Restaurant experiment: Saul

Saul

140 Smith Street between Bergen Street and Dean Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

718-935-9844

http://saulrestaurant.com

For my birthday dinner destination, I carefully poured over the list of Michelin-starred restaurants and cross-checked with OpenTable for availabilities and researched the menus online, keeping an eye out for tasting menus.  What was kind of edging itself into the forefront was Saul which kind of flies under the radar since it’s in Brooklyn, Boerum Hill to be exact.  And it’s not flashy or gimmicky.  Matter settled.  Reservation booked, Dave and I headed to Brooklyn.

We almost went into Apartment 138 next door, oops.  Once you step into Saul, you see that it’s not a huge space by all means.  The walls are brick, and some rectangular abstract art paintings decorate one wall, while grass-like plants sprout up on the other side.  I am not an interior decorator and do not know what to call these things.  Interestingly enough, there are fans on the ceiling, which consists of gray patterned tiles.  Background music consisted of slowish songs by Wilco, Radiohead, and others.

The menus were cutely presented, with each one featuring a different photograph.  I only glanced at the appetizers and mains since I was more fixated on the tasting menu, which is its own separate menu.  For some reason, only one is given, and Dave and I had to share it.  But looking at the seven courses, we approved and decided to go for it.  It’s $85 plus an optional $60 wine pairing which we nixed.  The tasting menu courses did all seem to come from the regular menu.

There was plenty of wine to choose from, but the cocktail list didn’t really grab me.  The bartenders, while appearing to serve up a full bar, could not make an amaretto sour.  Hmm.  Dave found his dirty martini made with Tito’s Handmade vodka to be satisfactory.

A runner brought out bread and then an amuse bouche which was a mushroom puree with croutons and truffle oil.  What a warming ramekin on a winter’s day.  There was also warmth brought about by a peppery undertone.  A positive, auspicious start to the meal.

Crudo of Japanese Yellowtail
marinade of citrus extra virgin olive oil, cilantro, peppers

It was like having summer in your mouth, with the lightness, the citrus flavors, the fish.  I requested no cilantro, so the evil herb was thankfully left off my dish.  Wonderful way to start off the meal.

Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi
sugar snap peas, parmesan, prosciutto

Peas made their first appearance.  The gnocchi weren’t as cheesy as you’d expect, but they were pleasing.  The prosciutto was fried up to resemble bacon.  Mmm.

Grilled Spanish Octopus
slow cooked pork belly, grilled scallion, kohlrabi, sriracha chili, honey, lime, sesame

Hmm, what do I remember.  I did believe the octopus to be dandy, and I recall liking the vinaigrette it was in.

There was an odd long lag time between the octopus and the striped bass.  Not sure what was going on there.

Sautéed Striped Bass
spring vegetable ragout, smoky ham hock broth

The veggie soup was comforting and went down easy.  Eating bass at a restaurant named Saul makes me think of Saul Bass who designed the opening titles to Psycho.  I wonder if anyone else thought that.  Cooked fish items tend to not impress me all that much, but I liked this fine.  The white corn in the ragout was delightful.

Foie Gras Terrine
duck confit, brioche, cherry

The superstar of the meal was definitely the foie gras.  Here it was paired with sweet fruit flavors.  Quince, apricot I believe.  I forgot what the runner said.  Brioche on the bottom.  Oh, if only there were more.  I do dig the semi-juxtaposition of liver with fruit.

Roasted Breast & Confit Leg of Squab
potato puree, Brussels sprouts

After the foie gras, the squab was kind of a letdown.  Okay, that’s bit harsh, but it just was not on the same level.  Don’t get me wrong, it was great, but no foie gras.  Yummy mashed potatoes, excuse me, potato puree, and Brussels sprouts.  Peas make another appearance.

Choice of dessert or cheese

For dessert, you were given a choice of cheese or a traditional dessert.  The options hailed from places such as Oregon, Indiana, and France.  Dave initially wanted to get the cheese but decided not to when he learned that you only were served one.  The dessert options included Baked Alaska, panna cotta, bread pudding, apple cherry crumble, pine nut tart, and goat cheese cheesecake.  I was going to choose the goat cheese cheesecake since the Baked Alaska didn’t seem very exciting to me (coffee and vanilla ice cream on dark chocolate cookie), but then I thought, what the hey, the Baked Alaska is Saul’s signature dessert, and I’ve never had such a thing before.  Looking back, the dessert was the weakest dish in the tasting menu, Dave and I both agreed.  The pear sorbet portion of Dave’s goat cheese cheesecake was a revelation.  You could taste the grainy pear bits in the sorbet.  It was like if a pear froze itself and became sorbet.  The Baked Alaska resembled a gooey marshmallow-covered porcupine.  Generally I do not like meringue much so I was in trouble, but the ice cream and cookie portions redeemed it all.  Apparently Saul’s frozen ice cream treat is so famous that there was an episode of Throwdown! with Bobby Flay featuring the Baked Alaska.

