Per Se - New York

11:20
A: Hey HH, I'm in New York this weekend, and I know this is pretty last minute, but would you like to have lunch at per se?
hh: Hey A! Wow, I'd love to, but I might have to go into the office today. What time is the reservation? Is this for real? I'd been working 90+ hours, are my wits failing me?
A: 1:15. I'm leaving New York in the afternoon, and they just called me about a table opening up. If I don't find someone to go, they will charge me $150 for a no-show.
hh: Hm, I really don't think I can go, but I'll ask around for you to see if anyone's free. I'll call you back.

This could either be the most unexpected best day ever or the most wasted opportunity of my life. What happens if I get called into the office mid-lunch? I definitely need to go in today, it's more a matter of when I'd be getting the call. And I have to get coffee with someone before that. Crap, I really can't go, I need to find someone.

11:30
hh: Hey, do you want to go to per se?
J: When?
hh: 1:15
J: Man, I just got out of the shower, I'd have to leave right now. I don't have enough time...

12:00
Walk around, check email compulsively, lie in bed, get out of bed, stare blankly into space.

12:20
I have no idea what I'm doing. All I want to do is sleep. But I also want per se. Who in his/her right mind can say no to per se? A masochist, I suppose. I'll give A a call.

hh: Hey A, I think I'll go.
A: Great! I'll see you at per se at 1:15.

12:30
Heels, dress pants, belt, blouse: a versatile outfit so I can head straight to work afterward in a gluttonous stupor

12:45
Cab to Columbus Circle

1:00
Stuck in the 50s going cross town

1:10
Still stuck. Loathing traffic, civilization

1:20
Arrive at Columbus Circle, hustle past naked lady statue (is this meant to be a replica of the Woman from Willendorf or what?) up the escalators. I sure can go for a Bouchon Bakery double espresso



1:25
Arrive at the blue double doors of per se, futilely pull on knob, internally berate myself for being late and an idiot

1:26
Walk into the glass door, lo and behold it slides open. Hilarity doesn't ensue, berate myself more for being an idiot. Hostess arrives, asks if I'm ok, shows me to the table

1:28
Finally seated. Damn, this place is corporate. A tells me that she ordered the chef's tasting menu for me since she couldn't stay long

1:30 - 3:00
I had no idea what was on the menu for the day. Everything arrived as a surprise, which was reminiscent of the Alinea experience.


Gougere with Gruyere puffs

A Thomas Keller classic, can't get enough of these cheesy morsels


Salmon tartare and red onion creme fraiche on crispy sesame tuile cornet

Another TK classic, I really cannot get enough of these. I could eat a hundred of these and still find an innovative way to eat them whilst maintaining structural integrity.


Cauliflower "Panna Cotta"
with Island Creek Oyster Glaze and Sterling White Sturgeon Caviar

Had this previously when Jonathan Benno had cooked for a guest chef event, but it wasn't very memorable. This time, I enjoyed the slight bitterness of the cauliflower with the salty caviar, the thick custard texture of the former with the creamy beads of the latter.


Fluke sashimi with grapefruit and citrus jus (?)

This didn't happen to be on the menu, but it was a slice of what I thought to be fluke, with a slice of sweet grapefruit. I feel like I've had this somewhere before. Does anyone know what those black things are?


Truffle custard with chip

Never listed on the menu, but I wanted it so I asked. Truffles are my favorite things in the world; its flavor encased in an ethereal custard inside a hollowed egg is no exception.


Salad of marinated abalone mushroom
Slow Baked Heirloom Beets, Grilled Young Red Onion and Garden Mache, with Pickled Shallot Gastrique

The sweetest, juiciest slice of mushroom ever, sans the brininess of an abalone, its non-distant relative. The beet tasted pretty much like a normal beet to me; I did, however, enjoy the puck-like shape of said beet.


Crispy skin fillet of Barramundi
Sauteed Italian Eggplant, Candied Marcona Almonds, Golden Sultanas, Spanish Capers and Petite Mint with Madras Curry "Aigre-Doux" [sweet and sour]

I am a fan of delicate fishes, and the barramundi is one of them. Flaky, tender, and perfectly cooked, with a crispy skin indeed. The flavors were amazing: sweet and sour as per the description. Sour from the dried sultanas, sweet from the almonds, primarily sweet from the curry, and sour from the vinegar. Complex but integrated flavors.


