Chattin About Manhattan

Well, after a one week restaurant (with some shopping) jaunt through Manhattan for my birthday, I am feeling heavier in lbs, but lighter in spirit. The week was filled with fabulous food, and great experiences. Don't get me wrong, there were some DEFINITE misses, but nothing astronomical. Anyway, the first night was Felidia. Felidia is almost a home to my mother and I, and we always feel as if we a deeply welcomed when there. Therefore, Felidia is a permanent fixture on the list when going to Manhattan. This particular night, we had a fantastic experience. The hospitality, and warmth of Felidia is more than enough, but the food is also just as divine. My mother ordered Butternut Squash Soup (a special), and "Manzo", which was a Creekstone Farm braised beef flat iron “al barolo”, hanger steak tagliata, heirloom beans, farro and tuscan kale. The soup was hearty, and so full of flavor. It was filled with beans, panchetta, and or course, butternut, making it the perfect comfort food for the cold night that awaited outside. The "Manzo", was also delicious. To my mothers surprise, it consisted of steak done two way; one done as if it were a pot roast, and the other perfectly rare in the center, and more steak-like. The beans, farro, and kale surrounding the meat was an equally sumptuous accompaniment that stood up to the meat very well. I, on the other hand, opted to just order an entrée, seeing I had dessert on the brain. I had the veal tenderloin with parsnip puree, sautéed spinach, and cheese fonduta from the truffle suggested tasting menu. Over top, I specially ordered shavings of black truffle. I anticipated a very stingy offering of truffles, but no, shaved at the table, the precious shavings drowned my plate. The more the merrier!!! Aside from the truffles, the veal was unctuous, and the parsnip puree was absolutely indescribable. I couldn't have asked for more any more decadence, while still showcasing a stunning display of flavor and quality. In addition to these orders, we were given a two entrées on the house; "Barbabietole", satur farms baby beet salad with spaghetti squash, cranberry agrodolce, mustard seeds and local cheeses, and "Cardi Carciofi e Uova", cardoons,  artichoke and frisee salad with burrata and sunny side-up blue organic egg. Both were fabulous. I preffered the beats though, because there was a most fabulous array of cheeses, chunked over top. Delish! Also, for my birthday, we were surprised with an assortment of the desserts on the Felidia menu, and the Felidia palette cleansing biscotti, and cookies. The evening was flawless. Brava, Brava!   

The next night beheld my dream, Le Bernardin. I have been dying to go for quite sometime, and I would never have guessed that it would have been this sensational. We chose the Le Bernardin Tasting Menu, which is seven courses. The menu read like this:             

Tuna layers of thinly pounded yellowfin tuna; toasted baguette; shaved chives and extra virgin olive oil.            botani moscatel seco, sierras de malaga, spain 2008               

Octopus charred octopus; fermented black bean. pear sauce vierge; ink, miso vinaigrette; purple basil.           sauvignon blanc, paul cluver, elgin south, africa 2008             

Lobster warm lobster carpaccio; hearts of palm, orange vinaigrette.               
chardonnay, ramey, russian river, 2007               

Hiramasa seared yellowtail king fish; truffle risotto, baby vegetables, black truffle emulsion.               
rioja reserva, viña bosconia, lopez de heredia, spain 2002               

Black Bass crispy black bass; lup cheong and beansprout "risotto" mini steamed buns, hoisin-plum jus.           barbaresco, valeirano, ada nada, piedmont, italy 2005               

Parsnip parsnip crème brulée, roasted hazelnut, browned milk solids, vanilla salt               
chikurin, karoyaka junmai ginjo, okayama               

Milk Chocolate maralumi milk chocolate parfait, liquid pear, gingersnap               
château la rame, reserve, saint croix du mont 1999                                                                  

I could go on for a lifetime, on my thoughts and feelings about each and every one of these dishes but that would obviously take...a lifetime.  

My favorites, were the tuna, and the hiramasa. The tuna, with the foie gras, was enough, but the baguette, that was crisp, yet still enabled one to cut through it cleanly with a knife, was magnificent. The hiramasa, was equally as genius and like nothing I have ever tasted. The truffle emulsion, poured over this rare, white fish from Australia, was beyond. I have no words to describe this sultry sauce, but I actually asked the captain who served me, if I could just get a bowl the sauce. I wasn't thinking clearly. The sauce was engrossing, and the fish was beautiful as well.    

These aforementioned dishes were just the outrageously great highlights. All of the dishes shown as stars, and there were by far, no misses whatsoever. I do have one comment though. The octopus was perfectly cooked (of course, what did I expect), and all of the dishes components were again, like I never tasted. But! On completing the dish, I felt like it was a tad too rich, and heavy for a seven course menu. I got scared at only the second course, that I would be obscenely full because of this dish, but thankfully, this wasn't my conundrum.  

In addition to the seven courses, the amuse bouche, was a perfectly plump oyster, surrounded in a truffle froth, and we also requested the egg, which was more beautiful than I expected, and was terribly scrumptious. Last but not least, was the passion fruit mousse that was brought for my birthday. This was the most amazing dessert I have yet to have...ever, and I plan to replicate it shortly.   

Food aside, nothing can overshadow the amazing gift that was bestowed upon me at the restaurant. I was invited to visit the kitchen, to meet Chef Eric himself. He was just as handsome in person, and appeared in his pristine chef whites, welcoming us into his kitchen. I do not care to say more, because I will over think the experience, instead I will provide proof. I was starstruck, I must admit.

^^^Is there anything else to say??? Oh! The service was impeccable too. Can the place get any more perfect? The answer is, "no".

The next few nights consisted of Tamarind, which we were both really excited for some authentic Indian, but it was disappointing, and Felidia, which was yet again a very memorable, and lovely experience. BLT Steak was forgettable, and very bizarre all around, and Monday night was spent at the corner diner, with great food and giggles.

Our last night in the city was spent at Gotham Bar and Grill. From all of the great reviews we had heard, we expected nothing less than perfection. And that it was. The food was outstanding. We ordered the tasting menu, which was...


NANTUCKET BAY SCALLOPS
green apple gelee, celery hearts and lime
piment d'espelette

DUCK AND FOIE GRAS TORTELLINI
smoked onion soubise and shaved matsutake
matsutake consommé

ROASTED TURBOT
kennebec potato, leek fondue and burgundy truffle
ruby port bordelaise

 
RACK OF FALLOW VENISON
savoy cabbage, smoked bacon and sweet potato fingerlings
huckleberry genivere


SOUFFLE BELLE HELEN
bosc pear, poire william crème anglaise
dark chocolate cointreau ice cream

All of the dishes were robust in flavor, and savory. I adored the Turbot, and the Souffle was so ambrosial, that I was even inspired to make it at home a few nights ago.

For the souffle, I used a Bon Appetit "Pear Souffle" recipe, which I ad libbed, with the addition of a caramelized pear compote on the bottom of the souffles, and a Poire William Crème Anglaise, just like the one at Gotham. YUM YUM YUM! It achieved great reviews all around.

Unfortunately, in my hastes to get a picture before the soufflés fell, I got a blurry picture.

I had the utmost wonderful time in Manhattan, but it was made even more fabulous by the quality time I spent with my mother. We laughed and reminisced the whole way through, and it also didn't hurt that we got to do this whilst executing some of our favorite activities.