June 29, 2006
One of New York's most beloved restaurants, owned, orchestrated and presided over by Sirio Maccioni has reopened at the Bloomberg Building, also called One Beacon Court but better known as 151 East 58th Street. The cirque extraordinaire, updated for dining in this new virtual millennium, has so much on offer that we confidently can declare: Le Cirque offers the finest nouvelle vague haute cuisine in today's New York. From the moment you enter the buoyant dining room—or perhaps divert to the opulent glass bar at right—you are transported into a parallel universe, where seemingly all the details have been refined, revised, and relaunched to what we dare say might just be the fabled utopian Schlarraffenland, where no gastronomic fantasy goes unfulfilled, and no less than seven types of bread are on offer.
An undulating wall forms the backbone of the 95-seat dining room, replete with clever details that guarantee—as was much speculated—that no diners would be banished to Siberia in version 3.0 of Le Cirque. Consequently, for those without full view of the vaunted dining room, mirrors reflecting on the dramatic action as well as small windows offering framed vantages of the kitchen tantalize the diner. With a wine list that spans continents, vintages, vineyards and surely offers something for every palate, it immediately becomes clear: every sort of diner fits in. That is, everyone who can afford this cirque. In assessing the disparate groups (elderly ladies who lunch; young couples celebrating; power suits desiring the quick business prix-fixe; gastronomes; culinary students; casual Californians; moneyed South Americans; European tourists; and everyday aficionados of fine dining), master impresario Sirio Maccioni et fils now achieve their greatest success: to be all things to all people. Witness, for example, Alsatian-born chef Pierre Schaedelin's updated appetizers, clearly influenced by the vegetable deity Martha Stewart, from whose service he returned. A dish innocently titled "Sweet English Peas and Wild Mushrooms" exceeds any known preparation, a trifecta of dishes served atop a clever woven mat on a silver platter that looks a bit like pressed rice noodles: a chilled pea soup with chanterelles of superb quality; a casserole of tender peas with morels; and utterly divine pea ravioli with porcini. Consider the Spring Vegetable Casserole, featuring ten baby vegetables prepared and arranged with such care that one can visualize a tiny garden attended by servile dwarves who carefully contemplate the precise alignment of each morsel. Delight in the Warm Maine Lobster Salad (weighing in at a rather dear $39) that nevertheless pleases the palate so much more than nearly every other lobster dish we have sampled from Maine to southern France. On presentation alone, it is worth the price. For it is in one sense the happy version of the Brothers Grimm, but in another the new American version of a well-known French culinary paradise known as Cockaigne, where in the land of plenty no childlike fantasy goes unfulfilled. The colors dazzle, the creative shape of the specially-designed porcelain dishes tease, and one's voice begins to quaver: Peas and wild mushrooms indeed!
As one's eyes greedily dart about the dining room, with its 16,000 square feet so designed as to maximize diagonal sight lines, yet refined enough to inhibit the voyeuristic tendencies we all aspire to in this new media paradise, neither the noise level nor the diverse array of waiters and service staff interfere with the ongoing circus. Patrons come and go in successive waves, and the finest Bordeaux may be found at a table adjacent to that beloved American summer drink, iced tea. In short order, southern California living has caught up with New York. And for those unable or unwilling to deal with making a reservation, the oceanographer and the forester can meet at the bar, where a temporary menu of mythic proportions can be found: an excellent selection of meat dishes includes Baby Lamb Shoulder; Beef Short Ribs; T-Bone; Roasted Duck Breast; Pork Chop; as well as several options for two such as Jarret de Veau, Côte de Boeuf, Chateaubriand. The fish dishes include Tuna; Halibut; Sardines Niçoise; Salmon, Snapper, Flounder, and Lobster. Did dining at a bar ever before include such choices, such opulence, such theater? Where enormous vases (think Ming Dynasty-sized glass vessels) groan with vibrant flowers, where dozens of gorgeous glass bottles feature prettily-colored liquids, where a flat screen TV as well as 27-foot steel-and-glass wine tower (perhaps along with your date) vie for your attention. For those distracted, bewitched, or bedazzled by today's myriad spectacles and diversions, this is your place; not even those inseparable from their BlackBerry devices can escape this dignified yet frenetic scene. And even a daily special of rotating classics (think Osso Buco, Bouillabaisse, Couscous Royale, even Rabbit) is designed to lure you back again and anon. Accordingly, just as the bar scene shrieks New Millennium, so too has the restaurant's website been recharged in version 3.0: scan the menus in advance, yet still marvel at the grand concoctions revealed once the domes are lifted from your entrées. Voilà! Even in the Internet age, there are still many surprises in store.
