Fischer Farm Suckling Pig Confit
by Ike Cheung
May 20th, 2007
ELEVEN MADISON PARK
11 Madison Ave
@ 24th St
212-889-0905
“First impressions can go a long way,” so they say. More often than not, it lies furthest away from the truth; additional exploration is needed to reveal its veracity. This is one reason I hesitated in reviewing Eleven Madison Park as my first piece for Cravings. Let me explain. Just in case you haven’t kept up with the restaurant scene, Eleven Madison Park is not the starlet restaurant du jour, but rather has a pedigree of the highest standards in culinary excellence and is ranked one of the fine dining staples on this island. It has earned accolades from esteemed journalists and foodies alike on both coasts. Now do you understand my dilemma? For my first log, do I just simply play it safe with an already acclaimed approved establishment? And more importantly, what else can I possibly contribute that hasn’t already been said?
If you are the kind of person who likes to skip to the end, I will save you the trouble and tell you right now. It is what any fine restaurant has to measure up to: The food is divine, the service is impeccable and the décor is timeless. However, this is not how I would like to tell my story, but rather about how I almost missed my latest visit.
On the day of my dinner reservation, I had a client meeting outside the City. However, a predicted storm made the drive in and out of the City a living nightmare. Based on the horrific traffic conditions, I knew I was going to be late for my 6pm reservation.
By the time I finally got to the restaurant, I was more than two hours late. The hostess escorted me to the most remote table from her post. Walking past the entire restaurant, I had the feeling everyone was staring at me, knowing that I had kept my dinner guest waiting. But the sight of my smiling date holding a glass of champagne was a relief from my self-inflected guilt. And by half way through my martini, I was ready to look at the menu.
Here is the short history of Eleven Madison Park. The restaurant is part of Danny Meyer’s empire of restaurants. It first opened its doors in 1998, which is a lifetime in the restaurant business in this town. The first chef, Kerry Heffernan, leaned more towards French country cooking, with emphasis on hearty fare. For the past two years, a young Swiss chef, Daniel Humm, took over the helm and revamped the entire menu.
Restoring a classic such as Eleven Madison Park can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, to stay fresh in this competitive restaurant climate, change is vital and welcoming for new and curious patrons. Then again, change can turn off long-time clientele. Unlike opening a new restaurant with a new concept, it takes careful scrutiny and editing to refresh an existing classic.
The super-sized main dining area was left mostly untouched from its inception. A new Art Deco–inspired chandelier was the only obvious change I spotted, a perfect mate with the rest of the décor. Furniture and banquettes were slipped with new upholstery. Bathrooms were upgraded with glimmering new fixtures. New china and flatware served as steward for the artfully prepared dishes. For the most part, tired existing pieces were replaced with fresh ones that resembled the original. Nothing was overlooked but rather careful and precise alteration was executed.
The once à la carte menu has been relinquished in favor of a three-tier tasting menu. The offering of three or four courses or the gourmand of eleven courses depends on how hungry you are, how much time you have or how much of a dent you want to put on your plastic. We decided on the middle tier of four courses.
A series of bite-sized morsels set the stage for the courses to come. Our eyes lit up as we admired the stunning display of delicacies. To label them as hors d’oeuvres would be pedestrian on my part. Crisp sweetbread cornet, citrus-marinated hamachi wrap with zucchini and tobiko, black truffle macaroon stuffed with foie gras accompanied by apple cider gelée, and my favorite — goat cheese galette with Meyer lemon comfiture.
We had waived the idea of selecting a wine for our meal. Instead, we left the full discretion for wine pairing with our sommelier. That was when I noticed what sets Eleven Madison Park apart from other fine establishments. Flawless and helpful service from a restaurant of this caliber was to be expected, but can sometimes lean towards stolid military precision. It was the cheerful and respectful gestures of interaction among the staff that had a soothing effect and assured my sentiments of a fine dining experience.
The following courses showcased Daniel Humm’s talent in reductions, foams and slow cooking. The former two techniques in incapable hands can often result in a frivolous consequence. Not so with the young Swiss, his techniques in culinary alchemy were purposeful and refined. Compared to the former chef, his delicate performance brings out a graceful sensibility in his dishes.
My gnocchi appetizer of la ratte potatoes with Hawaiian prawns, calamari, celery and Meyer lemon was simply delightful. The poached Nova Scotia lobster with Florence fennel and chamomile dazzled my taste buds and had me wishing for more. But the showstopper was the candy bar — shaped suckling pig confit. The slow cooking technique brought out all the juicy flavors that are simply inherent in this dish. The last of the four courses was the dessert or a selection of cheeses. I chose without hesitation the blood orange tart with fromage blanc and fennel ice cream. It was a perfect finale to an eventful meal.
Dining at Eleven Madison Park was a salvation to my dreadful day. From my table, as I sat and gazed out into the evening, a dreamlike halo from the reflected light on tree branches reminded me how rewarding life can be. As so was my first revisit to this fine restaurant that likewise had a lasting impression.
