Dropped by Gallagher’s Steakhouse, a historical steakhouse, which, during the days of the prohibition, was the first illicit establishment selling alcohol where gamblers and stars of Broadway would meet.
In the incredibly competitive steakhouse market of NYC (perhaps, the steakhouse mecca of the world – I mean, do you know any other major city with that many world class steakhouses? Do you? ), you know you have reached the enviable status of a historic shrine at whatever you do when the NY Times writes romanticized write-ups with eye-candy photographs of this sort about you – .
At Gallagher’s Steakhouse, I ordered:
Platter of 12 oysters – Dabob bay from Hood canal (Washington) and Canadian lucky lime. Nicely shucked quality fresh oysters. The lucky lime had the advertised citrus-tone finish in evidence. The intertidal beach cultured Dabob bay oysters, quite briny for an oyster coming from the Pacific. The mignonette properly done. A platter of fine oysters. 7/10
The 20 oz rib eye steak (Grade: USDA Prime), dry aged for 28 – 32 days on premise in their glass-enclosed meat locker ( You can see it from the street – a sight to behold). The meat is grilled on hickory coals, a rarity in a city where most steakhouses do broil their steaks. Grilling meat over an open fire has always been my preferred grilling method for meats. The requested medium rare doneness achieved with utter precision. It delivered on flavor (the seasoning, exquisite – the steak as delicious as it gets) and was superbly tender throughout. The great grilling effect of the open fire in evidence to the eyes/smell/palate. Dazzling crust. My steak had its juices settled within the meat, therefore timely rested. A steak is not a moon landing mission and one can do great steaks at home, indeed, but what matters here is that this is a steakhouse and it is doing one of the better steaks in NYC. Easily the best rib eye steak I ever had at all the top tier steakhouses of NY. 10/10
The creamed spinach. Here too, the G seems to have the edge as the creamed spinach had superb taste and great balance between the cream and spinach flavours. Superb texture too. Just some delicious creamed spinach like few — surprisingly, indeed – seem to be able to pull out at the NYC steakhouses. Vibrant fresh and delicious flavours. 9/10
Even the crème fraîche to accompany the baked potato was not of the ordinary sort. The baked potato managing, somehow, not to be just an average piece of tired looking baked potato simply because most kitchen brigades keep such simple things for granted (as most diners do, actually), when, in reality, the sourcing of your potato and how you timed its baking makes a big difference. Here, they did care about that difference.
Bottom line: A very beautiful steakhouse (the warmth of materials such as wood and leather never failing to entice) in the classic genre. But the food was as great. Where many steakhouses seem to deliver tired renditions of classic steakhouse food, the G seems to find a way to make it a bit more exciting in mouth (even their homemade sauce to accompany the steak, made of tomato/garlic/Worcestershire sauce, was well engineered as far as balancing flavors go, its taste great ). A commendable steakhouse, indeed.
Overall rating: Food 9/10 One of the very best steakhouses of NYC. The steaks are great here, but everything else as well. For my taste, the G and Peter Luger are my No1 steakhouses in New York, with the G being a better all rounder, for sure. Furthermore, nothing beats the appealing texture as well as memorable grilling aromas of a steak that is grilled on open fire (a broiled steak looks unappetizing in comparison). Service 8/10 (superb service in the typical classic NYC steakhouse way). Gallaghers Steakhouse Addr: 228 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212-586-5000 URL: http://www.gallaghersnysteakhouse.com/
Keens is an institution of NYC, a piece of restaurant history that started in the 19th century (established in 1885). Its dark wood walls are covered with a tasteful display of memorabilia (time-honored paintings, photos, cartoons). This restaurant could be an incredible shooting location for a movie.
The avid fan of history that I am had to find himself in this charming old world decor, espying what could have possibly been the pipe of Roosevelt over here (thousands of clay pipes of patrons who dined at Keens are on display on the steakhouse’s ceiling), climbing the same stairs as Einstein over there. Nowadays, Keens is one of NYC’s most popular steakhouses, attracting tourists, locals as well as many connoisseurs of North American steaks (as you will see below, their steaks did not « rest on their laurels »). But, with legendary places like this one, I am on my guard, always ensuring that the lore shall never be part of the lure.
