been to Jean Georges many years ago and remembered it as one of the best meals of my life. I am not sure if I am more jaded or just didn't enjoy some of the classics,

During the first few courses the only one that wowed me was the egg caviar.

The last few courses made up for it, the lobster and squab dishes had the layers of flavors and textures that made me turn my opinion around.

I liked that they offered 1/2 glasses of wine. I was able to sample several wines and match them to the courses.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (17 Replies) (by majmaj4, created December 3, 2011)

»Jean Georges still amazing

Jean Georges is still amazing after all these years. I hadn't been there since Jean Georges himself was cooking. At that time the foie gras was the best foie gras I've ever had. Tonite we did the Autumn tasting menu. The food was exceptional. The dishes were perfectly prepared. Foie gras was not part of that menu but was on the prix fixe menu, the accomodating staff, had no problem giving us the...+READ Jean Georges is still amazing after all these years. I hadn't been there since Jean Georges himself was cooking. At that time the foie gras was the best foie gras I've ever had. Tonite we did the Autumn tasting menu. The food was exceptional. The dishes were perfectly prepared. Foie gras was not part of that menu but was on the prix fixe menu, the accomodating staff, had no problem giving us the roasted foie gras as an additional course. The foie gras was as good as it gets. We also wanted the chocolate dessert course in addition to our dessert course. That was offered to us at no additional charge as well as a most delicidious chocolate mousse "birthday" cake. THe chocoaltes were creative, but not for all tasted. For example i think one of the chocolates was flavored with cumin. The lamb dish, described as "minced lamb" was actually a lamb chop. So, although kind of suprised at what was served, it was prepared to perfection. The sea bass was made comparable to that which Le Bernadin, served back in its "hay day". The skin was cripsy, the flavor incredible, the meat juicy. The goat cheese and beet dish was beyond all expectations. The service was as good as it gets. All the staff was knowledgable and gave perfect service. After just returning from Chevre D'or in Eze, France, a tough act to follow, Jean Georges held its own. I still have to say ,this is the best "haut cuisine" in New York.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (17 Replies) (by foodwhisperer, created October 11, 2011)

It was the best fin dining lunch I have had for the money. $32 for two courses is a real steal. Four of us went and so I got to try 7 courses (two of us ordered the skate) and two desserts.

A quick note on portions: surprisingly generous, two courses and a dessert (along with the amuse and petit fors) left us filled.

I thoroughly enjoyed the foie gras with strawberry (a $5 supplement and...+READ It was the best fin dining lunch I have had for the money. $32 for two courses is a real steal. Four of us went and so I got to try 7 courses (two of us ordered the skate) and two desserts.

A quick note on portions: surprisingly generous, two courses and a dessert (along with the amuse and petit fors) left us filled.

I thoroughly enjoyed the foie gras with strawberry (a $5 supplement and one of only two or three courses with a supplement), but thought the skate was merely very good (though it was a generous portion with morels and peas and other assorted goodies that easily would have cost $35-$40 at any 3-star restaurant in the city).

The sweetbreads were also very, very good.

I left totally surprised by how much very good food we got for our $40. Best fine dining deal in the city. There, I said it.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (6 Replies) (by nmprisons, created June 29, 2011)

»Emperor has no clothes? Pedestrian, disappointing lunch at Jean Georges

I had lunch this past Saturday at Jean Georges, and my companions and I were thoroughly disappointed with both the food and service. We had the $32 taste of autumn menu (choice of 2 menu options), plus dessert and tea/coffee. In general, we found the food to be pedestrian, banal, over-salted, and occasionally inexplicable. Service was officious and perfunctory.

To start off, my friend and I...+READ I had lunch this past Saturday at Jean Georges, and my companions and I were thoroughly disappointed with both the food and service. We had the $32 taste of autumn menu (choice of 2 menu options), plus dessert and tea/coffee. In general, we found the food to be pedestrian, banal, over-salted, and occasionally inexplicable. Service was officious and perfunctory.

To start off, my friend and I had the cherry yuzu soda, which we'd had previously (and loved) at Perry Street- and it was still delicious here. My husband ordered a passionfruit whiskey sour, but received a passionfruit soda. We found ourselves unable to get a waiter's attention for quite some time, and then when we did finally get some service, the drink was whisked away with barely an apology (we sort of assumed that in this stratosphere, we'd have gotten to keep a drink that had already been tasted!). The bread was very good, as was the butter and the salt, presented nicely in a salt dish with a mother-of-pearl spoon.

The amuse-bouche consisted of a goat cheese fritter, fluke sashimi, and a broccoli soup. The goat cheese fritter was decent, but on a whole this course was unmemorable. Bouche was not amused.

For appetizers, my friend had the scallops ($8 supplement), I had the skate, and my husband had the crabcake. My friend felt that the major flavoring in her scallops was salt. The skate itself was bland, although the garnish was somewhat interesting. It just didn't cohere as a dish. Finally, my husband's appetizer, described as "crispy crab," was a mediocre crab cake doused in wasabi, which destroyed any taste the crab cake might have once held.