Then there are the main courses: we hear much these days about ingredient sourcing, special preparations, reductions, and molecular gastronomy techniques developed by Fernán Adrià (more on him later). Accordingly, no such details have been overlooked, and dishes such as Steamed Mediterranean Branzino, a modest fish delicately stuffed with shrimp, octopus and calamari, along with star anise and saffron bouillabaisse jus, fennel and zucchini flowers hits all the right notes. A Mozambique Langoustine—did my shellfish really swim along the coast of southeastern Africa?—hits so many notes (exotic, triumphal, post-colonial, curry-and-citrus). The Long Island Muscovy Duck, orange honey glazed magret and leg confit, carrots, sugar snaps and baby turnips jus aigre-doux offers the finest examples of this bird, with meat that literally falls off the bone as well as medium-rare slices perfectly cooked. We do not exaggerate in saying that neither in France nor Switzerland have we had duck this well-prepared. Even on the most humid summer day—the majestic Colorado Rack of Lamb, its crispy flank redolent and surrounded by vegetables, or the Florida Red Snapper crusted with seven herbs and cashew nuts along with green tomato chutney—your voyage spans continents, culinary traditions and cultures. Which is exactly the point.
Indeed no diner—after imbibing the appropriate wine or enjoying such savory dishes—would want to miss the utterly brilliant desserts of pastry chef Regis Monges. For while you may have sampled the genius of Wylie Dufresne, or perhaps the great French desserts of Midtown's finest gastronomers, the downtown dessert bars, or even the work of escapees from the French Culinary Institute, absolutely nothing prepares you for Le Cirque's latest confections. With a dessert menu divided into classics and New Signature Desserts, we suggest you opt for several; there is no harm in doing so. And while you might initially feel some shock at lunch entrées in the mid-30s, dinner entrées in the mid-40s, and desserts at $14, you do understand that such level of perfection has its price.
At one lunch, we had the good fortune of peeping into the kitchen through one of the discretely-placed windows, certainly a far more astute adaptation of this current fad for open kitchens that protect the chef from diner with thick glass than at Vongerichten's 66 in Tribeca. We want to see the artisans at work, but some mystery must remain. Here we espied the ubiquitous blowtorch finishing the Crème Brûlée. We saw pastry cream being piped. Animated but muted discussions transpired. And then our Chocolate Soufflé arrived, prepared to perfection with a small boat of chocolate sauce to the left and an exquisite ovoid of chocolate ice cream in the middle. How refreshing not to be given directives as to how we should enjoy our dessert! We simply delved into the soufflé, then child-like poured the sauce in the middle. And with those heavenly Provençal Figs in red wine with mint, accompanied by a delightful almond cake and fig ice cream, did we detect some gold leaf? Then the pièce de résistance, the apotheosis of this meal, was the Pot au Feu, another dish whose name dramatically understates the craftsmanship. Here you see true virtuosity at work, and not just because of Monges' experience at Le Cirque in Mexico. Not even devotees of Adrià would fail to be impressed by this 'pot' (a copper vessel) that arrives on a stand with much 'feu' (dry ice that reacts with liquid to puff wispy clouds across your white-linen tablecloth). Polynesia meets France: into this chocolate cup, you dig as an archaeologist might deep in a fondue pot for buried treasure, finding passion fruit sorbet, small pieces of mango in a compote, coconut ice cream, along with a Le Cirque "Mounds Bar" (chocolate with coconut filling). Were that not enough—indeed it is never enough—the meal ends with the famous dish of petit fours that also have a fascinating riff: A tiny pâte de fruit; a miniature pâte à choux swan; a macaron; and a variety of others that suggest mini-patisserie is the wave of the future in this calorie-conscious age. For despite the horreur wreaked in this age of Dr. Atkins' and the South Beach diets, the perceived twin evils of cream and butter seem banished to another realm. A pity, perhaps, yet the virtuosity of this triad—Maccioni, Schaedelin, and Monges—is their uncanny ability to please and to delight. In that respect, we expect this incarnation of Le Cirque to vastly exceed its precursors.