On a previous visit here, over 2 years ago, I did try their fabled slow roasted lamb loin‘s saddle chop (aka the ”mutton chop“). It is not mutton, anymore. It is lamb that they do serve nowadays. The lamb is raised in Colorado, some of the most sought after lamb in the nation. Colorado does offer to its free-ranging sheep, vast swathes of vegetation to feed on, thanks to the numerous mountains and hills of the state. The sourcing of this piece of pasture raised lamb was of high level , its subtly earthy lamb flavor (milder than, say the flavour of lamb from New Zealand) dazzled. Boasting an enticing color, definely tender, this was as great as your roasted lamb loin‘s saddle chop will be if served to you at a top tier steakhouse. 9/10
Then last year I dropped by with a long time genuine connoisseur of North American steakhouses and we had the porterhouse. For anyone truly familiar with beef aging, it was easy to enjoy the great effect of the dry aging (they dry-age and butcher the meat on the premises) process that went into that piece of meat (great concentration of beef flavor). The thing about aging meats is to think about the right effect for the right meat. Sometimes, you see people dry aging then wet aging their meat (perfect recipe to cancel the benefit of dry aging that meat …), dry aging meat that has fat that is so delicate that it cannot ‘age’ well (highly marbled wagyu as in this case at Dons de la Nature, one of Tokyo’s leading steakhouses. It is the sort of fat that is way too delicate to benefit from dry aging — I will write, later on, a detailed article on what type of fat benefits from the aging process and why), dry aging fishes that have the taste of nothing if you age them (few fishes do benefit from the dry aging process, most do not…most fishes that are aged do simply fit in the ridiculous trend of aging the flesh for the pleasure of following a trend, as stupid as that – ). Not all steakhouses do master the dry aging of meats as obsessively well as, at, let us say, Le Divil in Perpignan, but the concentration of flavor of that porterhouse steak at Keens revealed some serious mastery of the dry aging of their meats. 8/10
This is my 3rd visit here, and this time I ordered the prime rib of beef (king’s cut – meaning that it’s bone-in), the medium rare doneness that I wanted was precisely achieved, and it came charred at my request ( I suggest that you do not order a charred prime rib. I did request it charred as I was looking for that specific effect on that evening, but prime rib is better in its non charred version IMHO), served with au jus. The loin end rarely fails to be flavorful once cooked, and yet, you realize how, in the USA, they have perfected its cooking with no shortage of dazzling renditions of the prime rib such as the ones you can enjoy at establishments such as the House of Prime Rib , Lawry‘s or Dickie Brennan‘s to name a few. But this prime rib at Keens was not out of place in that fierce competition, as here again, you had all the qualities of a stellar piece of North American steak (the quality of the meat really high as you would expect from a North American steakhouse of this reputation, the standing rib roast timely cooked, its delicious fat properly rendered, the seasoning competent, the steak craveable ). 8/10
I love Keen but I was NOT in love with my platter of a dozen of oysters: all had their superb maritime flavour in evidence, true, but some of the oysters were served a bit too cold than expected at a restaurant serving seafood. The shucking could have been better, too.
Our sides of creamed spinach , sautéed mushrooms and cooked broccoli did not tantalize both the Missus and myself : for both of us, this preparation of their creamed spinach did not enhance the taste of the spinach. And they did add a bit less cream than I would have preferred. Still, their way of doing it is one legit classic way of cooking the creamed spinach and I am fine with that. The broccoli, I need them to retain a vivid fresh appearance (I am not here to talk about cooking techniques but there’s a technique for that, there is a technique that allows your broccoli to be nicely cooked while retaining its perfect crunch and vivid looks, a technique that is widely documented. There is no doubt that the kitchen brigade at Keens knows how to do that, but, again, their choice is to remain classic, therefore they did use a more classical approach and that is to be respected. As for the mushrooms, they looked and felt as if they were sautéed a bit too long and served a bit too late, the taste of the mushrooms not in evidence.
The crab cake of the Missus featured fresh crab flavour, the seasoning well judged. The crab came from Maryland and it is in season right now, consequently its depth of flavour was remarkable. Of her crab cake, she said that it was about “”the full taste of the crab and not a lot of filler””, which was a good thing. 7/10
Bottom line: This article of the NY Mag had its author arguing that « The meat isn’t first class anymore, especially by the standards of today » at Keens…another one of the absurd and senseless suggestions of our so-called food journalists. A steak is first class if the quality of the meat is great, the cooking accurate, the flavours on point, the extra steps to elevate the taste of that meat making a difference (for example, my pieces of steak, here, at Keens, did benefit from the nuances that an educated palate would detect as nuances that can only come from a competently dry aged piece of quality meat). And you do all of that better than at most other steakhouses, which is the case of Keens. You stop being first class the day your steak costs an arm and a leg only to have the taste and feel of a generic-tasting piece of meat that you would buy at the supermarket (the case of one so-called legendary steakhouse right here in The old Montreal …). Keens has nothing to do with an outdated steakhouse. For his steaks, Keens is still one of NYC’s very best. I was not in love with the sides, but again, this was (more of) a matter of preference (at the exception of the mushrooms) rather than the sides being faulty. They need to control the temperature of those oysters, though. My number 1 North American steakhouse is still Peter Luger (the one in Brooklyn) , but that takes nothing away from the superb steaks of Keens. The service and ambience at Keens are also great. One of my preferred chophouses in NYC. I loved Keens steakhouse! Steaks (9/10), Appetizers (7/10), Sides (6/10 ), Service (8/10 ) – Keens steakhouse Addr: 72 West 36th St. New York, NY 10018 Phone: 212-947-3636 URL: http://www.keens.com
New Yorkers, those lucky bastards! Lol. They attract the best of the best! Sushi Saito (Tokyo) is the current best sushiya in the world. Guess what… they had one of their Chefs who was ready to go working abroad, but it had to be ..guess where…in NYC, of course (Chef Shion Uino now working at Sushi Amane at Mifune ). You remember the legendary Jiro, of Jiro Dreams? Well, that is not ‘new’ news anymore, but his apprentice Nakazawa (one of the main characters of the movie Jiro Dreams) is ..guess where?
