=" /> The Mile High Eater: Degustation

Monday, June 16, 2008

Degustation

Ok this was Day three in New York City and we went to this restaurant based on the rave reviews from chowhound new york ( www. chowhound.com). The chef of this place is Wesley Genovart and he does a great job. What makes this place unique and fun especially for a "foodie" is that there are only 16 spots to eat here and they are aligned around a bar that looks into the very small kitchen. While you are dining you can watch the chefs make your food and see how they go about plating. There is very little room left in the place outside the bar and kitchen but even with the small space you dont feel cramped ( at least untill you try to make it to the rest room). With a place this small I was a bit worried that service may be spotty but it was great and very attentive and the captain was just as helpful and cheerful as you could ask for. While the food was not all home runs but there were several on the other side there were 2 big misses. The over all experience however was wonderful and I woudl highly reccomend it to any heading out that way. They dont have a website but here is the phone number: 212-979-1012


Amuse bouche

degustation amuse bouch


Snails , orange, mint croquent
This was our first taste of snail. I found it to be very tender with a very nice flavor. Barbara found it to be a bit chewy but liked the taste ok.


Course 1

Degustation course 1


Fish and chips

Kaupachi, artichoke, garlic potato chips and chives

WOW WOW one of my two favorite dishes here the combination of the fish and the chips was just incredible ! The tastes just blended well adn popped in your mouth. I wanted more MORE


Course 2

Degustation course 2


Sunchoke and javion serrano soup
KABBBOOOOOOOOM
This was one of those dishes that you clean the plate then look around for more and the next day keep wanting more. And really a month latter I still want more. At this point I was thinking oh my this meal is going to just crush the other 2 we had tasted in New York and had it managed to keep these high notes it would of but sadly the next course was like a splash of cold water.


Course 3


Degustation course 3


Cured sardine,pickled onion, apple foam and micro cabbage. Sardine sandwich with sweet herbs tarter sauce fresno peppers and micro radish.
This was one of 2 clunkers of the night I enjoyed the sandwich ok but the cured sardine neither Barb or I cared for at all and in fact the cured sardine was more of a ewww and the sandwich was like the lunch you get packed for school where its not great or really what you want but you eat it because its whats there. I do want to say my pictures in here are pretty rough was low light and the plates were very close sue to the size of the bar so sorry about that.


Course 4

Degustation course 4


Carbinero, amarath, crab stock lobster coral
Twas clunker number 2 food and picture was bascily a big shrimp in a think soupish thing and honestly to me it was just blah and Barb felt the same. Ok do you remember the old game show press your luck I felt like I just pulled a double whammy and was now atthe point of going oh crap we have how many courses left. From the high of the high to the low of the lows luckily from here on out it evened out.


Course 5


degustation course 5


Poached egg, Gauniale bread crumbs,Laiubs quatus mustard greens
Ok I looked at this and went well its a egg sigh. Boy I was wrong this combined with the bread crumbs and the sauce was just incredible another dish that left me thinking the next day. I still dont know why this worked so well but it just did the taste was great the textures fantastic and left a lasting impression so much that the next time I saw a poached egg my taste buds jumped up immediately and stood at attention.

Course 6

Degustation course 6

Seared scallop, oatmeal saffron ristto, uni jauio serrano, shieo
The scallop was good for a scallop. As you can tell I am not a scallop fan and Barb pretty much hates them but we forgot to say this at the begginging so no biggie. The rissto however was very good and had a nice texture I still remember well.


Course 7


degustation course 7

Soft shell crab, Fuai chili suace micro green salad
When they brought the crab out and cleaned them right in front of us then dropped them in the fryer both Barb and I were like hmm can we eat it or not after seeing that however BIG BIG YUM! The people next to us were lucky I did not grab theirs off the plates by far the best crab I have had if you look at the picture you can see it is a bit mangled as soon as the smell of this hit me I started in forgetting to take the picture till Barb prodded me !


Course 8


degustation course 8


Pomparro, artichoke, fava beans, manilla clams, salsa verde.

Really good fish very little fish taste at all was cooked just fantasatic with a crisp top and a bold non fishy flavor. Once again just a great course. This meal is a 10 course meal however the pacing and size of the portions make it so you dont feel overly stuffed.


Course 9



Degustation course 9


Squid, stuffed with short rib. Lentils chorizo carrot and onion
Something is very odd when they stuff a piece of octopus with short rib with this just seemed wrong but the taste was great and the lentils went very well with it. Barb again felt the squid was a bit chewy and this as always is a big turn off for her.

Sorbet

Degustation sorbet


Sorbet with ginger and tequilla with apple foam
Wow sorbet with a kick I really enjoyed it and it truly refreashed my pallete. Barbara thought the tequilla a bit strong though.


Course 10


degustation course 10


Spanish turija, grapefruit foam, frozen grapefruit
french toast on crack! Warm with a nice smell and great texture was a light great way to finish the evening.



The overall experience here was great. When we go back to New York one day if we are with fellow foodies we would go again just for the atmophere and how fun it was to watch the chef and crew. The cost of this meal was 150 plus tax for the 2 of us. I will leave this one off with a picture of the outside of the restaurant and a picture of the wonderful captain. As always feel free to ask any questions you may have.


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