Tags:
french culinary institute, jean georges, le cirque, pierre schaedelin, Regis Monges, sirio maccioni, vongerichten, Wylie Dufresne
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Posted on 6/29/2006
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June 07, 2006
In these uncertain times, it might seem to some that a gala event at which famous chefs pair their signature dishes with classic vintages smacks of excess. Au contraire I say, and give you an example: The New York chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF) raised funds for a number of worthy endeavors at their gala celebrating 25 years of AIWF, held Monday night at the New York Helmsley. With its Days of Taste program that brings healthy food knowledge to fourth- and fifth-graders across America, with its new scholarships for students attending the French Culinary Institute and the Institute of Culinary Education, and with three prestigious endowed scholarships, AIWF shows great devotion to the future culinary stars of America.
During the five-course meal studded with an auction of celebrity chef memorabilia, fine wines and various luxury trips, we had the opportunity to sample from chefs David Burke, Laurent Tourondel, Shea Gallante, Terrance Brennan and Pichet Ong. The evening's ceremonies were dotted with amusing anecdotes and lively banter from Sara Moulton, the honorary chair, and Michael Green, master of ceremonies and auctioneer.
Burke, whose davidburke & donatella has received much critical acclaim of late, featured a number of splendid hors d'oeuvres, my favorite of which was the clever Cheeseburgers "Royale" with Quail Egg. It was a deft tip of the toque to the American classic by way of haute cuisine. Passed appetizers during a Champagne reception can be a bit of a rugby scrum to obtain, so I regretfully missed The Lobster Sticks with Green Apple and Pomme Souffle with Smoked Salmon. Appetizers were nicely paired with Veuve Clicquot Rosé NV.
Laurent Tourondel of the BLT empire and Brasserie Ruhlmann of late will apparently have a new BLT restaurant that will open later this year in the Ritz-Carlton. We enjoyed his delightful Blue Fin Tuna Tartare, beautifully augmented by the harmonious flavors of chopped avocado and fish roe, and made even more wonderful as paired with Dom Perignon 1998.
We then moved on to a flavorful Maine Lobster Tortellini prepared by Michael White of Fiamma Osteria. One can only imagine the chaos in the kitchen when the auction delayed the serving of this course! As we all attend large weddings from time to time, we realize most wedding banquet managers must frequently deal with this sort of situation. But delaying the presentation of nearly two hundred plates from a star chef working in an unfamiliar kitchen to an assembled crowd of worthies from André Soltnter to Fernando Ferrer—mais non! Some of the waiters appeared to be a bit challenged when pouring the paired Krug Grande Cuvée, which reminds us of an infamous episode involving a Jeroboam of Perrier-Jouët Rosé some years ago....
Shea Gallante of Cru presented Crisp Beef Short Ribs with Celery Root Purée, English Peas & Chanterelles and Red Wine-Garlic Jus brilliantly paired with Newton Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 2001. Our verdict? We still detect traces of the great master, David Bouley, in this tender meat and purée, under whom Gallante served some years ago. The flavors were so well-balanced indeed that we somehow wished for more.
But at that point, it was time to enjoy a selection of Jasper Hill Dairy Cheeses from Terrance Brennan of Artisinal. One cannot repeat too frequently: what Brennan has done to elevate consumption of premium cheese in New York via Picholine and Artisinal remains utterly breathtaking. I must not omit the accompanying Châteauneuf du Pape, Château la Nerthe 2003, which was marvelous.
Finally, the dessert course at these events can sometimes be a bit of a disappointment. While a star chef attempts to impress with a fine presentation or two from his or her repertoire, it is exceedingly complicated for a variety of reasons to present two hundred desserts simultaneously. Hence, Pichet Ong went with a rather stable yet disenchanting combination of Port-Poached Bing Cherries, Fresh Indian Cheese, Soft Chocolate and Cocoa Bean Meringue, accompanied by Moët & Chandon Nectar Imperial. We nevertheless look forward to the opening of his future dessert shop & bar, P*ong. The serving of robust Dallis coffee led to our final wine of the evening, a curious Nicaragua Santa Lucia Estate 2004.
