Andrew & Ryan are in town, so last night we had the Valentine’s prix fixe dinner at Jean-Georges, along with the wine pairings that came with (which, in retrospect, I would have skipped in favor of a great Burgundy that would have worked beautifully with most of the courses.)
1. Amuse bouche of shrimp and salsa with truffled potato soup
2. Tuna tartare with avocado and sort of a ponzu sauce
3. Foie gras on brioche with a brulée top (caramelized sugar and sesame seeds)
4. Salmon on Asian mushrooms with ginger-sake dressing
5. Veal cheeks on parsnip-celeriac purée with spicy celery-apple salad
6. Dessert of warm chocolate torte, lemon tart, and ice creams plus heart-shaped raspberry napoleon
It was all good, and the veal was exceptional. The foie gras was more a textural revelation than a taste one; tansformed into a crème brulée it was incredibly creamy and rich but too sweet. As with so many places like this, expectations rarely live up to reality. I’m always hoping for an experience which creates a sensation I’ve never had before- something new, which changes my ideas of what food can do. Having said that, though, it was a lovely meal, and left us perfectly full.