Examples of great Chefs attracted by New York are endless (Ferran Adria, Joel Robuchon, Alain Ducasse, Rene Redzepi, Massimo Bottura, Enrique Olvera, ), with the latest being Legendary Neapolitan Pizzaiolo Gino Sorbillo. Gino is known as one of the best Pizzaioli of Napoli (just to give you an idea of how popular the eatery is – locals do wait, on average, one hour in front of his pizzeria to get their fix of the best pizza of Napoli ) and he is also famous for his feud with the local mafia over his refusal to pay the pizzo. The pizzeria is so popular that it quickly expanded to Milano in Northern Italy, then now, in New York City.
I have long been fascinated by Pizze, particularly the Neapolitan Pizza. Actually, one big dream that I do have would be to spend 3 months in Naples and review every single of their Pizza shops (a bit like what this guy did, many years ago, but I will stick to Naples, world’s ‘temple’ of the Neapolitan Pizza). It took me a while to be prepared for this project: first, I wanted to spend years tasting all sort of Neapolitan pizze, understanding the techniques, the ingredients, etc.
I did that for the past 20 years and do, consequently, nowadays, feel ready for the last step before visiting all the Pizza shops of Napoli: doing an apprenticeship at 3 of the best Pizza shops of Napoli. This will not be easy, perhaps even impossible, but where there is a will, there is a way! If that happens, the 3 shops will not be reviewed (I am a bit ‘old school’ about this, and do have nothing against those who think otherwise — I mean we are in an era where most critics do not care about such details — but I insist on never reviewing establishments that I am familiar with), but revealed, of course (I would like the relevant blog to feature videos of what I am learning at those shops, as well as detailed written accounts of my journey as an apprentice pizzaiolo in Napoli) .
Regarding Sorbillo NYC, as we all came to expect, the food journalists did review it inaccurately. In order to protect their friends of the local pizza scene, they applied themselves to diminish the importance of Sorbillo in their reviews: they had, of course, to review pastas at a …. pizza shop. They had to. They just could not refrain from using that cheap shot. Mind you, there is not much they could do: they never went to Napoli and went on reviewing this shop with their North American taste. And more importantly, everyone knows that some of the major web sites reviewing those restaurants do have the restaurateurs ‘paying to play’ on their platforms. And those web sites cannot hide it anymore (just look at their disclaimers regarding their affiliation to the restaurateurs). Gino Sorbillo is a restaurateur who has challenged the pizzo of the mafia back home in Italy. Needless to guess that he was not going to accept the pressure of the ‘paying to play’ online system that is so common nowadays.
You cannot fail to identify those who have no clue of what to expect from a Neapolitan pizza: they will complain about the crust being a bit limpy (Americans prefer a crispier crust). Well, it is the way it is done in Napoli, folks! If you want a pizza which pie is crispy, then opt for a Roman style pizza or any of your usual Italian-American pizze. Some will complain about the sparse burnt edges of the pizza, Lol. Others will rage against the fact that they could not ..fold their pizza… total DELIRIUM!! Ignorance is a bliss, indeed.
But the true connoiseurs of Neapolitan pizza were not going to be fooled by all of that –
Margherita con bufala – Mozzarella Bufala, San Marzano Tomatoes, Basil, Terre Francescane Organic EVOO. What I was looking for at Sorbillo is exactly what a true connoisseur of Neapolitan pizza would look for in his Neapolitan pizza: Is the dough made with Italian type 0 or 00 wheat flour (this takes educating your senses, palate, etc, for some time, but once that is done, you will know if your pizza was made with a dough of such quality) ? kneaded by hand or with a low-speed mixer and formed by hand? Is the dough topped with raw, pureed San Marzano tomatoes from Italy? is it made in a true wood burning brick oven? Were the ingredients fresh and of quality? fior di latte made from cow’s milk or is mozzarella di Bufala? fresh basil and extra-virgin olive oil? Are the ingredients all-natural and fresh? The answer to all the above raised questions was positive.