The service was maybe not as refined as some restaurants I’ve been to, as silverware was sometimes kind of dropped down, and not all of the crumbs were scraped off the table paper.  The table paper reminded me of the wings sports bar where we had been earlier, Blondie’s on the Upper West Side.  Our waitress sometimes seemed nice, and other times she seemed moody.  Couldn’t figure her out.

We also received a treat with the bill: two homemade caramels.  And we were stoked when we were given a small tin of the caramels to take home.  I love restaurant take homes!  The tin was even decorated with Christmas masking tape.  Perfect way to cap off a fantastic meal.

P.S. Chef Saul Bolton also owns The Vanderbilt which I have never been to but have heard of.  Just an FYI.

Restaurant experiment: Aldea

Aldea

31 West 17th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues

New York, NY 10011

212-675-7223

http://aldearestaurant.com

Since it was Stacy’s birthday, she was hosting a “splurge” dinner, and the venue was to be Aldea, a Portuguese restaurant suggested by her friend Mark.  Our group of eight was seated on the top floor of Aldea.  The restaurant is on the narrow side, and the table doesn’t exactly leave much room for spreading out.  But the space is modern and svelte, attractive.

All of us were going for the $85 tasting menu with five courses.  I opted out of the wine paring.  I looked over the cocktail menu but was not enamored of anything.  Eschewing the booze, I went for the homemade lemonade ($5) which was just my speed and was just like how I would have made it: tarty with a sliver of sugar.  Ended up guzzling two of those over the course of the meal.  Esther and Stacy kindly shared their wine parings with me so I was able to partake somewhat.

The meal started off with bread choices.  I had the baby baguette; I’m a sucker for mini-breads.  It was what you’d expect.  Cornbread and olive rolls were some of the other options.

Next was a raw oyster on a bed of salt with a cup of warming soup, maybe mussel soup?  Ugh, memory failure.  Do I need to start taking notes?  Anyway, I do recollect both treats being well worth eating, or slurping, in the case of the oyster.

A highlight of the tasting menu was the fingerling potato soup with sea urchin and shaved truffles.  I am not a truffle sort of person, so I could do without.  Esther agrees that truffles do not rock her world, but she is of the camp that the aroma of earthy truffles enhance the meal.  I could see that though I am not 100% in agreement.  Anyway, the urchin and the soup steal the show.

Cuttlefish and foam?  Some sort of multi-appendaged sea beast.  It was all right though I’m just over this whole foam thing.  Eh.

Now here we have a seared scallop with microfine squash shavings which the waitstaff emphasized were not saffron strands, but squash.  Interesting.

Looking back, I find the arroz de pato one of the most memorable dishes.  Since I dig duck in general, and rice too, I loved how there were generous amounts of the water bird mixed with the rice, and the rice was crunchified as well…I’m a sucker for crunches and near-burned foodstuffs.  There’s a lot going on here, not just duck and rice, but also chorizo, olives, and even clementines, so says the menu.  Wonderful.

Dessert was a citrus sorbet with ginger enhancements.  The fruit was so fresh and flavorful.  I could do without ginger, but overall, I could use several more mini cups of this.

And finally, complimentary petit fours.  I usually do not find petit fours to be worth discussing.  There were fine but superfluous, ending with the sorbet would have been exiting on a higher note.

It was nearly midnight when I left Aldea.  What a long meal!  The service was accommodating; when Steve had to leave, they boxed up his dessert so he could have it to-go.  Also, everyone (including Belinda and I who were no gos on the wine pairing) were given the final pairing, a shot of a light-colored port.