Scottish langoustines "a la plancha"
Handmade Farfalle, Globe Artichokes, Nicoise Olive "Petals", Grilled Red Endive and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Emulsion

This was a let down after the delicious fish. I'm not a fan of lobster nor langoustine in general; I just think the meat is tougher without much added flavor. The whole plate tasted of the ingredients, and not much more. The langoustine was very much unflavored, the farfalle were beautiful to look at but tasted of nothing, and the olives were subdued. I suppose this worked as a palate cleanser. Not good.


All day braised Berkshire pork belly
Compressed Watermelon, Young Fennel, Roquette Leaves and Pork Jus

The pork belly was well roasted (I know it says braised, but whatever). Crispy skin, with moist strands of pork, sandwiched in layers of fat. Yes, it's better than Eleven Madison Parks, if you must know. Furthermore, who would've thought watermelon could go with pork belly? Cool + smoky, sweet + savory works quite well here.


Rib-eye of Marcho Farm's nature fed veal
"Fricassee de Ris et Cervelle de Veau," Herb-Scented Spatzle, Watercress Leaves and Tokyo
Turnips with Brown Butter Veal Sauce

The cut of veal was huge. It's not as juicy nor tender as expected. It becomes more acceptable if I soak the pieces in the veal sauce. The sweetbreads are peppery and tender though, and the Tokyo turnips are some of the best I've ever had. Ok.


Petite Ardi-Gasna
Salad of Summer Squash, "Pain de Champagne," Cherry Tomatoes and Opal Basil with Saporoso Vinegar Reduction

The epitome of a great summer dish. The freshest, crispest squash, along with a sweet cherry tomato that burst in my mouth, tossed with a rich vinegar reduction. Finally, topped with slices of ardi-gasna; the ewe who provided the milk for this fine cheese was ever delightful. Why, thank ewe!


Hibiscus sorbet
Mango Coulis, Dragon Fruit, and Shaved Coconut

The hibiscus sorbet was cleansing, fresh and tantalizing; it goes down as my other favorite sorbet next to the satsuma sorbet from the French Laundry. I cared little for the dragon fruit, but the shaved coconut turned out to be a great accent for the hibiscus.


"Tentation au Chocolat, Noisette et Lait"
Milk Chocolate "Cremeaux" and Hazelnut "Streusel" with Condensed Milk Sorbet, "Pain au Lait" Sauce and Sweetened Salty Hazelnuts

Yet another chocolate dessert that I can proclaim to be "good but not ground-breaking." The chocolate is rich and dark, hazelnuts are great, etc. etc. etc.


"Degustation de Fruits d'ete"
Tristar Strawberry "Consomme" and "Frangipane Croustillante" with Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Rather pedestrian for per se, but good. Fresh berries, ice cream which tastes of a very tart lemon sherbet, and a well-reduced strawberry consomme.


"Mignardises"

I'm too full to eat, but I choose the earl grey and green tea truffles from the tray. I order a pot of monkey-picked tea. I love monkey-picked tea, because what other tea has gone through a monkey's strict standards of tea selection?


We receive a bag of macaroons and another box of chocolates to go.

3:15
What a nice bathroom!

3:20
Make sure not to crash into glass

3:30
Car ride back to work. What a beautiful day!

5:00
Snack on macaroons in office. Did today really happen? I slowly came to discover, yes it did (geez, what a sobering reality indeed). And Per Se was good, but disappointing compared to its better and more charming cousin. The signature Keller appetizers were good, but nearly all the main courses had a major flaw. My impression was that the kitchen had some major consistency issues, but one shouldn't have to put up with that at a restaurant like Per Se.

$275 - Tasting menu

Per Se
10 Columbus Circle
New York, NY 10019
(212) 823-9335

Pierre Gagnaire - Paris

I recently came back from my last spring break in university ever. And you know it's spring break when a quarter of the campus comes back several shades of orange. Well I say, there ain't nothing wrong with spring break with clothes on, and in freezing rain and hail!