I also ordered:
Polpette Napoletano – Meatballs and tomato ragù. The meatballs simmered in the sauce as it should, the consistency ideally moist, the hearty flavor of the sauce in evidence. The sauce was hard to improve upon, its texture and taste as perfected as you will get from a Chef that knows his Italian food to the T, and most importantly…that knows how to technically execute it flawlessly. Only someone who has no real clue about what a legit version of the polpette does smell , taste and feel like would argue against that polpette. La Nonna or any Italian who truly knows his Italian food would certainly be very proud with what this brigade is doing as the essence of the traditional recipe is faithfully applied here. 8/10
Crema di Tiramisù – The mascarpone/eggs/ sweet marsala wine competently rendered mix did blend appetizingly well with a perfectly fine espresso coffee flavor. Well judged quantity of mascarpone so that the tiramisu retains a proper creamy texture rather than verging too much on a mousse. This was also timely chilled to let the flavors develop. One version of the tiramisu that would certainly make any Italian who knows his Tiramisu happy, which was actually the case of an Italian family sitting at the neighboring table and who seemed to have enjoyed both the very same polpette I did order and this tiramisu as items that are executed properly . 7/10
Babà Napoletano – The rum-soaked oven-baked dolce was properly executed: leavened to its traditional soft spongy consistency (whoever baked the mini cake did not take any shortcut as it was evident that they took the time that was necessary to go through the time consuming / slow leavening process that is required to make this cake), it was not too boozy and it did express a well judged intensity of sweetness. The cake was not too light, therefore its inside was not too dry (though a tidbit dryer than I would have liked, in some parts, but I am nitpicking here). It had very little alcohol. Its texture was soft, as it is supposed to be. The nice golden brown exterior was also achieved as it should. It was served at room temperature, which was the right thing to do. A perfectly legit version of the Babà Napoletano. 7/10
Extra points for making all the desserts, the bread (really nice for a place that is not dedicated to bread), as well as their gnocchi on the premises! It is way more that what we came to expect from a pizza place.
Bottom line: Those truly in the know would have found the Sorbillo’s Neapolitan pizza I was having as authentic as a Neapolitan pizza will feel, smell and taste like outside of Italy: A properly rendered thin and soft crust, the crust bubbling up as it should be, the charred spots present, again, as it’s supposed to be. The fresh tomato sauce packed with the minerality and bright acidity that is expected in a Neapolitan pizza (I saw way too many reviewers inaccurately complaining about the bright acidity of the tomato sauce in such pizza…not trying to be rude folks, but c’mon…take some lesson, learn how such pizza is authentically made before assessing it as you really sound ridiculous with such suggestions as ”I did not like it because the tomato sauce has ….bright acidity’ ), both the technique and the ingredients are on point. Sorbillo NYC 334 Bowery, New York, NY 10012, USA Phone: (646) 678-3392 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SorbilloNYC/ Overall food rating: 8/10 (Category – Best Neapolitan Pizza shop outside of Italy – you need to be seriously clueless about Italian cooking to give this place the low ratings that the food journalists have rated it. Any serious Italian who knows his food will agree that this is a very good Italian Pizza shop), Service : 9/10 (Attentive, friendly and yet professional) ***UPDATE FEBR 2021: according to Google, this restaurant is now closed
Quality Meats NYC (Addr: 57 W 58th St, New York, NY 10019, USA Phone: +1 212-371-7777) is a restaurant backed by Smith & Wollensky, a steakhouse institution in NYC (that now has several branches across the US as well as abroad). It is part of a group of restaurants that include some of the most successful eateries of NYC such as Don Angie, Smith & Wollensky, Park Avenue, etc. They do offer a contemporary take on North American familiar dishes such as their take on the North American steaks . It is hip and does have a social vibe. The decor features several elements pertaining to the neo rustic chic interior design, elements such as marble, wood, and stainless steel. Chandeliers and white ceramic tiles completing the decor.
I went there because not all steakhouses in NYC do offer great bone-in rib eye steaks, my preferred cut for a steak. They do stellar Porterhouse steaks, at virtually all the great chop houses in NYC. But rib eye steaks are either absent from their menus, or do come in meager size, and are rarely dry aged (it is pointless, for me, to splurge on wet aged meat, my palate associates it with just a generic piece of steak). On this particular occasion, I was also looking for a steakhouse exempt from the usual potential “”dry aged” or mixed type of service (However great is the food, if the service has the potential to make me vomit, the food is worthless) . I heard that QM has fine hospitality standards and that they do an excellent rib eye steak. I went to find out.
