Per Se

This was our last day in New York and also our best meal. This meal is the one all other meals will be judged by from here on out because this was just about perfect all the way around. A few notes before I get started if you plan on dining here you need to call 2 months to the day before you plan on eating at exactly 10 am est. If you do not do this you dont stand much of a chance of getting a table. They do require a jacket here and it does feel kind of odd walking into a mall dressed to the nines but once you get to the third floor and see the famous blue door and the little garden out side of the restaurant the mall fades away. Though this was a very formal place the feel was more realaxed and the wait staff went out of their way to make you feel comfortable and at home. Your menu is customized to each customer and ours had mention of our birthday on them which was cool,you also get to take those home with you if you wish. The menu here changes every day and 2 times a day when they serve lunch. One thing that is very different here is that thereis only 2 menus the chefs 9 course tasting and the 9 course tasting of vegtables. There is no ala cart at all. With the pictures and posts following I am not going to go into great detail beyond listing what they were just due to the fact they were all Fantastic and YUM if something was even better than the rest I will mention it but other that that I will let the picture and description speak for itself. The Chef here is Thomas Keller though I do not believe he was in the kitchen that night. Website is www.perseny.com


Starter



This was the first dish served basicly little cheese balls the outside crust was nice and crisp and the cheese inside was still hot and molten.




Amuse bouche



This is the 2nd thing served and where our meals seperated with Barb having the vegtable tasting and myself the chef's

These were little sesame cones stuffed with creme frece and topped with very thinly sliced tuna for mine and chick peas for Barbs. They were very pretty to look at but a bit hard to eat to get all the elements in at one time.

Jonathan course 1



Oysters and pearls
Sabayon of pearl tapioca with island creek oysters and sterling white sturgeon caviar

My first OMG of the meal the taste and texture here was just amazing. I finished this and wanted more of the buttery dish of heaven.
I left the picture of the spoon in there because it is made out of mother of pearl because they say a metal spoon would change the flavor of the caviar.


Barbara course 1





Sweet carrot sorbet
Terrine of greenmarket carrots cilantro coulis and young ginger
For me when the Waiter described this I was thinking carrot ice cream EWWW but as everything here it was great.


Jonathan course 2



gateau of hudson valley moulard duck foie gras
pistachio genoise Black winter truffle-madeira gelee, white wine poached rainier cherries , pickeled ramps and celery branch with toasted brioche.
I really wanted to not like this one just because what it was but WOW WOW WOOOOOOOW this was so incredible it just plain and simple blew my mind Barb and I finished this up and I for one was hoping the next 7 courses were more of this. I think this is the single best tasting piece of food that has ever crossed my lips.


Barbara course 2




salad of holland white asparagus
croutons de pain de champagne confit of lemon supremes and latiues sauvages with sauce gremolata


Jonathan course 3




sajuteed fillet of ghiga island halibut
olive oil braised green garlic, pattypan squash pesto and parsley shoots with nicoise olive oil

Up till here I had not had a dish that I could compare to other dishes I had previosly eaten but I can say in all honesty best halibut I have eaten anywhere though Barb thought it was at about the same level as the halibut she had the day before at Le Bernardin ( which is saying alot)


Barbaras course 3


Globe artichoke fritta
celery branch, carmelized spring onions, yukon gold potatoes and black winter truffle with cipollini onion fondue.

Best way for me to describe this is to say my comment after trying this was if I had this kitchen to make my food I think I could become a vegatarian WOW. If a food dish could make you dream about it this would!


Jonathan course 4



Butter poached nova scotia lobster
split english peas and green market carrots with mousseline gingembre


Barbara course 4



Fried green tomatoes
persian cucumber, pickled ramps and frisee lettuce with sauce gribiche

I would say this was the least favorite of the evening not to say it was bad the taste was still very good just not a stand out at all. Really it comes down to when you are eating the best meal of your life and something comes out that is just very good it seems a let down.


Jonathan course 5



Four story hills farms milk fed poussin
rillettes de cuisse beech mushrooms purple top turnips and field mizuna with whole grain mustard jus



Barbara course 5



herb roasted abalone mushroom
compressed asian pears, heirloom radishes and mitsuba with nikiri dressing

mmmmm mushroom very very tastey ! I love mushrooms and this was a wower for sure.



