Unbelievable that this place doesn’t have a Michelin star. I think it might even deserve two.
Service was excellent. We talked to the FOH quite a bit, and they knew so much about what they were serving and they genuinely seemed to love what they were...
Read MoreUnbelievable that this place doesn’t have a Michelin star. I think it might even deserve two.
Service was excellent. We talked to the FOH quite a bit, and they knew so much about what they were serving and they genuinely seemed to love what they were doing (or they were good at faking it). The location is a bit strange, at the back of a shop. We weren’t sure where to go exactly when we showed up a few minutes early. Then 6:00pm on the dot, they slid over a wall, and there was the counter seating. Just enough seating for eight people, very intimate.
Here's what I had:
Charred Manganji Pepper Crudités (manganji pepper, tofu, chickweed, capers, cornichon, anchovies, olive, walnuts, scallion oil): personally, I’m not a fan of peppers across the board for whatever reason. I just don’t taste anything. This is very much me, not them. But the rest of the dish was delicious and the plating was gorgeous, possibly the best of the night in that regard.
Yellowtail Tartare & Peach Sorbet (yellowtail, caviar, peach, shallot, kale, rice cracker, monaka): I will be thinking about this one for a while. Salty, sweet, the perfect amount of confrontation of my expectations. Reminded me of the Caviar Kim at Jua but three times better (not to denigrate Jua overall; I love that place).
Stuffed Squid & Cherry Tomatoes (small squid, cherry tomatoes, couscous, red onion, paprika, harissa, coriander, starflower): I remember thinking this was solid in execution, but I don’t recall many details a few days later.
Mozzarella Burrata & Strawberry (burrata, strawberry tuile, pomegranate, blackcurrant sauce), pictured: this felt more like a dessert course, but given the actual dessert course was also cheese and fruit, it makes sense that they wouldn’t want to sequence them next to each other. If they wanted to lower the price of the menu a little bit, it would make sense to drop this dish, but maybe I’d protest. I loved it.
Grilled Eggplant with White Miso Hollandaise (eggplant, bottarga, white miso, bonito stock, pistachio, ginger): probably the least memorable of the night for me since it’s pretty similar to something I had at Dirt Candy recently. My dining companion loved it though.
Red Sea Bream Spring Roll with White Leek Sauce (red sea bream, white leek, spring onion, hijiki, golden mustard): didn’t reinvent the wheel, but certainly the most perfectly constructed spring roll I’ve had in my life. Packed with perfectly cooked red sea bream, it’s not the kind of spring roll you just pop in your mouth.
Grilled Shou Koji Venison with Mushrooms & Truffles (venison, burdock, truffle, chili pepper, mushroom, truffle, chrysanthemum, soy sauce koji, beef stock): the venison was so tender, it was hard to believe.
Eel Pilaf (eel, eel stock, bonito stock, japanese pepper): what a wonderful way to end the savory courses. Just fills you up with warmth. I’ve read that previously they used foie gras, but I wouldn’t replace the eel with anything.
Blue Cheese Terrine & Apple Compote (gorgonzola, cream cheese, fresh cream, apple, cinnamon, olive oil): maybe I’m uncultured, but how is this blue cheese? Where’s the blue? Just completely smooth and sweet, pitch perfect way to end the meal. By the end, the dishes were exactly calculated for my stomach. I ate 100% of every course, and while I had no desire for any other food that night, I could still walk home.
Easily one of the best meals I've had in NYC.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Pilaf
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