Restaurant experiment: Chez Panisse Cafe

Chez Panisse Cafe

1517 Shattuck Avenue

Berkeley, CA 94709

510-548-5049

http://www.chezpanisse.com

I made this reservation a month in advance and was looking forward to it for 30 days.  Until I fell ill while consuming consumables in a foreign land only a few days prior.  Sob!  I recovered enough to actually make it to Chez Panisse Cafe, but my stomach was not up to par.  What a terrible shame.

As you may know, Chez Panisse is one of the biggest names in the local ingredient restaurants gang.  It consists of a restaurant downstairs and a cafe upstairs.  Seeing as though the restaurant is a tough one for reservations and more expensive, I had concluded earlier that the cafe was the way to go.  It was a dandy day in Berkeley, making for a pleasant walk from the BART station.  The cafe reminded me of a treehouse since I could see green leaves from the second story windows.  And there’s lots of wood.

Even though it was 1:30, the cafe was crowded, every seat full.  All the servers and the hostess looked like they’ve been working at Chez Panisse for 20 years: middle-aged.  Only the water/bread boys looked like they were undergrads.  Brother and I looked over the day’s menu.  As you’d expect, Chez Panisse’s offerings change daily depending on available foodstuffs.  I ordered the goat cheese and greens as a starter, and brother selected the zucchini soup with a glass of cider.  The cider was cold and refreshing, and I wished I could steal more sips.  Pesky stomach.  The goat cheese was celestial, and the greens had a delectable vinaigrette on them.  The soup was something very fall-like and comforting with its viscosity.  I was sure to steer clear of the spicy red pepper flakes.

The main course I picked out was the hand-cut green noodles with chicken and turkey ragout and parmesan cheese.  I kind of wanted something else (clams!); however, in the interest of my GI tract, I refrained and selected the gentle option.  The noodles were superb, and you could definitely tell they weren’t grocery store dried pasta or anything.  The bits of fowl were generous in their quantity as well.  I could only eat half before I called it quits.  Luckily, the staff were kind enough to box the pasta up for me.

First courses are the ballpark of $10 and seconds are in the realm of $20.  The worst part was not being able to partake in the desserts!  I nearly cried I was so despondent.  For tip calculating haters like myself, 17% gratuity is already added.  And the women’s restroom can accommodate two ladies while the men’s restroom is for just one gentleman.  Thanks Alice Waters!

Restaurant experiment: Marc Forgione

Marc Forgione

134 Reade Street between Greenwich and Hudson Streets

New York, NY 10013

212-941-9101

http://www.marcforgione.com/

I picked Marc Forgione for a dinner to celebrate an accomplishment because I wanted to knock some more Michelins off the list.  Its prices don’t give you heart attacks, I haven’t been cavorting in Tribeca lately, and it’s not so hoity toity that you feel like you’re in a museum.  And yes, the menu sounded satisfactory.  Perfect.  What was not-so-perfect was me fighting a pesky rhinovirus.  Bleh.

The restaurant is beautiful.  The main dining area has brick walls and tube lighting (like Christmas lights) sneaking behind the booths.  Glass lamps are suspended from the ceiling and encase flickering candles.  The bathrooms recall mountain cabins, with old framed pictures on the dark cloth walls.  I didn’t go into the bar area so I don’t know what that was like, but it seemed pretty popular.  There is also outdoor seating which I wouldn’t have minded either since this block of Reade is calm and not infused with automobiles and humanoids.

Stacy and Josh were running late, but thankfully the hostess was fine with a) pushing the reservation back some, and b) seating us first.  Our table was 50% booth, 50% chairs, and from the booth seats, I could peek directly into the kitchen which I of course was delighted by.  There was some hoopla recently about chef Marc Forgione ejecting a New York Times writer (not the restaurant critic) from his establishment, but Mr. Forgione refrained from yelling during our meal I am pleased to report (I think I saw him?).

In the meantime, Dave and I scrutinized the drink menu.  I decided to go for a signature drink.  Oddly, it doesn’t have a catchy name but is simply called tequila with mango-mint.  The cocktail’s mango is rather subdued.  What a soothing green color too.  Smooth and slightly minty.  Sminty!  We were brought two warm rolls with butter.  We cheered.  When Stacy and Josh showed up, Stacy also tried a signature concoction (rhubarb & elderflower mimosa) while Josh requested a Sierra Nevada which was out and the waitress brought him an alternative microbrew which he approved of, so points for her.  Also, bringing out more bread for all was appreciated.