Even with the terrible weather, walking around London and Paris sans a certain email/text messaging/web browsing device was just so refreshing. The architecture and art was of course beautiful, and the food was equally impressive on this trip. It was great to escape for a week, and now that I am back in the reality of midterms, papers, and projects, I find myself reminiscing over the 900 pictures I took.

One of my standout meals on this trip was at Pierre Gagnaire, my first three-Michelin-star Parisian restaurant. A and I had literally spent weeks planning out our eating adventures, and after we decided on PG, we were excitedly looking forward to our meal. Its ranking as third in the world by Restaurant Mag (behind El Bulli and the Fat Duck) surely should mean something.

The restaurant is on the charming Rue Balzac right near the Arc de Triomph. The restaurant interior is quite similar to New York's three-star "corporate lunchrooms", which kind of surprised me. It felt very business, akin to places like Le Bernardin and per se. This is not to say that there was no charm, but it was a stark contrast to the grandiose interiors like Le Meurice. We are seated, and presented our menus, in French of course. Easy solution: go with the prix fixe.

Immediately, our amuses come out. As much as I am enamored by our various plates of goodies, I am quite delighted by our gracious maitre d, a cute little French man with an imperial moustache.

From here on I will be borrowing some descriptions from A:

Some type of gelee (maybe cucumber?) with baby greens, served with herb paper and raspberry sauce on a puff pastry round

Beet tuile with anchovy, tuile, peanut

Great flavor and textural combinations. The smoky and salty anchovy went quite well with the roasted nuts in the tuile.


Beef marinated in soy gelee with ginger cookies

This was probably my favorite amuse. The beef had the texture of very moist beef jerky, with the intense flavor of the soy. The ginger cookies were rather sweet and did not particularly taste of ginger.


Amazing, amazing bread. Walnut, brioche, white roll, and pistachio crisp thing. We polished off several rounds of this.


Surf and Turf Tartare: Organic salmon roe, beef tartare, slice of sea bream

The salmon roe was fresh and delicious, sweet and not the least bit fishy. The beef tartare was so light and mild that in my illiteracy, I had initially thought it to be tuna.


Grated radish and shellfish in a vadouvan infusion

We weren't too crazy about this one. I have no idea what a vadouvan infusion is, but it reminded me of the dashi broth I had at Alinea. The clams were alright but tasteless.


Mousseline de Pompadour with parsley, eggplant with oregano, snail brochette

One of my favorites. The light, delicate (vegetable?) mousse was flavorful and sweet, and became even better with the intensely flavored, tender escargot on the bottom.


Chanterelle mushrooms in vinegar sauce with gingerbread and shaved mushroom

The menu describes the mushrooms as chanterelle, but we knew them to be shitake. Perfectly cooked and marinated with vinegar, they were great simply on their own; I didn't really understand the pairing with gingerbread, under which was a paper thin slice of raw mushroom. El Random.


Calamari with Taggiasche olives, served with a Lucques green olive sorbet

The cold olive sorbet provided an interesting temperature contrast against the tepid calamari. The two olive flavors overpowered the bland calamari, so the calamari brought mostly textural contrast rather than flavor to the dish.


Second course: Thinly sliced Mortadella sausage, baby scallops with lime, braised turnips, Mallemort asparagus, green apple brunoise with asparagus broth

This dish had the most ingredients of any dish we had tried so far, and it was amazing how all of them worked so well together. The Mortadella, basically a gussied up baloney, added a great salty note to contrast the sweetness of the tender baby scallops and braised turnips. The turnips, which we initially mistook for cipolini onions were deliciously caramelized by the braising and I could have probably eaten a whole bowl of them. The asparagus had just the right amount of bite to it and prevented the entire dish from feeling too mushy. The acidity in the green apple and lime added bright notes to a dish that could have been overpowered by the creamy asparagus sauce.


