Vanessa in NYC – Part 3
September 11th, 2012. Posted by Sarah
In the 3rd and final part of Vanessa’s travel stories from New York, she visited Thomas Keller’s legendary Per Se in the Time Warner Building…
Per Se was definitely the highlight for me of all our dining; watching the floor team work, for me, was like watching people waltz – they were so gracious, elegant and instinctive I wanted to get up and join them (sad I know). You can really see that their energy and manners come from their leader, Thomas Keller. Everyone who came to our table was professional yet warm and lovely. Compared to a lot of our other experiences, these waiters who are at the top of their game, still had a true sense of hospitality and then there was the food & wine…
Seated with a view over Central Park, watching the sunset, we had this overwhelming feeling that the’ Per Se show’ was about to begin…
And begin it did – Hass avocado ‘potage’ with green almonds, radish and yoghurt – the texture and flavour of the green almonds really stood out in our first dish, all washed down with an equally delicious glass of Jose Dhondt, Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
The next dish has now gone into my top 5 most memorable dishes, one of Thomas Keller’s most famous dishes, Tsar Imperial Osetra caviar with sea urchin, cauliflower ‘panna cotta’, Meyer lemon and basil seed – oyster ‘Nuage’. This dish was so silky and captured the flavours of the sea in such a luxurious way gush gush I could carry on for hours about it and I was poured more Blanc de Blanc to enjoy with it too! ( I do wish I was warned about how much wine was on the way!). Anyway sorry – far too busy indulging that I forgot a pic.
The next dish was a citrus cured fluke (a fish we know as flounder) with cucumber, yuzu and ramps (which are like a spring onion). This dish was super clean and refreshing – getting us ready for more bursts of flavour. We were now served our next wine a glass of Fritsch Gruner Vetliner ‘Schlossberg’ 2010 in the prettiest glass ever, I cant imagine the staff smashing these ones!
Hawaiian hearts of peach palm bavarois with a black truffle glaze, royal Blenheim apricots, Hakurei turnips and mizuna
Sautéed fillet of black sea bass with green asparagus, russet potato gnocchi, arrowlleaf spinach, pearl onions and sauce ‘nantua’
Butter poached Nova Scotia lobster ‘mitts’ ‘Pain Perdu a la moelle’ red wine braised shallots, morel mushrooms, watercress and sauce bordelaise
The above 3 dishes were served with one of my favourite wines, a Domaine Ramonet, Chassagne –Montrachet 2009. By now my cheeks were rosy and I had started to believe that I truly was a princess!
White truffle oil infused custard ragout of black winter truffles!
Normally I am not a fan of eating too much ‘bling’ food as I refer to it (caviar, truffles, lobster etc) but every dish was so elegant and such a delight I was not complaining this time! Washed down with a glass of Domaine Huet ‘Le Haut-Lieu’ Vouvray Sec 2010.
Soft shell crab with grapes, brown butter and sauce ‘soubise’
Herb roasted Thomas Farm squab seasoned with smoked foie gras ‘Asperge en Croute de Noisettes’ Meiwa kumquat, garden mache and jus de sauternes
Elysian Fields Farm’s Spring lamb, globe artichokes, baby carrots and paloise mousseline
We told our waiter how dreadful our lives are in Australia because we can not import fresh foie gras, so he gave us extra shavings of the smoked foie gras (because by now we looked like we really NEEDED more food!)
The lamb was a struggle to be honest – I am a seasoned eater but I was starting to fade!
And the wine – David Duband, Chambolle Musigny 2009 for the squab and Talenti, Brunello di Montalcino 2006 for the lamb. Yes I drank it all!
Now we knew the next 2 delights were coming because we had seen them presented to other tables around us (yes I could still see at this point!)
Raspberry & oats granite de crème de cassis, toasted oat crumble, raspberry soda and Greek yoghurt panna cotta
Gateau Marjolaine de Fernand Point
Served with a glass of Domaine Marengo “#65” Muscat du Cap Corse 2008.
The gateau was presented at the table as an entire cake and then taken away to be plated with a matching chocolate & vanilla swirled ice-cream and it was amazing!
And finally we ordered tea and what arrived with our tea was a procession of petit fours…they were all so beautiful but I have honestly not eaten this much sugar since Easter in 1982 when I ate 36 chocolate eggs in one sitting. Told you I could eat!
I have wanted to dine at Per Se for many many years and this was definitely one of the most memorable meals I have ever had!
Tags: Best NYC restaurants, Best restaurants in New York, food stories, Michelin starred restauarnts in New York, Neil Perry, per se, Restaurants, Restaurants near Central Park, Restaurants near Time Warner Building, Thomas Keller, Thomas Keller restaurants, travel, Vanessa Crichton, Worlds 50 Best Restaurants