The amuse bouche?  Two spoons of meatballs and two spoons of white beets and goat cheese.  I opted for the latter because of goat cheese trumping my dislike of beets.  White beets aren’t as punchy thank goodness.  Goat cheese seriously makes anything better.  How strange is it that you can only try one amuse?  Frown.

My appetizer was the “Hangtown Fry, Crispy Olde Salt Oysters, Smoked Paprika Aioli, Pickled Red Onions, North Country Bacon” ($15).  I guess I was expecting large oysters, but these were about the size of tablespoons.  And the Hangtown fry turned out to be an omelette.  A Google search led me to Wikipedia which stated that a Hangtown fry is a special omelette that rose to prominence during the Gold Rush.  One origin story had it that a prospector stuck the motherlode and ordered the most expensive breakfast out of the most costly ingredients at the time: eggs, oysters, and bacon.  Hehe.  Well, I hope that prospector liked his as much as I liked mine!

Both Dave and Stacy ordered the hamachi appetizer which earned approval from both of them.  The most curious aspect of this dish was that it came with sichuan buttons to pop in your mouth prior to delving into the fish.  I had never heard of this plant before.  It’s actually a miniature bud.  At Marc Forgione, it’s used as a palate cleanser.  It pops in your mouth and also triggers salivation due to the spilanthol which acts on the trigeminal nerve.  Wow, how cool is that?  I didn’t try any but I was fascinated.

A noticeable amount of time passed between the first course and the second.  Hmm.  Then all the mains came out for everyone.  I had ordered the bacon-encrusted pork chop which came with basil mashed potatoes and pickled peppers.  It was a massive cut of meat, that’s for sure.  Was I enraptured?  No, not really.  There just wasn’t a kick, an oomph that made you go googly-eyed during each bite.  Needed more bacon flavor perhaps.

Regarding the desserts, the key theme was comfort food.  No wacky sweets with bizarre freaky ingredients here.  You’ve even got baked-on-demand chocolate chip cookies.  Ice cream features prominently.  Stacy ordered a huge sundae which I sampled, and Josh opted for the PB&J which had peanut butter cookies as the bread.  Cute!  Dave and I split the “tattoos and strawberries” named after the tattooed pastry chef.  Homemade ice creams such as strawberry and chocolate, maple oatmeal cookie, rocky road, hooray!  Sadly my cold dulled the flavors, making it tougher for me to discern what each flavor was.  What a bummer.

There were complimentary wee blueberry oatmeal squares in cream with the check.  Made paying the check go down sweeter!

To sum up, I liked Marc Forgione fine, but Michelin star?  Skeptical.  I would go again for brunch, since the menu seems to have prices all in the low teens.

Restaurant experiment: The Modern

The Modern

9 West 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues

New York, NY 10016

212-333-1220

http://www.themodernnyc.com/

The Modern is the Museum of Modern Art‘s fanciest dining option. It’s got two faces: a flashier louder bar/small plates room and then the more formal dining room in the back, where jackets are required for gentlemen, a glass wall faces into the MoMA’s sculpture garden, and rolling chairs are the chairs that you rest yourself in (how very office-like). If you’re a fan of From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler like me, being in an art museum after hours is still a little thrill, despite the MoMA not being the Met.  I was stoked to try The Modern because it has one Michelin star, chef Gabriel Kreuther recently won a James Beard award (Best chef of NYC), and Danny Meyer of Shake Shack and others fame runs the place.

Entering the establishment, the Bar Room was hopping.  And reception didn’t make me feel like garbage for being late. Dave and I were seated at a two top by the windows, in rolly chairs.  He and I decided to get the tasting menu. You basically have only three dinner options: the $88 three course meal, the $125 chef tasting menu, or the $135 seasonal tasting menu. And the cheese cart is an add on, as well as wine parings. Every time a server wheeled the cart of cheese by, I would inhale a whiff of fromage and be in heaven.

The service was spot on, with synchronized movements, knowledge, and efficiency. 

Regarding the bathroom, if you’re using the bathroom sinks, you turn on the sensor with your hand, but don’t forget to turn it off.

Enough fluff, here’s what you came here for.

Amuse bouche

I for the life of me cannot repeat in entirety what the server described these as.  But just look at those silver spoons!  All I can recall is that the circles on the left contain creme fraiche.  Bites of happiness.  And it’s a little out-of-place seeming to eat popcorn at such an upscale place, but if you add porcini, it’s acceptable.