Jonathan course 6




degustation of eden hallow farm's spring lamb
rissolee of yukon gold potatoes, wilted arrowleaf spinach and young leeks with spring lamb jus

STEP AWAY FROM MY LAMB
Ok must admit a bit of greed overtook me here only course I did not want to share with Barb, the rack piece was the single best tasting piece of meat ( any meat and I was never a big lamb fan before") I had ever tasted. the shoulder,neck, and sausage were very good but that darn rack it almost killed me to let Barb have some lol



Barb course 6





Salvatore brooklyn rocotta agnolotti
spring pole beans wirth piccolo basil and olio verde extra virgin olive oil



Jonathan course 7




gabietou cheese
slow baked beets candied walnuts and frisee lettuce with red beet vinaigerette



Barbara course 7





cabra romero cheese
cauliflower florettes, wood sorrel and rosemary sable with lemon verbena aigre doux
another good cheese but the stand out was the cauliflower florettes yum


Jonathan course 8





apricot sorbet
nyons extra virgin olive oil pate de fruit with tellicherry pepper sable breton

YUM and re yum great sorbet and pallet cleanser


Barbara course 8





guava sorbet
tamarind genoise , goma nougatine and cream cheese foam




Jonathan Course 9



glace a la fraise

strawberry biscuit toasted almond panna cotta and mint syrup with tristar strawberry ice cream

wow ( yes wow again) a perfect ending to the meal ( or so I thought)



Barbara course 9






crepe souffle
carmelized bananas creme patissiere au chocolat and banana crunch with toasted walnut ice cream



Post meal 1


Ok from here on flying on memory alone these are unlisted courses and not sure why not every table got everything we did saw one other that did but other tables just got one or two items. ( mind you I could not see all of the 15 tables but not sure why we got all of this). This was a panacotta and it had a wonderfull creamy texture and there was not a bit of it left when I was done even though my belly was just stuffed.


Post meal 2


creme brulee

Ahh the reverses of fate Barb did not want to share with me ( of course she did though )this was so good pays me back for my lamb gluttony lol


Post meal 3




Coffee and donuts

Freshly made warm cinamon donuts with cappachino ICE CREAM this was once again a big WOW so very good so even though we were full could not leave it be.


Post meal 4



cocco covered hazel nuts

I have run out of words was to full to try more than 1 but it was great


Post meal 5




Then came a huge plate of chocolates we had several choices and picked a few different ones each and nibbled on them I can remember a very rich chocolate and the apple one but the rest are a blur of tastey goodness



Post meal 6



Bottom of dish truffles 2 choclolate and 1 coconut the coconut was like a coconut creame pie exploding in your mouth and the chocolates were just divine. The next level was nougat we were to full to touch them but we put a few in our bag to take home the same with the toffee above ( all are made in this kitchen we were told. Post note ate some of them the next day YUMMY


Post meal 7







Hand spun hard candy done in the kitchen which we took out several with us.



Post meal 8




They give a little bag of cookies to take home We did not have these till a few days after we made it home but once again amazing. They hit just about everything on your tongue.



In overview Per Se was the Best mealof my life then and so far reigns supreme. It was not just the food or the room or the service that made you feel both comfortable and special but the perfect blending of all three. The total cost of this meal was staggering and we did not even have any wine. But this is a once in a life time meal and I cant say it any better that even the vegtable course seemed worth the money and Barbara and I are far from wealthy so this was a huge extravagance. Total price tip and tax included ( the tip is included in meal cost) 628.58 GASP but even now I say was worth it. In fact I was so impressed with the over all experience I added another $20 on the tip even though I was facing severe sticker shock.


I will leave this entry with a few pictures of the restaurant and at least the next several entrys will be on restaurants in my native Colorado. My wife and I have decided once a month we will try to go to a local restaurant finances willing. If you have any questions feel free to ask and thanks as always for coming by!




The famous blue door and the little garden outside



The view from Per SE