Jean Georges: happy 2009 to me

When my sister suggested lunch at Jean Georges during our trip to NYC, my heart leaped with happy excitement. What can I say? Jean Georges Vongerichten is a genius at combining French and Asian flavors, or so I had read. I had always wanted to try his food and oh, I was so excited. And now you'll have to indulge me as I share all the details.

Our table had a view of Central Park West, which was lovely when it started to snow lightly outside. As a freak for china and silver and crystal, I also couldn't stop admiring the monogrammed china and sleek silver flatware -- let's just say that it's a good thing we already have one set of heirloom sterling silver. We settled in at our table, ordered wine and sparkling sodas, and munched on warm bread spread with butter and tiny flakes of salt.

Amuse bouche: We started with a shot of silky, creamy cumin-scented cauliflower soup with beet puree, a bite of lightly smoked salmon in a creamy sauce, and finally a slice of dehydrated clementine. The soup was so subtle, so well seasoned. Clean, balanced flavors are something that I really appreciate and strive for in my own cooking -- the sophisticated combination of cumin, cauliflower, and beet really set the tone for the meal. The smoked salmon bite was tasty and pretty. And the dehydrated clementine was so sour that my sister's eyes snapped open as she ate her slice. As the end note of the amuse-bouche, it was interesting and palate cleansing.


1st course: Japanese snapper carpaccio with crystallized ginger and white radish was disappointingly one note, though the fish was fresh and sweet. I much preferred my sister's young garlic and thyme scented soup, poured tableside and served with tender, juicy frog legs. The soup itself was beautifully seasoned; the garlic and thyme permeated the soup without taking over. Mark ordered foie gras brulee, served on toasted brioche with pineapple and Meyer lemon jam. The foie was rich and heady and lush, with a slightly torched exterior. And the tartness of the jam? Amazing contrast in flavor. All I can say is that I loved it. And by that I mean I closed my eyes and wished it wouldn't end.

2nd course: Mark and my sister both ordered soy-glazed short ribs with apple-jalapeno puree and rosemary crumbs. This dish was very, very good, though Lynh wished it had been served hot. I thought I tasted star anise, a spice I love with beef (because of pho, of course). And the flavor pairing of apple and jalapeno was great.


I ordered fried sweetbreads on licorice sticks with a lemon sauce and a grilled pear. The elements of this dish were good but I didn't think the flavors and textures blended as effortlessly or as deliciously as in the other dishes. I did very much enjoy the grilled pear, which was sweet and just slightly smoky.

Dessert: Jean Georges offered several themes to choose from: I chose caramel, Mark chose chocolate, and Lynh chose winter. The desserts were beautifully presented -- pastry chefs are artists, seriously!

My favorite variation on caramel was the caramel pop – cardamom and caramel ice cream covered with a thick layer of dark chocolate on a stick. It was adorable and delicious. I also had a lovely, lovely pineapple sorbet -- it was sweet and tangy and the essence of ripe pineapple. Honestly, I was so happy eating this that I ignored the crispy dehydrated sponge and ribbons of caramel curd on the plate.


Lynh's winter plate had a Saigon cinnamon doughnut and prune-Armagnac jam served on the side. After we finished the doughnut, I ate every bit of the jam with a spoon. It was too good to leave behind. The last item was pretty but I didn't taste it. Cranberry... something.


Mark's molten chocolate cake was superlative, as well it should have been, since Jean Georges Vongericthen is credited with its invention. We enjoyed the vanilla bean ice cream but we all disliked the last dish, which the menu describes as chocolate gnocchi. Really disliked it. It was salty and had a strange texture and completely interrupted my dessert high. The grapefruit-gianduja-basil sauce on the side was interesting, but I felt like there was a little too much going on here.

Mignardises: Marshmallows, assorted truffles, and miniature macarons.

Had we not made marshmallows last weekend, I would have been enchanted by these. But I tasted the banana and cranberry marshmallows and set them aside in favor of the teeny, crisp, and chewy macarons. And there were so many truffles that I can't remember the flavors, but we all thought the salty peanut butter and jelly chocolate truffle was outstanding. After coffee and espresso and nearly 3 hours, we left, happy and full.

All in all, there were some hits and misses, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially sharing it with two of my favorite people. Obviously, I stored every detail in my brain so I wouldn't forget it. And, despite there being a recession going on (as my sister's boyfriend helpfully pointed out) I think it was truly an excellent value for a Michelin 3 star restaurant.