For entrees, my friend was quite happy with her slow-roasted salmon, I was reasonably content with my red snapper, but my husband found his beef tenderloin to be boring and not a particularly good cut. The entree was certainly the best part of my meal. The delicate flavor and creaminess of the red snapper was lovely contrasted against the smokiness of the crisp nuts and seeds and was well melded by the flavorful broth poured over the top. However, my husband's caramelized tenderloin, was entirely ordinary. The meat itself was merely broiled and somewhat dry. It was presented upon a heap of brussel sprouts, pecans, and avocado. The vegetables were indeed tasty; however, their flavor was largely overpowered by the chef's inexplicable infatuation with salt. Overall this was something trivial to make at home with greater success. I suppose that two out of three was an improvement over the first course, but disappointing for a four star restaurant!

As far as service went- everyone seemed to be reading off a script. It was all quite rote and unwelcoming. My favorite part was the waitress who refused to point to or show me to the ladies' room until she had set the table for dessert. And, for the record, the facilities were somewhat lacking- one stall in the ladies' room for a fairly large restaurant.

Desserts- lowlights included the appalling fennel and seaweed garnish on an otherwise perfectly nice green apple sorbet, a spice cake that reminded my husband of one he'd made in junior high home economics, and a bitter blackberry strip that seemed to be an adaptation of a fruit roll-up. Originality was attempted in the sweet-pea sorbet, which sounded suspicious and for good reason. Think ground frozen pea mush. My friend was overall pleased with her dessert, but complained that her pumpkin ice-cream had virtually no flavor.

Highlights? The included chocolates (reminiscent of Maison du Chocolat but not quite as good) and the chocolate cremeux on my dessert (tiny but quite fabulous). The little macarons were also interesting and had a very lovely and light red-hot-like flavor. This worked well, but this was not enough given the expectations!

As an accompaniment to the finale, you are also offered fancy marshmallows cut off with scissors by a surly gentleman severely intent in performing his grave task and moving on as soon as possible. Yes, they are fancy...but they are also marshmallows (sweet, pillowy, juvenile). To be fair, there was clearly an attempt to infuse these staypuffs with vanilla bean to add value, however, the occasional clumps of the black vanilla bean scrapings were somewhat unsavory. Really? This merits four stars? My husband's coffee was good, and the tea was fine (although I was rather surprised that there were all of three choices- English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and chamomile, much like my diner down the street.)

I am disappointed because I'd done a lot of research into picking JG (also considered Eleven Madison Park and Del Posto). I really enjoyed Perry Street, so I thought JG would be similar but more spectacular. I have a baby and I don't get to go out to nice restaurants very often. I love food and I appreciate a great meal, and this was definitely not it.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (7 Replies) (by eateroftheapple, created November 15, 2010)

I second Nougatine (casual side of Jean George). The quality, portion and taste are all solid. Another one I had recently at Punch, by Union Square, was also quite good; nice, bright yuzu dressing. REPLY (20 Replies) (by wadawada, created June 11, 2010)

»A bargain lunch and a nice intro to Jean-Georges.

Friends told us about the $29 lunch and it's a deal. A good way for me & my companions to have a first visit to Jean-Georges. You get any two dishes from the menu, and you can add another for $14.50. To start, I chose the Goat Cheese Royale with beets and crushed pistachios...good lord I wanted to give myself a facial with this, it was such a wonderful expression of one of my favorite flavor...+READ Friends told us about the $29 lunch and it's a deal. A good way for me & my companions to have a first visit to Jean-Georges. You get any two dishes from the menu, and you can add another for $14.50. To start, I chose the Goat Cheese Royale with beets and crushed pistachios...good lord I wanted to give myself a facial with this, it was such a wonderful expression of one of my favorite flavor combos...the fluffy consistency of the goat cheese, with the crunchy (and a little spicy) pistachios, and the firm tasty diced beets were soooo delicious. Wow. Then it was on to the grilled beef tenderloin, with crunchy potatoes, pear & horseradish puree, and fresh spinach. Very tender beef, medium rare as requested, about 3/4 inch thick, not the most amazing piece of beef I've ever had but very good. May I please have these potatoes with every meal? So good. Spinach not overcooked, a nice little crunch...and the pear & horseradish puree was good; not sure if the flavor of the beef dipped in the puree worked, not entirely for me, anyway, but I was satisfied. For dessert: the J-G chocolate cake with melted chocolate inside, vanilla bean ice cream...I was told he invented this and after having this I would not want to bother with anyone else's. We had a well-priced italian red, about $50, very good. Coffee after lunch was OK, not amazing, I was looking forward to a really good cup of coffee...a minor quibble, but hey...
Overall I would recommend lunch here to anyone...nice to have the view of the park in the daytime, too.
(I'd suggest that they pay the Salvation Army guy with the boombox at the top of the Columbus Circle subway station to turn off the boombox...as the room quieted, a persistent thud penetrated the windows...ugh.)-COLLAPSE (by Frederick Loren, created December 19, 2009)