Tags:
aiwf, artisanal, blt fish, brasserie ruhlmann, champagne, chauteauneuf du pape, cru, david burke, dom perignon, donatella, fiamma osteria, krug, laurent tourondel, michael white, moet et chandon, pichet ong, picholine, shea gallante, terrance brennan, veuve cliquot
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Posted on 6/7/2006
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June 06, 2006
I begin this blog not by noting how many of our city's new mega restaurants are outsized theme parks, but by discussing the pan-Asian explosion as it pertains to an early player: China Grill. But instead of starting in this outsized Manhattan laboratory of monumental-scale gastronomy, we start in America's Midwest.
Perhaps I should begin by way of Marco Polo's travels to China, a perennial favorite for businesses seemingly inspired by historical themes. For example, the website for Manhattan's China Grill haughtily declaims: Excerpts from Marco Polo’s diary inscribed in marble mosaics on the limestone floor. Firmly creating one's restaurant with a world-historical perspective? My synopsis of the diary: ragged man returns to Italy after possibly visiting a number of foreign countries. In fact, a rather astute book by Frances Wood asked the big question some years ago:Did Marco Polo Go to China? We might actually never know. But the real question for us is: Did China Grill go to China? Does China Grill's conception of world cuisine mesh with Marco Polo's Description of the World?
Last Friday we attempted a stab at these questions. (Actually, we were just hungry, but eventually these questions came up.) In Chicago with some colleagues, we stood admiring the stunning Art Deco Carbide and Carbon Building, which although a landmark has been conveniently transformed into the sleek Hard Rock Hotel. As it happened, the lustrous black marble coupled with the word "carbon" to us suggested grilled steak, and therefore the adjoining China Grill seemed most convenient. Although the nearby Palm steakhouse would have been another option, one does tire of overcloned theme restaurants. That is to say, China Grill with a mere five outposts has been less cloned, only one-sixth as many times as the Palm, with 30 outposts.
And there we were: a table of three in a largely deserted restaurant at prime dining time. It would be no problem to have our run of the house, and the staffers' earnest Midwestern attitude felt quite refreshing for these intrepid New Yorkers. We found it a fascinating multicultural experience, with our Asian-American guest noting that we could barely see an Asian employee at the restaurant. (It reminds us of our favorite Chinese restaurant in Manhattan, now successful enough to afford Mexican kitchen staff.) So did Marco Polo or the China Grill ever go to China?
Whether the Classic Saketini or Ginger Pear Saketini, the pan-Asian themes were certainly well threaded throughout the restaurant's entire concept (think red color scheme that evokes rare lacquer, etc.). The cocktail list alone reflected all manner of possibly exotic ingredients that suggest we've come a long way since the raging Polynesian and tiki-theme approaches of decades past. Yet it was quite obvious we were—to appropriate a phrase coined by the Sunday New York Times magazine—dining by satellite. At this remote outpost, the concept went on autopilot, the prices zoomed through the roof, and apparently the customers attempted to follow suit. For while one appetizer actually suggested—indeed evoked—fine meals redolent of China past, everything else screamed America present. The waitress exuded charm, and did a fine upsell on our second bottle of wine. Portions were enormous, reminding me that I had recently attempted to watch Super Size Me on DVD and found myself fast-forwarding through most of it. (After all, I know what happens, right? Man gets fat eating sugar and fat.) Nothing was lavished upon us, nor did we find any flaws. We simply overate and overdrank, and that suggests the dining by satellite concept can indeed succeed. Until dessert, that is, when we admired the enormous Banana-in-a-Box, a towering wonder of sugary delights evocative perhaps of the surrounding Art Deco architecture of North Michigan Avenue. We began daintily scooping out fluffy wonders from its roof when the waitress reappeared, and deftly wielded a spoon in order to turn the tower on its side and smash it open with a spoon, thereby exposing its innards—dozens of banana slices. We could not help but think: World Trade Center. We moreover could not help but think: symbolic of this restaurant concept. In other words, sleek packaging of overpriced but ordinary staples. A drunken chicken here, a rather inedible skirt steak there. And with that, we drank the espressi and left. Ambitious, of course, yet nothing stunning. After all, we were dining by satellite.
Tags:
art deco, chicago, china grill, dining by satellite, marco polo, palm steakhouse, pan asian, saketini
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Posted on 6/6/2006
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