Main Course: Julienne strips of roasted suckling lamb leg, swiss chard stalks pan seared with lamb belly, curry lamb jus and ratatouille. Accompanied by a roasted garlic, swiss chard, and prune compote tart

The lamb was juicy and tender, but surprisingly gamey given that it was lamb and not mutton. I enjoyed the richness of the fat from the leg and the belly, but some would find it overpowering. The jus was flavorful, but the curry flavor was barely detectable. The ratatouille was delicious and beautifully served inside a fried tomato skin. The tart didn’t really go well with the rest of the dish, but I enjoyed eating the roasted garlic cloves with the incredible house made bread.


Deja vu on the Ratatouille



Onto the sweets!


Selection of Mignardises: Caramel with strawberry powder; dark chocolate with kirsch; marzipan with black currant; white chocolate with lemon curd; almond cookie with marzipan; marshmallow

We were instructed to place the caramel on our tongue and let it melt. The strawberry flavored powder started crackling slightly like pop rocks, but the caramel didn’t really melt very quickly so I ended up just eating it. The dark chocolate with kirsch was good, but not outstanding. The marzipan cherry was a cute concept: it looked like a cherry but it was actually a marzipan layer outside with a black currant in the very center. It was more fun to look at than eat, although this might be because I’m not a huge fan of marzipan. I don’t love white chocolate, but the lemon curd was delicious with the chocolate and I liked this one more than I expected.


Lemon almond ice cream served with almond gelee, accompanied by dried fruits and red bell pepper

The lemon and almond flavors were great together in the rich ice cream. The texture of the gelee was too rubbery for my taste, and I would have preferred the dish without it. I would never have thought to incorporate bell pepper into a dessert, but the combination of the dried fruits with the pepper worked extremely well.


Papaya puree, caramel shell, orange marmalade, almond cake


Vanilla ice cream, blonde beer foam, strawberry puree

The vanilla ice cream was frozen into a round ball. The beer foam surprised me at first since it was so bitter, but the combination of the ice cream, foam, and strawberry puree was very good. It actually tasted a lot like this strawberry yogurt drink I used to have as a child. A very playful, rather than refined dessert.




Shaved pineapple, lemon sorbet, lemon confit

Interesting presentation with a paper thin slice of pineapple covering a bowl filled with lemon sorbet and lemon confit. It was hard to eat because the pineapple shaving was so big. The lemon sorbet and confit was refreshing. I would have preferred this as a palate cleanser between the main course and the desserts.


Dark chocolate, tuile, and praline

By now you know how I feel about chocolate.

This was the most “normal” dessert of the entire meal. It combined the classic flavors of chocolate and hazelnut, sandwiched by crispy tuiles and chocolate. Not very groundbreaking but good.

A great meal, with some wonderfully innovative dishes, but I had expected more in terms of impeccable execution.

Pierre Gagnaire
6 Rue Balzac, 75008
Paris, France
+33 (0)1 58 36 12 50

Ramen Setagaya - New York

Ok I really should be studying. Finals week has occurred upon me, and let's just say, sometimes I wish it didn't dawn on me early in the semester that I'm a senior. In any case, I've resorted to all sorts of procrastination, which leads me to be typing this right now.

Many a ramen joint have sprouted up in the East Village, but Ramen Setagaya stands to be one of the more boastful. It took them a while to open up, and in the meantime there were always news briefs about them saying they're more authentic than everyone else. It is not every day that we see so much drama surrounding carbohydrates - it's almost as entertaining as watching Lauren Conrad's life play out.


During my internship, I had a weekend afternoon off, and it also turned out to be one of the hottest days of the summer. With it being in the 90s with crazy humidity, what better way to spend the day than eating a steaming bowl of ramen? Of course, I am not new to this masochism game. As you can see from the top picture, there was a pretty long line at around 6 on a Sunday. We waited outside in the scorching heat for around 45 minutes, but that was not the painful part. They place a tv in plain view of the people waiting in line, playing clips of Asian cooking shows, noodle making documentaries, and every other possible media that would make you really want to eat at that moment.