My expectation was the usual expectation of any steak lover: I needed my steak to be a fully flavoured juicy slab of prime beef, exquisitely seasoned, unleashing a great deal of umami sensation in mouth. Did the steak meet that expectation? First, a description of the steak I did order: a 24 oz. long-boned Black Angus Prime, dry-aged rib steak. Aged for 40 days. My rib eye had a delicious seasoning, but it was cooked past the requested medium rare doneness. Dry and tough here and there, as well. Disappointing 5/10
Other items that I did sample here :
With my steak, I took the creamed spinach, which was Ok (the spinach was fresh, its seasoning judicious) 6/10
The other side dish I did order was their popular crispy potatoes, which are blanched in duck fat, seasoned with garlic , thyme, and bay leaves and dressed at the last minute with a hot sauce of butter seasoned with garlic , thyme, parsley, chives and rosemary. Ok, though nothing to write home about. 6/10
Bottom line: I had mixed feelings about this eatery ….yes, the service, in the dining room was stellar, BUT at the entrance, a young lady with long straight black hair seemed to have suffered from some serious attitude problem, to the point that I thought that I was heading into a ghetto-style establishment. When I complained to their high Management, about that , I received no follow up…which left me with the impression that they have no problem with that….So, as a serious long time diner who has indulged in flawless dining experiences in NYC, I can say that …NOPE… this eatery really DOES NOT deserve my hard earned money. It is a NO REPEAT for me, especially considering that NYC is a world class dining destination with plenty of stellar steakhouses offering world class service from the minute you push open their doors up to every single second you will spend in the dining room..; Consequently, of QM…I would say…NAY…I am not the type of person looking forward to poor experiences at restaurants (my hard earned money has no room for that), and I do my best to go to places I believe can provide a quality dining experience, but sometimes such disappointments will happen even to cautious diners like me.
Pros: Exciting and powerful aromas of Chili confit. That is how it smells and tastes like. The thing about the Akabanga Chili oil is that the piquancy tastes fresh on the palate and it lingers (to the contrary of what some of its online reviews had suggested) for a while — approx for 2, 3 mins — in an enjoyable way (very refined finish, meaning you do not feel like consuming a heavy load of Burning chillies that could harm your stomach and overwhelm everything you did serve it with). But to contrary of many Chili-based sauces or oils, you do not have that chemical aftertaste on the finish. Which is what you should be looking for: a feeling of natural Chili perfume all the way , both on the palate as well as to the smell. Despite its power, its heat is not aggressive (as in painfully hot)…but of course, do not foolishly test that by drinking a spoonful of the oil, Lol. Start with some few drops of it.
Cons: wished we could find this easily in North America, but you definitely can order it online.
Bottom line: A first rate chili oil in its category with not one single of the usual flaws that you can direct at most of the Chili sauces / oils on the market (chemical tasting aftertaste, piquancy that does not taste natural, etc) in sight.
THIS RESTAURANT IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED – THIS REVIEW IS KEPT ONLINE FOR HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION
Okuda is a highly regarded kaiseki in New York. The restaurant’s owner is Japanese Chef Toru Okuda who once had 3 Michelin stars in Japan for his restaurant Ginza Kojyu (that restaurant has now 2 Michelin stars). Chef Okuda is a prolific Chef with couple of elite restaurants in Paris, Tokyo as well as this one in NYC.
A kaiseki meal relies on the ingredients (cooking skills are also very important, of course) and I tend to avoid kaiseki meals outside of Japan as it defeats the point of enjoying a meal which purpose is to showcase the glorious produce of Japan in its prime. So, away from Japan, if you understand the basics of the science of food, you can imagine that you cannot replicate the magic of a kaiseki meal. But I was curious to see how Okuda would still fare as a kaiseki outside of Japan.
You do not need to visit tons of restaurants to understand what a cuisine can taste and feel like at its best. You just need a genuine comprehension of the basics of the science of food (not many people do have that as many cannot understand that the environment in a particular area affects the taste of the food in that area and makes it impossible for that same food to taste the same when cooked somewhere else), you just need to learn from those truly in the know (again, few people get this right. They follow the so-called online food experts, watch couple of youtube videos, try couple of random eateries and think that is enough to be knowledgeable about a given cuisine. Of the myriad of so-called food experts found online, I can guarantee you that few took the time to learn African food alongside an African Grandmother, Thai or Chinese food alongside a Thai or Chinese Mother, etc) , you just need to be passionate about all of that (Most are so busy making a buck out of the food industry that it shows that they are not passionate about what they are talking about ) and that is enough. From there, you go to the restaurants that you suspect are the best at what they do, and that is exactly what I have been doing for several decades and kaiseki cuisine was no exception to my modus operandi.