Amuse bouche

There was another one here, and sadly the picture is unacceptable.  I just remember fish eggs on top of something panna cotta-like?  All in a big goblet.  And I can’t neglect mentioning the bread.  I consumed a kalamata roll and a french bun.

Foie Gras Terrine Flavored with Juniper-Marinated Raisins, Pistachio Joconde

I typically love foie gras, but this offering was too salty for me. However, take that with a grain of salt since Dave adored it.  Cute touch with the flower petal atop the raisins.

Tartare of Yellowfin Tuna and Diver Scallops Seasoned with Yellowstone River Caviar

Yes yes yes, this made up for the foie gras.  The dressing was wonderful.  Even now, I still marvel at how thin the cucumbers were sliced.  Impressed I was. 

Ravioli of Escargot with Slow Poached Quail Eggs, Escargot Caviar and Mustard Greens

Normally I don’t think much of snails, but I was swayed with this here dish.  Mmm, buttery goodness.

Maine Lobster “Cappuccino”

I thought this was a funky bold unique success; Dave marked it a miss but did gobble down the lobster pieces at the bottom of the cup. It looks like you’re drinking an Italian coffee beverage, but it’s flavored like the sea.  No picture because it ended up a sea of white.

Chorizo-Crusted Codfish with White Coco Bean Purée and Harissa Oil

No picture because I forgot. I was too preoccupied by all the treats emerging from the kitchen.  I must confess I wasn’t too thrilled with the cod because I find chorizo too spicy for me, but it was prepared perfectly, and I did like the beans and bean paste.

Pennsylvania Duck Breast with Black Trumpet Marmalade, “Fleischschneke”, and Banyuls Jus

The Fleischschneke just looks cool; it’s the swirl in the top left and is duck confit in some noodle-y thing.  There’s a braised apple in the upper right too.  The breakout star here was the duck.  Why do places serve duck right before dessert?  I’m getting full and can’t enjoy the duck as much.  No luck with duck.  Dave gave the thumbs up to the black trumpet marmalade coating the duck pieces.

Amuse bouche

Passion fruit gelee? (yellow bottom layer), sour apple granita? (white top), dotted with pomegranate seeds.  One shot was not enough!  I would have preferred a pint glass!  These glasses were pretty rad: circular at the top and oval at the bottom.

Pineapple ‘Chartreuse’ with Fresh Herb Sorbet

Slices of pineapple hugging cream. Dessert B subplot is herb sorbet with a marshmallow ribbon draped on top. Herb ice cream: there’s a reason why Ben and Jerry’s isn’t pushing Smokin’ Herb or somesuch flavor on us–it is not palatable, though Dave would be to differ, saying it grows on you.

Happy birthday polka dotted cake for the birthday lad!

Desserts would not stop coming!  Not pictured are petit fours and a box of chocolates.  The petit fours weren’t really worth mentioning.  One had cilantro, ew.  The server warned me thoughtfully because I stated earlier that I despise that plant.  Blech.

To The Modern: thanks for making me pleased for picking you. What a nearly perfect birthday dinner!

Restaurant experiment: Rhong Tiam

Rhong Tiam

541 LaGuardia Place between West 3rd and Bleecker Streets

New York, NY 10012

212-477-0600

http://www.rhong-tiam.com/

The Coding Philosopher had alerted me to the fact that a reasonably priced establishment had earned a 2010 Michelin star.  Wild, no?  And Thai food too.  Naturally I had to check this out.

So I took Dave and the brother to this joint on the eve before Thanksgiving.  It was very dead, guessing it was because of the holiday.  Rhong Tiam is very white (paint-wise), with a raised section of tables and a lower section.  And there are Christmas lights twinkling up the place.  And a Vespa greets you as you enter.  Banjo-type music plays, some twangy European sounding stuff.

The menu is ginormous and reminds me of a diner menu.  I had a Thai iced tea as is my want.  We started off with two appetizers which were about $5 each.  Dave suggested the roti canai “crispy and doughy indian style pancake served with curry sauce” (in the foreground), and I decided we should sample the Thai nachos “minced shrimp and chicken in coconut dipping served with crispy shrimp chips” (in the background).  Both were nice, and my dinner companions were rather fond of the sauces and kept them after the severs tried to take them away.