Shio (salt) ramen 9.50

The menu is pretty simple, consisting of only several types of ramen, gyoza, and some other appetizers. I don't think they have yakitori quite yet. C and I ordered their trademark shio ramen, which came topped with pork, marinated bamboo, seaweed, a soft-boiled egg, and some scallions. Though I was dying inside the un-ACed restaurant, I concluded right then that Ramen Setagaya might just be serving the best ramen in the city. The pork was melt-in-your-mouth creamy and ultra-flavorful, and the soft-boiled egg was the perfect doneness.


The noodles were my favorite part by far of any NYC ramen joint I've tried. They are slightly firmer than average, and maintain an element of chewiness and resistance even as they are soaked in the broth. The broth itself is delicious as well, so smooth and lingeringly rich, without any heaviness. C and I were almost near tears from the pain of eating the steaming bowl of noodles, but we kept eating, it was that good. At one point, we were wondering whether this heavenly broth was enhanced by MSG.


No. According to the handy menu, "pork, bone, chicken, chicken bone, Raus and Rishiri seaweed from Japan, dried mushrooms, dried scallop, garlic, ginger, cabbage, and red pepper are prepared separately and then combined together for the ramen soup." They also use anchovies, scallop oil, natural sea salt from Vietnam, and other delectable things in their bowls. All I can say is Damn, that is some good ramen.

Ramen Setagaya
141 First Ave.,
New York, NY 10003
212-529-2740

Eleven Madison Park - New York

Ok, way long delayed post. I don't really have an excuse for not blogging, except that it's senior year and, well, that should suffice. During the summer, I got the chance to try Eleven Madison Park, for which Chef Daniel Humm left Campton Place in San Francisco. Unfortunately, I went to Campton Place about 2 weeks after he left, only to be disappointed and quite disgruntled.

Eleven Madison Park is a Danny Meyer restaurant, housed in the Credit Suisse building. I don't know, the contemporary cuisine just didn't really match the art deco and marble credit suisse floors. Yes it was fancy, but I preferred not knowing I was on the grounds of an investment bank yet again.

We started off with some cheese puffs that were very reminiscent of French Laundry and Per Se. I can always go for these.

Plate of Whores D'ouevres

From Left:
(1) Truffled goat cheese croquant - Though I'm not too big a fan of goat cheese, this was quite palatable. The cheese was very unoffensive, and surprisingly did not overpower the buttery crisps.
(2) Hamachi tatare with wasabi tobiko inside sliced cucumber - Quite good, and tasted exactly like what you would expect. I enjoyed the pristinely cut cucumber though.
(3) Sweetbread cornet - I don't remember detecting sweetbreads in particular, since this tasted like a nondescript fried thing. And those always taste good.
(4) Foie gras macaroon - I was a bit turned off by the macaroon, just because I was in the mood for savories. It was quite sweet, and I usually like foie gras paired with a tart/sweet ingredient, but this just didn't do it for me.


Strawberry Gazpacho

This was delicious. Exactly what we needed on a hot summer day was a chilled semi-sweet and tart gazpacho. It had the perfect texture - super strained yet substantial - and most of all, refreshing.


I forgot to take down the name of this, but there were sliced raw scallops and langoustine in a broth. I don't remember much, except that I thought the broth was too bland, but I enjoyed the flowers and watermelon squares. Oh, and that it was pretty.


Foie gras with cherry gelee, and creme brulee with cherry-pistachio brioche

My friend J had warned me that I'd get all foie-d out with the Eleven Madison Park foie gras dish, but I really enjoyed this. I liked the cherry pairing, which worked quite well with the rich and livery fg. The bowl of pistachios, fennel, and cherries was great as well, and accentuated the nuttiness in the foie. The creme brulee was sinfully delectable, with a very nice torched sugar crust. The brioche was delicious, but I seriously need more practice eating a flaky, buttery brioche without making a huge mess on the table.

I also want to note that up until this point, I am very impressed with the precision in the plating of dishes. Presentation is obviously very important to EMP, with the descending size of the cherry dots, the pristinely cut foie-cherry layered structure, and the strategically placed flowers on the scallop.


Mediterranean loup de mer with crispy sweetbreads (?)

