Friday, February 4, 2011

Jean-Georges

(10 November 2010) For Dad's fifties-something last year, we were both in New York settling me into school. So it became a perfect occasion to kickstart our virgin Michelin experience (:


Lunch at Jean-Georges

We did lunch at Jean-Georges, the 3 michelin-starred restaurant where my pastry idol Johnny Iuzinni (author of Dessert Foreplay, head judge of Top Chef Desserts) thrives. Excitement pumped in me, it felt like Charlie walking into Wonka's chocolate factory for the first time...


JG Dining Room
the elegant dining room


Butter & Salt
Butter & Salt


Bread Roll
Bread roll


Every segment from seating, to menu introduction, to order-taking, to ensuring bread on the table.... was properly fulfilled off the checklist. I won't use the word impeccable for service (it lacked genuine affability), but it certainly didn't stain the meal. It can't. 


The Prix Fixe Lunch menu offers 2-courses for US$36 (supplements apply), with dessert at an additional US$8. 




Amuse Bouche
Amuse Bouche


We started off with some mind-blowing Amuse Bouche. Proceeding from mild to not: a shot of cream of celeriac, marinated hamachi sashimi strips, and a unexpectedly good goat cheese and black truffle fritter




Foie Gras Brulee
Foie Gras Brulee 
Dried sour cherries l Candied Pistachios l White Port Gelee





Scallops
Scallops
Caramelized cauliflower l Caper-raisin emulsion
Cod
Roasted Cod
 Glazed carrots l Clementine condiment l Dill


Salmon
Slow-baked Salmon
 Black truffle crumbs l Silky & crispy pasnip


Dad did Foie-Salmon, while I seafood-ed my courses with Scallop-Cod combination. Out of our 4 dishes, his slow-baked salmon entree outshone.

We all know salmon is delicious. But you'll know a level of elevated salmon deliciousness once you take a morsel of this. Salmon perfection. Crackling skin. Truffle-crusted goodness. More truffle fragrance. I stole a bite...another... and another... then exclaimed, "Damn i should have ordered this!" 


Late Harvest
Late Harvest
Warm sweet potato cake l Cranberry honey compote l Roasted pumpkin icecream l Crystallized sage l Salted pumpkin seeds


Apple
Apple
Spiced cake l Granny smith sorbet l Chartreuse compressed fennel l Crispy salted fronds l Dates l Hazelnut

I have to salute Chef Iuzinni for his brilliant idea-cells, to take plated desserts to such sophistication. His style shouts a modern, original, asian-y character... but taste-wise they swerved below my mighty high anticipation. Don't get me wrong. They were really good (i loved the roasted pumpkin icecream with crystallized sage), they were novel, but they lacked a touch of magic. Perhaps the dinner versions are the real deals.

Petit Fours
Petit Fours
Raspberry macarons l Vanilla bean marshmallows l Pralines


Vanilla Bean Marshmallows
fluffy, bean-speckled marshmallows... i like.


JG's Michelin Stars



We'd imagined ourselves being impressed, and we were. From a fine executive lunch we could say JG is indeed a deserving michelin-rated restaurant. Their stars are safely padded.



Jean-Georges
1 Central Park West
New York, NY 10023
(212)299-3900
Jean-Georges website

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