For my main, I selected the Singapore Mee which was thin rice noodles with bean sprouts, egg, shrimp, signature sauce, and I picked out beef.  Despite no chili pepper by its name on the menu, it was spicy and made my lips tingle after.  The thought of how spicy the spicy meals are scares me.  While the noodles were good, they didn’t make me want to close my eyes and think that I could just die right then and there and be satisfied.  Dave and the brother seemed to like their dishes fine.

Man, I wish I had room for dessert, because looking now, there’s something called Thai tea creme brulee.  Drool.  So Rhong Tiam: it’s not an upscale dining experience, but it’s a tasty dining experience.  I’ll have to suggest it to Lisa since she’s the Thai fan in my circle.

Fun fact: the receipt encourages you to write online reviews.  Hee.

Restaurant experiment: Veritas

Veritas

43 East 20th Street between Broadway and Park Avenue South

New York, NY 10003

212-353-3700

http://www.veritas-nyc.com/

Eight people commanding a restaurant.  Kind of cool but kind of not since Veritas was on the empty side.  Almost creepy.  It’s nice to have attention lavished on you, but a few more full tables would have been nice.  Holiday weekend?  A shame regardless. 

It was AmyL’s idea to check Veritas out.  Even though the chef associated with the place has since departed, it’s still noted for its cuisine (one Michelin star) and mammoth wine list.

We sat around a figure-8 shaped table which sort of segregated our group into two factions.  After some discussion, it was agreed to try out the nine course tasting menu.  Yikes.  I’ve never done a tasting menu that large before…have I even done a tasting menu?  Don’t think so. 

Armed with glasses of riesling, here’s what we had.  It was too dark in the restaurant for perfect pictures; we must make do with a small smattering.  The kind employees gave us menus to take home so we could remember all the dishes we tried.  Perfect!

1. Amuse bouche–asparagus soup with croutons, thumbs up.
2. Lemon marinated langoustine–mmm!  One of my favorites since I’m partial to raw shellfish, and it came with caviar.  Langoustine is also known as scampi and the Norway lobster, as I looked up just now.  Ah, now Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi makes sense.
3. Foie gras mille-feuille–mmm again!  Foie gras with pineapple was a rather unconventional pairing, but it worked. 
4. Lobster nage–eh.  Lobster soup with white asparagus.
5. Fresh white asparagus roti–the yolk from the egg attacked Stacy!  The egg was somewhat bland, but that was balanced out by the saltiness of the jamon.
6. 6.  Sauteed frogs legs–this had to be the most talked about platter during the meal.  The bone was pulled out in such a way that the meat turned into a lollipop.  Plus you had a special dish of water with which to wash your fingers.  What fun!  Mini-chicken drumsticks with green dipping sauce.
7. Wild turbot–another eh.
8. Barbary duck breast–while I did praise this, I was become stuffed at this point and couldn’t enjoy it as much.  Bummer.  Nectarines (whoops, I said peach) and figs were delightfully warm and sweet. 
9. L-Ossau-Iraty–cheese!
10. 10.  Chocolate mille-feuille–again, I was too stuffed.  They sure do like putting gold flakes in the food.
11. 11.  Bonus dessert–marshmallow and Earl Grey truffle and something that I forgot and ate before I took a snapshot.  The other two were not of note, but I drink Earl Grey like nobody’s business, so the Earl Grey chocolate was just my style.

Nine course tasting menus could be a bit of a mixed bag.  I don’t think any one dinner guest of mine was vehemently infatuated with all eleven courses, but we all liked a lot several and were neutral or didn’t like several.  It all evens out.

Healthy debates–err conversation, good friends, fun food.  And that’s the truth that I found in the wine.

Restaurant experiment: Perry St

Perry St

172 Perry Street at West Street

New York, NY 10014

212-352-1900

jean-georges.com

Are you drooling yet? Let’s start with the best part of any meal, dessert! Or we can be like one of those movies which tells a story in reverse. And now I present Perry St, another eatery in the Jean-Georges restaurant empire. The chef himself has a blog which is worth taking a peek at.

Perry St offers up a $24 lunch prix fixe every day of the week. Bargain indeed! It’s Michelin starred and everything too. The $24 includes two plates and dessert. You have a choice of either ricotta cheesecake or molten chocolate cake. Logical thought led AmyL and I to select the chocolate cake. Mmm, volcanic chocolate. Pretty to boot too, with the light minty-colored pistachio ice cream floating on pistachio crumbles. The photograph speaks for itself.