And NO, I do not review every single restaurant that I do visit as I do not always have time for that. What I do, though, when I have a moment, is to seize the opportunity of a review like this one to educate ourselves through the knowledge that I have gathered from eating at those restaurants and the long years I have spent studying the cuisine in question.
On with my meal at Okuda NYC:
Napa cabbage soup, kuruma prawn, caviar, Yuzu . The “soup” was actually a “potage”. As it is the intent with some Japanese food items, the goal is to allow your palate to dig deep in the nuances of the inherent taste of the ingredient. Non Japanese have to train their palate for that, which I did for the past 25 years. And I am now rewarded with the capability of enjoying very subtle flavours as much as their bold/strongly flavoured counterparts. That was useful, in an instance like this, because nothing was used to hide the inherent taste of the cabbage flavour. It was all about its very own and sole flavour, apart, of course, a very subtle, barely noticeable contribution of the yuzu citrus. The prawn was of top quality , the case with all their ingredients, as you would expect. 8/10
Alaskan king crab, dashi vinegar, Japanese apple, daikon – The quality of the crab high, its freshness remarkable, the seasoning very enjoyable with the dashi vinegar featuring a fine balance of fresh acidity. A first-rate nibble. 9/10
Dashi broth, Tilefish (amadai), carrot, radish, spinach, tofu, chrysanthemum. If you have trained your palate to the subtle nuances of some of the Japanese food items, you will thank it, as it was all about a maximum of flavour coming from the inherent taste of the quality ingredients. The homemade perfected soft texture of the tofu revealed some serious skills in the kitchen. As it is usually the case with high end kaiseki, every single ingredient is there for a reason. 8/10
Japanese grouper sashimi, featured a nice firm texture testifying to the utter freshness of the fish. I had more impressive versions of it elsewhere, but this was fine. 6/10
Spanish tuna sashimi was of fine quality as you would expect at this level of dining, the tuna sliced then marinated by the Chef at the sushi counter, and it came with two mini ‘sticks’ of mountain potato from Japan. 7/10
Grated radish sauce, kinki fish (channel rockfish) , enoki mushroom – Again, top quality fresh fish with the fresh taste and smell of the ocean on evidence. This was grilled with its scales, a technique that enhanced the taste of this very delicious fish. 8/10
Matsutake, the prized mushroom. Fried and served with lime and salt. As expected, the sourcing is of top mention, and the way they fried it (zero sign of oil, the frying serving as an enhancer to the earthy flavour of the mastsutake — in a way that your palate simply would not think that it was fried) revealed some great understanding of the produce, which sounds like nothing, but then you have got to make that happen. Which they did.
Sea urchin, egg plant, miso, cod milt. Superb quality sea urchin from California. The cod milt preparation a true highlight as they made a rendition of it that would please the most, almost tasting like a crowd-pleasing cream dessert, but it was cod milt. 9/10
Wagyu, grated chestnut. Miyazaki Wagyu A5 tenderloin, cooked to precise medium -rare doneness, generously seasoned with salt. It tasted great. 8/10. The ”snow avalanche” of grated chestnut was not necessary, in my view, but it makes a good spectacle for sure.
Grated turnip, molded into a mini sphere shape with a piece of golden eye snapper (kindmedai) underneath. Another display of fine technique with the intentional gooey texture of the liquid in which the turnip and the fish were bathing nicely rendered. As you should know, before attending a kaiseki meal, for the Japanese, textures are as important as flavour. The fish of superb fresh quality and its cooking well timed. 8/10
Steamed rice / ikura/seaweed/grated bottarga – this is where the importance of the proximity to the “terroir” makes a difference. Being close to the terroir means that you have access to the latest intel about what rice is at its prime at a given time, etc. This rice was good but not as dazzling as it can be at a high end kaiseki -ya in Japan. That said, this featured quality ingredients, as expected, and it tasted good 7/10
Miso soup had some dices of their superb soft tofu in it. The white miso (shiro miso) soup itself revealed a high level of technical skills as its delicate mild flavour was remarkable. The Fresh exciting umami coming from that miso soup being another highlight of the tasting menu. 9/10
The dessert was offered as an assortment of mini creations such as a good lemon ice cream, with the fresh taste of the fruit at the fore. Even better was a pumpkin pudding with great luscious texture, some utterly fresh raspberry and blueberry encased in a delicious mini “dome” of jelly, a well made and tasty tiny piece of tamago underneath as well as some competently rendered sweet red bean paste. 8/10
An elite Japanese venue in NYC, for sure. The above mentioned ratings of the individual food items are not to be compared to the ratings of my meals in Japan.