Ike Cheung, an architecturally trained interior designer and professor, has lived in New York City for nearly a decade and enjoys discovering the City’s diverse culture. In addition to working with his design clients and teaching, he writes for an industry newsletter covering the pulse of the restaurant and bar scenes.
Posted in American , French , Madison Square , Pork
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Sweet Corn Ravioli
by Celia Cheng
July 13th, 2006
A VOCE
41 Madison Ave
@ 26th St
212-545-8555
Sweet corn ravioli! Sweet Lord! It’s like a gift from the gods. I know I just wrote about A Voce in May, but since the menu is always changing, there is much to talk about, and frequently. Yes, corn is in season, so go to A Voce to taste the sweet corn ravioli while it’s on the menu!
It is literally corn inside the ravioli. The texture of the crisp corn is rather refreshing and a little unexpected since we are generally accustomed to ravioli with smooth blends of cheeses or meat. Accompanying the ravioli are smoked tomatoes, summer truffle — I can still smell and taste it now — and farona di bosco mushrooms. The English name for the mushrooms is “hen of the woods.” I had not recognized the Italian or English name of this mushroom, but when I tasted it, I realized that it’s one of my favorite Japanese mushrooms, maitake. It makes perfect sense that the combination of corn, pasta, mushrooms, tomato and truffles is for me a quintessential summer dish since these are all of my favorite ingredients. To add a little spunk, there are also a couple of leaves of Chinese chives, which have a distinctive and slightly pungent burst of flavor. What can I say, this dish is just absolutely scrumptious!
An heirloom tomato risotto is also on the menu now. I love heirloom tomatoes and I love risotto. A pesto sauce counterbalances the tomatoes, with arugula and pecorino cheese blended in. While lovely, I found this dish to be slightly salty for my taste, but mind you, I need very little salt in my diet. The concept is great and offers something different than most run-of-the-mill risottos.
I am going in reverse order now, but the summer salad that we started out with was refreshing and delicious. Figs, arugula, duck bresaola and asiago cheese sounded a bit heavy to me, but when it arrived and with each bite, I couldn’t resist having more.
I have little more to say. In fact, I’d say, let me stop writing, and you stop reading. Go try the ravioli now! Or at least pick up the phone to make the reservation. You won’t regret it.
Posted in Italian , Madison Square , Pasta
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Spaghetti (local ramps, American speck, parmesan)
by Celia Cheng
May 20th, 2006
A VOCE
41 Madison Ave
@ 26th St
212-545-8555
A Voce received three stars and a smashing review from Frank Bruni in the Times last week. I happened to have made a reservation on Monday, two days before the publication, to secure a table for Thursday, the day after the gushing piece was released. Needless to say, the atmosphere was bustling with excitement and energy.
I don’t usually give my conclusion away at the beginning (or do I?) but I’m so excited I can’t contain myself: It was the best meal I’ve had this year.
Just to ensure that it wasn’t some fluke or that I had had too much to drink, I went back to double check. Yup! The food is stellar!
The menu is rather manageable and, with a party of six, you could probably try everything on it. But of course, the menu changes based on what’s in season and what chef Andrew Carmellini wants to play with. So don’t be upset if you don’t see the duck agnolotti Frank Bruni raved about since it was part of the del mercato (seasonal) portion of the menu. Meanwhile, while I tried a variety of other dishes — like the wild king salmon marinato, duck meatball antipasto, potato gnocchi, homemade pappardelle, grilled tuna bianco, steamed black sea bass, braised lamb shank, a side of fiddleheads with bacon and creamed onions and four desserts — there are three things that I absolutely loved and would like to share: the carne cruda, the roasted veal sweetbreads and the spaghetti.
The carne cruda is basically an Italian rendition of steak tartar, and this might be my favorite in town. The choice of beef, which is finely diced, is Wagyu, a genetic breed of beef that is predisposed to well marbling of fat. (The most famous type of Wagyu is Kobe beef, which must come from Kobe and meet strict standards set by the Japanese prefecture to qualify for the official designation.) French steak tartar generally relies more on mustard, so it has a bit of tartness. A Voce’s carne cruda, in contrast, blends in an emulsified truffle vinaigrette, which makes it taste smooth and creamy. Walnuts and celery add a layer of texture as well as a nutty and fresh flavor. And the truffle in the vinaigrette does its job of enhancing flavor though almost inconspicuously. I could barely stop eating this with the serving of perfectly toasted country bread but managed to restrain myself when I thought about all the other dishes I wanted to try.