For plates, I wanted the shrimp and beef tartare, but the waiter broke the sad news that they were all out of beef tartare. Personally I’m in the group that believes waiters should tell you what’s not available as you receive your menu. Then I had to scramble to pick an alternate. It ended up being the Arctic char sashimi. I wasn’t sure what Arctic char was, but it looked and tasted just like salmon.

Fish note: Arctic char is related to both salmon and trout. It’s an eco-friendly fishy, farm raised, something you can feel green about eating.

The sashimi was jazzed up with lemon, olive oil, and crispy skin. Fabulous. If only the portion was bigger since fish isn’t all that heavy. The sauteed shrimp features baby artichokes and lemon fennel vinaigrette. The generous dash of herbs sprinkled on top enhanced the experience. Can’t go wrong with the seafood here at Perry St, and AmyL heartily liked her beets and slow cooked salmon.

AmyL kept ordering dishes that contained more food that me. But I ate the free bread and was decently satisfied.

As for non-edible aspects of Perry St, the spacious restaurant is practically all windows, meaning light galore. And the place sure likes white, though the white leather seat I was sitting on was losing the battle with dirt. The crowd was more business-power-lunch/meet-the-parents. Our waiter looked like a stereotypical geek right out of central casting with the curly fro and huge eyeglasses. He was keeping it real.

Restaurant experiment: Peter Luger

Peter Luger

178 Broadway at Driggs

Brooklyn, NY 11211

718-387-7400

peterluger.com

AmyL had been the champion of us eating at Peter Luger, the Michelin-starred, established-in-1887 steakhouse institution. She got us a 10:45pm reservation; if you’re planning on coming here, be sure to book about a month in advance for normal times. Peter Luger is not far from the subway, but the surrounding area is almost spooky dead. We met up with the Geneticist and his friends T and the Engineer and prepared ourselves to gouge on steak.

The waiter asked if we needed menus. The menu as you could imagine, is pretty bare bones. I copied AmyL and ordered the small single steak [medium] with French fried potatoes (approximately $32). I was not ravenous due to the big lunch, but I was hungry enough, opting not to fill up on bread which wasn’t receiving rave reviews from the table anyway. What also didn’t receive rave reviews was the world famous Peter Luger’s old fashioned steak sauce which was basically cocktail sauce. A1′s still #1 in my book. The other three decided to order steak for three, rare. I tried a bite of that. Very tuna tartare-like.

As you can see from my photo above, the steak was astronomically amazing. It didn’t even need sauce. So buttery and flavorful and meaty. A vegetarian’s nightmare! Just rented Tommy Boy so now I have that quotation about butchers and steaks in my head. It’s not exactly appropriate to repeat here.

Even though our stomachs were full of steak, we indulged in desserts. The rest of us hacked into a fat slice of cheesecake with homemade “schlag” (whipped cream), and T generously let us try her mango sorbet. Mmm.

From reviews on Yelp, I thought the waiters would be gruffer than they were. They were actually sort of friendly, but you got the feeling that they wouldn’t be bending over backwards to satisfy your every whim. However, they did toss silverware on the table, loud clatter. And they were trying to shoo us out so they could close; we were the last diners at the restaurant. Cash only is annoying. But you receive a shiny gold Peter Luger chocolate coin as a free dessert.

I got oily steak fat onto one of my favorite t-shirts. Oh well, if I had to stain a shirt, it might as well be from phenomenal cuts of cow.

Andy Samberg and Bill Hader from Saturday Night Live were at the next table. Sweet!

The top of the food heap, Michelin-style

This past Monday, both Zagat and the Michelin Guide released their lists of top restaurants in New York City. I’m not much of a Zagat person because you have to sign up to access the reviews and ratings online, but the books are all right. The New York Times has an article comparing the two: it can be safely concluded that overall the lists are pretty in tune with each other.

The Michelin Guide’s list of 2009 starred New York restaurants can be found here. Country fell off the list but I’m not that concerned since I didn’t exactly have a flawless experience there. Notoriously-difficult-to-get-a-reservation Babbo also does not make an appearance. Notoriously-difficult-to-get-a-reservation Momofuku Ko does make an appearance. I want to eat at both of those dining establishments someday, along with the rest I haven’t set foot in. Too many restaurants I want to try…I need to win the lottery, like now.

I’ll be sampling the offerings at two One Stars this weekend and will report back next week!