There won’t be an overall score for the food that I have just enjoyed at Okuda NYC as it will not convey anything: as a reminder, kaiseki is, by design, the cuisine that is the most “intimately linked” to the “terroir” of Japan. It is its “raison d’etre”. Kaiseki is a cuisine which main purpose is to showcase the best of Japan’s produce in its prime (seasonality). Which means the proximity to Japanese terroir is of utter importance. And they had the courage to try to reproduce such “mission impossible” in NYC. Respect!
Overall rating for the service and dining experience is a 10/10 (Okuda NYC and Sushi Noz do offer some of the best standards of service in NYC at the upmarket dining level).
Bottom line: Proper 1 star Michelin. All the ingredients were there: the expected respect of seasonality, the assured technique, fabulous service, elegant interior, etc. It is virtually impossible for a Kaiseki that is outside of Japan to beat its counterpart of the motherland. If you find one, let me know and I will walk the equivalent of one tour of the globe, on my knees, to go and see that. But they did their best to get the job done. And that is already an exploit. Okuda, Addr: 458 W 17th St, New York, NY 10011, USA; Phone: +1 212-924-0017; URL: https://www.okuda.nyc
L’Atelier Joel Robuchon, the restaurant chain of Chef Robuchon, has — since December 2016 — a branch in the casino of Montreal (1 Avenue du Casino, Montréal, QC Phone: 514-392-2781 Click here for their web site) . At the helm of the restaurant, Chef Eric Gonzalez – This is a major opening for Montreal and Eric is a logical choice for such venture given his past experience in Europe with well known Chefs Bernard Loiseau and Jacques Chibois. He was also working at restaurant Clairefontaine when the venture was awarded with a Michelin star. In the past, I ate Eric’s food in his days at Le Cube (now closed) , then at Auberge St-Gabriel.
I took the “seasonal discovery” menu (there are also A la carte items, a ” small portions ” / vegetarian /and another tasting menu) :
The amuse-bouche was creamy foie gras royale (a foie gras based flanc), topped with parmesan cheese emulsion and a Maury “vieilles vignes” wine reduction sauce. Once mixed together (which you are supposed to), this food item provided an enjoyable mouthfeel, rich and yet refined. As it will be the case all along this meal, every single element is executed correctly 7/10
Salmon tartare (from Nova Scotia) with caviar (from British Colombia) atop, shiso shoots and gold leaf. The tartare was good, the quality of the salmon and caviar noticeable. There is some nice caviar from Estrie that tastes exactly the same as this caviar from BC. So why going that far for the caviar? That said, as it came out from my discussion with the waitstaff, top quality produce from Quebec is a priority, and indeed I could appreciate their effort in that regard as some great Québecois produce such as the scallops from Percé and halibut from Gaspésie featured on the written menu. This fine logical combination of ingredients was good. Robuchon’s plating is always elegant and that was going to be an evidence during this meal 7/10
Scallops from Massachusetts, endives and black truffles: around this time of the year, I recall having sampled some dazzling scallops from Gaspesie in the past. The scallops of this evening were undoubtly fine, their maritime fragrance at the forefront. But those from Gaspesie had the edge. Still, nicely seared tasty scallops and a salad of endives ( great soucing of the endives) that was not an afterthought. Good 7/10
Veloute of chestnut, spring onion mousse, cardamom cloud. Chestnut veloute (which is very popular in France) is not common in Quebec, therefore, this may come as a pleasant “discovery” for many local diners. Which is always a “bonus” as far as the dining experience goes. This was delicious and well made. Very good 8/10
Lobster, coconut emulsion, wasabi flavored spinach, tempura chips, civet – lobster (claws) cooked just through, coconut emulsion, a civet and tempura chips showcasing fine technique. Cooking lobster is certainly no culinary achievement, but I have a soft spot for seafood handled and sourced this well …. no matter the level of the cooking. Very good 8/10
-Halibut from Gaspésie, shiso shoots tempura, cuttlefish ink risotto. The halibut’s cooking is well timed. Halibut can get dry really fast, so timing is important. The delicious risotto (bomba rice) retained a perfect all’onda consistency 7/10 for the halibut, 8/10 for the risotto (it is a tasting menu, therefore the risotto came in small quantity)