Again, I was delinquent in taking notes or remembering things, so I do not remember the exact name for this entree. The loup de mer, a sea bass, was smooth and fatty, but rather bland in flavor. In fact, the only flavor came from the tomato puree and grassy olive oil. The accompaniments were fine but felt heavy with the already fatty loup, especially for a summer dish. However, the texture of the fish made up for all that - I suspect that it was cooked sous vide, because I have never had such smooth and silky sea bass.


Chilean Turbot "Sous Vide" with Saffron Fumet, Ratatouille and Tarragon

It was July 4th weekend, and I had just finished watching Ratatouille. I was pretty blown away by the movie, not just because it was about food and small furry animals, but because of some really smart humor as well. In fact, I do not know where it got its G rating, because it certainly wasn't. But I digress. So I was really enamored by the one scene where they bring out the ratatouille, which was designed by Thomas Keller himself. I then decided that my holy grail of the summer would be to find some ratatouille.

Two days later, I find myself at Eleven Madison Park, staring at this plate with a bulb of ratatouille. And before I begin, I have to say this was one of the most beautifully presented dishes I've had. Even my mother called me up to ask me about it, when I posted my preview a few weeks ago.

So the turbot has the same smooth and silky texture of the loup de mer above, and this time it is skinless but garnished with some very thinly cut zucchini slices. The saffron fumet was surprisingly subtle, and not intense enough for the plain turbot. I am not sure why, but the sous vide really seemed to suck all the flavor out of the fish. But moving onto the best part...


Ratatouille: exposed

Now, I think it is absolutely genius to stick the ratatouille inside a zucchini blossom. I really don't get how they did it, but this was just so delicate that I felt guilty eating it. Minced pieces of peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, are tossed together and stuffed inside the little zucchini pocket. I asked our server whether the ratatouille was offered on the menu as a result of the namesake movie, but it had been on the menu all along. Genius, I tell you.

Confit with cipollini onions, dried plum chutney, five spice jus

I must admit, I go through stages of not eating pork, so this was the porkiest dish I had in a while at that time. The pork itself was quite good, tender and juicy, compressed under the pristinely cut piece of skin (notice a trend here?). The five spice jus was a great accompaniment, partly because it is such a familiar taste in Asian cuisine. The suckling pig is one of the more known dishes from EMP, but I have to say it wasn't as transcendental as I had expected. Yes it was good, but I've had better in dim sum houses in Hong Kong, and I just expected something different with this pig craze that continues to sweep New York.

Nova Scotia Lobster Lasagna with Fall Spices and Keepsake Farm Chestnuts

Unveiled

I don't really know why I try with lobster. I know that I don't like it, mainly because of the texture, but I keep trying to like it. Sort of like my thing with cupcakes. But anyway, this entree again looked better than it tasted. The lobster meat was fine, and the thin, herb infused pasta was delightful, but it really tasted subdued. Along with the fish dishes, I just felt the chef was holding back a little, and not really giving us the refined intensity that allows me to detect individual ingredients.


Cherry sorbet with earl grey creme, shortbread and crisp. I really enjoyed this one. The sorbet was rich and tart, and the shortbread pieces were crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside.


Araguani Grand Cru Chocolate - Symphony with Caramel and Maldon Sea Salt

Great for chocolate lovers; unfortunately I am not one of them.


Peach souffle

Our meal only comes with two desserts, but we decided to be gluttons and get the peach souffle as well. Unfortunately, the souffle fell below expectations, as it was again, rather subdued and way too moist. It rose quite nicely at the crust, but inside the cup, it tasted raw and soggy.


Mignardises

(1) Beignet - harder than I had expected, which was strange since it was still warm when it came out
(2) Chocolate-coated peanut butter sandwich
(3) Macaroon

Eleven Madison Park was good, but was not all that I had expected. The menu is pretty innovative and market-driven, but I felt that everything was lacking soul. Each plate was so precisely constructed that it was almost painful to ruin the arrangement, but the flavor fell short. It was just a recurring theme that everything looked better than it tasted that night. That said though, it was still a very enjoyable meal, and for cuisine that is contemporary, it actually tasted very good.

Four courses: $102

Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Avenue,
New York, NY 10010
212.889.0905