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Jean Georges in New York
The Summer 2007 Follow Up by Maurice Graham Henry
I have
made numerous visits to Jean Georges since writing the
November 2005
review (below). And I am most pleased to report that I
enthusiastically stand by it. Although not every meal
reached the highest of heights of the dinner described in that review, I've been
most impressed with the unwavering quality of the food and of the
service. Yes, the reaffirmation of the four star rating by the New
York Times was indeed well-deserved. And this summer I was so impressed with a lunch menu
that included a delicious red snapper in an herbal broth and
a thoroughly original squab with asian pears that the ranking
of the restaurant on the DininginFrance.com best French restaurants
in New York page was raised from "excellent" to
"excellent/extraordinary".
However,
on a dinner visit about six months earlier, the winter tasting menu seemed
to me to be considerably more "Asian" than any of the other menus I had there
previously. While I'm no expert in far-eastern cooking and
can therefore offer no hard proof of this, I thought then and still
believe now that the much of the food on this last visit seemed (with
the exception of the venison preparation) more "Asian with French
influences" than the other way around. Here is the winter tasting
menu I had, along with the the fabulous wine pairings selected by
Hristo, the sommelier that evening:
Amuse Bouche
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Black Truffle Emulsion
Salmon with Fennel and Tarragon Cream, cured in Sambuca
Dehydrated Pineapple with Chili and Lime with
Mint Sugar
Sliced Hamachi,
Meyer Lemon and Rose
Wine pairing: Vogelsang,
Heidi Schrock, Weinbauer, Austria
Foie Gras Brûlée,
Dried Sour Cherries, Candied Pistachios,
White Port Gelée
Wine pairing: Monbazillac,
Château Belingard, France 2002
Wild Mushroom
Tea, Parmesan, Chili and Thyme
Wine Pairing:
Txakolina, Txomin Etxaniz, Getaria, Spain 2005
Red Snapper, Lily
Bulb-Radish Salad, White Sesame and Lavender
Wine Pairing:
Chablis, Joseph Drouhin Grand Cru Vaudesir, Burgundy, France
2001
Maine Lobster,
Chestnut and Espelette Pepper Butter
Wine Pairing:
Viognier, Cold Heaven Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, Santa
Barbara, California 2005
Medallion of
Venison with Bleu Cheese Foam, Spinach
Wine Pairing:
Kamen Claret, Sonoma, California 2005
Dessert
"LATE HARVEST"
Crispy Spiced Chocolate, Beet Parfait, Yogurt Powder
Warm Semolina Pancake, Poached Pears, Cumin
Sautéed Apples, Olive Oil Sponge, Maple Brown Butter Ice Cream
Pomegranate Sorbet
Marshmallows, Cookies and Chocolates
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An Excellent Restaurant, Capable of the Extraordinary
Review of Jean Georges by Maurice Graham Henry
The Chalet Suisse in Manhattan was a
wonderful restaurant. I still miss it. I remember an elderly Swiss
diplomat, a regular customer, would walk in the door and immediately ask the
owner, Konrad Egli, "Is it possible to find a good Swiss meal in New
York?" At least while the Chalet Suisse remained open, the answer was an
unhesitant Yes.
 For
French cooking, New York is fortunate to have not just a few, but
several very good French restaurants capable of producing a superior
French meal. Indeed, a few of these are capable of producing an
excellent French meal. But is there even one that can produce a
truly extraordinary French meal? Sadly, I believed the answer was
no, until my first dinner at
Jean Georges, the New York flagship restaurant of master Chef Jean-Georges
Vongerichten, now thankfully allows me to say yes.
What makes a French meal extraordinary,
you ask? Excellent service, excellent food, to be sure. But
what propels the step up to "extraordinary" from "excellent" is
excellent food and serviceall with perfectly-matched wines, and a truly
superb cheese course--again, with wines all perfectly matched to the
different cheeses. But more on this extraordinary meal later.
I have had the good fortune to dine at Jean Georges six times now: once
for lunch, and five times for dinner. Add to that a Sunday evening
supper at the more casual Nougatine (next to the Jean Georges, but
sharing the same kitchen), and I am pleased to inform you that Jean Georges is truly an excellent
restaurant, capable of the extraordinary.
 One enters Jean Georges through the
Central Park West entrance, just to the left of the entrance of the Trump
International Hotel an Towers. The service at the front desk is
consistently friendly and attentive. The dining room, designed
by Adam Tihany (who also designed Per Se) is bright and spacious,
surrounded on three sides by large windows offering lovely views of
Central Park and Columbus Circle. This contemporary interior
(pictured) immediately makes the diner feel relaxed and at ease.
Unfortunately, once the restaurant is completely full, the noise level
can be somewhat on the loud side. That is why, at this restaurant
especially, my preference is to secure a very early reservation.
Now back to that first extraordinary dinner.
My captain for that evening, a lovely young woman named Christina, comes to
my table and greets me. She recommends that I begin with a glass of
Champagnea much welcomed suggestion. She recommends the Pierre Gimonnet Blanc de Blancs, her personal favorite. It is cool and
crisp, dry but not overly so.
I am then introduced to the menu. Here there is no à la carte dinner menu.
There are three tastings, the first being the Prix Fixe at $95. This includes an appetizer, a middle course,
the main course, and dessert. The second and third are larger
tasting menus, a signature menu of Jean-Georges Vongerichten classic dishes and a seasonal menu,
each at $125. I opt for the Prix Fixe
menu, with the addition of the cheese course.
"May I show you our wine list?" is the question that invariably follows
my
menu selection. I decline. I want the restaurant to pair a wine with each
course, with zero input from me. (As with any French restaurant I
review, their ability to successfully pair wines with my meal is a key
component of my evaluation.)