On my second visit, I really just intended to have the spaghetti with local ramps, American speck and Parmesan and a glass of the 2004 Gérard Tremblay Chablis — two things I instantly craved as I finished my first meal at A Voce. But alas, who are we kidding?! It’s hard to pass up the rest of the menu when it’s just so fabulous. But really, if I could only choose one thing on the menu, there’s no doubt it would be this version of spaghetti carbonara. The speck, a nice smoked ham, has just the right amount of saltiness and is not overpowering. Compared to pancetta, the speck makes the dish seem lighter than other carbonaras and pairs better with the fresh peas and ramps. It is ramp season so all the chefs are using their creative juices to incorporate this yummy herb on menus. The use of ramps in the spaghetti gives it a flavor that no other carbonara has and can compete with. It’s just a stellar choice. I swear the next time I come back I am just getting this and nothing else… or at least I will try.
The roasted veal sweetbreads were part of the del mercato menu because they are cooked with fresh and pickled ramps and morel mushrooms, which also are in season right now. Growing up as a child in Taipei, I always ordered a filet mignon with morel sauce from my favorite restaurant, so I have a special attachment to these slightly bitter tasting mushrooms. As with the spaghetti, the ramps just really shine and add a special fresh flavor to a dish that otherwise could seem exceedingly rich. It’s still rich since we’re talking about sweetbreads, but the ramps contribute a certain levity.
Upon first entering the restaurant and surveying the décor, it seemed to match its surrounding neighborhood as a bit corporate and cold. I was rather surprised to see the swiveling Eames Aluminum Group Management Chairs, however. Having now twice sat in these chairs to dine, I must say that they are extremely comfortable and functional. It’s not so much that I want to swivel around to people-watch, but whenever I want to tilt one way or the other to speak to someone, the chair facilitates it. They may not be the most beautiful chairs for a restaurant, but it’s nice to see something different that actually works.
The service was impeccable on both visits. The staff is extremely well trained — everyone I came in contact with was congenial and knowledgeable about the menus (food, wine and dessert) in response to my questions.
A Voce highly deserves the three stars it received and though it will probably be very difficult to get a regular dinner reservation these days, I am more than happy to come back and eat at the bar or peek in on the weekends for lunch. The prices are a little high, but I am just so tickled by this new Italian jewel.
Posted in Italian , Madison Square , Pasta
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Lobster Soup
by Celia Cheng
October 20th, 2005
THE CAFÉ AT COUNTRY
90 Madison Ave
@ 29th St
212-889-7100
Let me just start out by saying, completely unspectacular. I’m not sure that I was expecting much, but this is one of those cases in which I got to confirm my suspicions that this is one of those restaurants with a lot of hype, tries too hard, and doesn’t get it. Okay, am I being harsh?!
Country is the newly opened restaurant of chef-owner Geoffrey Zakarian whose Town is at the Chambers Hotel. While I don’t have much urge to return to Town for dinner, I do like to eat and drink at the bar. Country, on the other hand, is struggling with a lot. I ate at the café, as the restaurant is not yet open to the public.
This being a brand new restaurant, I understand that there would still be a lot of rough edges. But if you’re the manager and you’d like to correct your staff, please don’t do it in front of a customer. It is uncomfortable for me and degrading for the staff personnel.
I was actually curious about executive chef Doug Psaltis’ cooking, since he has recently entangled himself in a good deal of bad publicity with his new book, The Seasoning of a Chef, a memoir in which he bad-mouths high-profile former employers/mentors, including Alain Ducasse, Thomas Keller and Dan Barber. I thought he might have some tricks hidden up his sleeve to be bold enough to piss off a good portion of the industry, but if he does have tricks I certainly did not see or taste them.
Let me just give some quick examples. The Country Burger is supposed to come on an English muffin, but it came on a Portuguese muffin, which in my book is dramatically different. Need I emphasize the importance of the little pockets that absorb the juices of the meat in an English muffin (see The Bar @ Etats-Unis) and of which the Portuguese muffin is entirely bereft? If you are going to serve it on a Portuguese muffin then say so on the menu. In any case, the burger was… unspectacular. The shallot tempura that came with the burger as a fancy substitute for the usual accompaniment of fries is a novel idea, but great tempura takes tremendous skill to make; the deep fried batter needs to be crispy on the outside and not too greasy while maintaining the essence and tenderness of what is enveloped inside. The shallot tempura were mushy and too greasy.
The crisp market salad was not crisp and was pathetic in quality, arrangement and size. Salads seem easy to make but a good one is really hard to come by. If you can make a pretty decent salad then I trust that the other things on the menu will be quite good too. But I’m afraid neither was true. There are more bad examples to mention — but I’ll stop here. No need to harp on a bad experience anymore than I have to.
Was there an upside? The lobster soup I had was good. A dish with lobster salpicon — diced lobster “stuffing” — and fennel cream arrived first and then the waiter poured the soup into my dish from a teapot. All very fancy, but he spilled on my silverware. This is what I mean when I say they try too hard. The food, the service — its all trying too hard. There were three people standing around to serve us, but not one of them really got it right. I didn’t feel like they were at ease, and they certainly didn’t make me feel at ease.
Country has a lot to sort out, but I doubt I will give it another try. There’s just too much good food out there and I’d rather eat somewhere where they’re comfortable with who they are.
Posted in American , Madison Square , Soup
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