Then the sommelier for the evening, a young man named Hristo, arrives at
my table. I tell him exactly what I expect. His immediate enthusiasm and welcoming of the
pairing challenge puts my mind at ease.
Following is the menu I selected, with wines (except for the
champagne) selected by Hristo:
Champagne: Brut
Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru NV, Pierre Gimonnet
Amuse Bouche
Foie Gras Terrine, Slow
Roasted Strawberries and Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Wine pairing: Monbazillac 2002,
Chateau Belingard
Corn Ravioli,
Market Tomato Salad, Basil Fondue
Wine pairing: Blanc de
Lynch-Bages 2003, Bordeaux
Duck Breast
Topped with Cracked Jordan Almonds, Honey Wine Jus
Wine Pairing:
Pinot Noir "Dutton Ranch" 2002, Dutton Goldfield
Selection of
Cheeses
Brin d'Amour (Raw Sheep's Milk from
Corsica)
Délice de Bourgogne (Whipped
Triple Crème Cow's Milk from Burgundy)
Wine Pairing: Pinot Gris
"Patergarten" 2003, Blanc
Pyrénées Brebis (Raw Sheep's Milk
from the Pays Basque)
Gabietou (Raw Sheep's Milk from
Aquitaine)
Wine Pairing: Riversates "Le
Serrat" 1995, Domaine Sarda Malet
Epoisses (Cow's Milk Washed with
Marc de Bourgogne from the Côte d'Or, Burgundy)
Persillé de Malzieu (Raw Sheep's
Milk Blue from the French Alps)
Wine Pairing: Rasteau "Vin Doux
Naturel" 2000, Domaine La Soumade
Dessert
"RHUBARB"
Nougat Glacé, Bitter Chocolate, Candied Almond
Alsatian Streusel Tart, Cremé Fraîche, Mustard Seed
Red Wine Poached Rhubarb Consommé, Passion Seeds, Chamomile
Banana Flambé,
Peanut Praline, Rum and Coca Cola Ice Cream
Wine Pairing:
Brachetto D'Acqui "Rosa Regale" 2003, Banfi
Marshmallows, Cookies and Chocolates
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With my order in, I sit back comfortably with my
champagne. And...do I hear music? I am somewhat put off by
the recorded music that begins to play through the dining room.
(Generally, your reviewer doesn't like to eat to recorded music.
Canned music is acceptable, sometimes even welcomed, in a bar or lounge
area, but not in a fine dining establishment.) However, the music is pleasant
enough, so I decide not to let it bother me. [Note: I am pleased to
report the absence of music during my most recent visits this fall.] I am offered bread, a
choice of a French roll or a large slice of a rye loaf. I take one of each. The bread is superior, but
not exceptional—and only salted butter is provided.
Next comes a lovely amuse bouche ("amusement for the
mouth", smaller and less filling than the welcome canapés served at
similar restaurants.). This is a trio on one plate, consisting of
(from right to left, how the Chef recommends they be eaten) Hamachi on
toasted garlic brioche, goat cheese in a tomato water gelée, and a glass
of chilled basil soup with shrimp fondue. Everything is refreshing a
flavorful, a lovely introduction to my dinner that I enjoy with my
champagne.
Now for the Foie Gras. I have high
expectations, because at my lunch here two months prior, the highlight of
the meal was a Foie Gras "brûlée" served with kumquat marmalade.
But the terrine preparation that arrived this time, served with finely cut strawberries and
some balsamic vinegar, absolutely enthralled me. As before, it is so creamy, almost like a
mousse, but with all the decadent richness of a truly outstanding terrine.
(Christina explained that at Jean Georges, the terrine is soaked in cognac
for an extended period, giving it that extraordinary creamy texture.)
Yet the addition of the strawberries and balsamic only enhance it
further. And Hristo did very well, pairing the Monbazillac 2002, Chateau Belingard with
this dish.
It was sweet, but not overly so.
My next course was like nothing I have had before.
While the description of corn ravioli in a basil fondue is
straightforward enough, the combined tastes of the fresh corn and basil
caused me to again sit back in awe of the extraordinary level of
cooking coming out of the Jean Georges kitchen. And then comes my
main course, the most delicious duck I have ever had: a perfect medium
rare duck breast topped with cracked Jordan almonds, mildly sweetened
with a honey wine jus. This was accompanied by a rich, flavorful
duck leg confit.
Another dinner a few weeks later provided the
opportunity to have the rack of lamb. Prepared with cardamom
crumbs and fava bean purée, it is one of the best I have ever tasted, And at my most recent
dinner in early November (when I had the opportunity to personally
congratulate Chef Vongerichten on his attainment of three Michelin stars), I finally had the opportunity to order the sea scallops
with caramelized cauliflower and a caper-raisin emulsion that the noted
critic Francis Bown had so enjoyed when he first took me to lunch there. (Click
here to read
his review.). I also enjoyed the flavorful filet of beef served on top
of spinach and mustard greens, along with an onion compote—a welcome
replacement to the sliced beef served with a chicory sauce (a rather
bland dish from the summer menu that was one of the very few letdowns). This
filet is prepared "sous vide", resulting in a perfect medium rare texture throughout.
A rich and flavorful dish, this was perfectly accompanied by a glass of
1999 Volnay 1er cru, Dominique Laurent.
I am pleased to confirm that yes, the ultimate "12"
rating of this restaurant (the combined total of 3 Michelin stars, 4
stars from The New York Times, and 5 stars from Mobil) is indeed well
deserved. A total rating shared only with Thomas Keller's
per se across the street, it should
only be attained by those who consistently produce excellent to
extraordinary cooking
in New York, French or otherwise. Jean Georges meets that
standard.
Maurice Graham Henry
November 7, 2005
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