-Honey/Soya sauce lacquered quail was served with Joel’s fabled pomme purée, which is a potato purée with a bit more buttery flavor and refined texture than your usual pomme puree (from what I remember, the pomme purée was more delicious at Atelier Robuchon Etoile). This is a good example of why this meal — although, well composed — never managed to knock my socks off: this quail, as expected from a Robuchon restaurant, is of good quality. But quail is usually packed with a flavor that is a bit assertive (a bit more than chicken, for eg) and that can stand up well with strong spices and the use of flames (chargill, etc). Here, they have opted to refine the flavor of the quail and I was not thrilled (of course, a matter of personal choice) even though their quail was enjoyable (in a way, it reminded me a bit of what a high end isakaya would do with their quail – refining its taste, adding luxurious touches like the foie gras that this quail was stuffed with, and opting for an oriental flavor profile such as the one provided by the Honey/Soya sauce of this evening’s quail ). This dish is a signature dish that is offered at other Robuchon restaurants in its current form, therefore do not expect any modification to the formula. Still a 7/10
Parfum des Iles – Passion fruit cremeux (the cream successfully dense and soft as it should, with the flavor of the fruit present enough), rhum granite (the semi-frozen dessert having its rhum flavor subtle, so subtle that I would not know if it was flavored with rhum had they not mention it – the subtle rhum flavor was not a bad thing in this case as a strong flavor coming from the rhum would have overwhelmed the dessert), coconut wisp (fresh coconut aromas that went well with the passion fruit cremeux). 7/10
Le rubis – One of the signature desserts of Robuchon restaurants. The ingredients and presentation may vary from locations to locations. The one I was having was made of cranberry buttercream which was a particularly enticing flavor, calpico jelly (calpico is a japanese drink, tasting a bit like yoghurt) and a lychee chantilly. I had a version of Le rubis once at Atelier Joel Robuchon Etoile in Paris and the Parisian Rubis dazzled more (more flavorful). Still, the execution was correct, the flavors fine. 7.5/10
The breads (a small basket of a perfect pain baguette, delicious Quebecois Alfred le Fermier cheese bread, some snail-shaped bread as delicate and light as a croissant and a bacon/dijon wheat stalk bread) , freshly baked on the premises (among the best breads you will find at a local restaurant) , were all excellent (Joel Robuchon seems to always hire talented bakers as the breads have always been consistently superb at his restaurants abroad). I picked a coffee (superb) and the meal ended with their usual mignardises (well made pâte de fruits and macarons).
Service was professional, and yet warm, friendly. And the black and red luxurious interior design is attractive.
PROS: By Montreal high end restaurant standards, this is already a destination restaurant. Opting for the informal counter seating “Atelier” concept, rather than formal fine dining, is “the way to go” in Montreal, I believe.
CONS: The desserts lacked crunch and bite – which is understandable with one dessert, but not with two – and that is an aspect they could improve upon. A texture change between two desserts is always more fun. Furthermore, I think that a chocolate-based dessert — like le “chocolat tendance” or the “chocolate sphere” found at the other AJRs around the globe — would have better complemented their wintery seasonal tasting menu and contribute a bit to the sense of “extravaganza” / “theatre” that you may sometimes find at other AJRs and that I was missing a little bit here.
Overall food rating: 7/10 by Montreal top tier fine dining standards. There are 4,5 other Chefs in Montreal who, in their prime, have impressed more with their French-inspired gourmet food , which is why I can’t rate this meal higher. For my taste, this meal was more about proper execution/flavors / textures rather than benchmark cooking. But the Robuchon’s empire has access to a worlwide network of experienced kitchen brigades, so expect the food to benefit from such expertise and thrive. And although I am big on local produce, I will admit that one way for an International restaurant to surprise its local diners is by using produce that we are not familiar with. I bet that even the most ferocious advocates of our local produce will, behind closed doors, fantasize about the idea of feasting on alba truffles or hard-to-find wagyu beef if such items were offered at AJRM.
What I think days later: Occasional local diners as well as our local food jounalists will be impressed while well travelled foodies will be expecting more in light of the standards that AJR has set elsewhere. I do not see a restaurant like this one making an impression in a world class foodie city (i.e, New York, Tokyo, London, or Paris). On a personal level, I think that the Joel Robuchon brand is, nowadays, relevant only if you try his 3 or 2 star Michelin restaurants around the world.
Restaurant: Dons de la Nature
Address: 104-0061 Tokyo, Chūō, Ginza, 1 Chome−7−6, B1F
Phone:+81 3-3563-4129
Cusine: Steakhouse (serving only one type of meat: Purebred Wagyu)
Date/Time of the meal: 19-11-2014 18:00
Michelin stars: 1
URL: http://dons-nature.jp/
Overall Food rating : 6/10 Stellar sourcing of the meat and flawless cooking (as expected – it is just a steak, after all…), but even though it is not the fault of the restaurant, it would not be hard to find more flavourful meats than Wagyu at a fraction of its cost. That, ultimately, affects the food rating. Service: 7/10 Overall Dining experience: 7/10
Food rating: Exceptional (10), Excellent (9), Very good (8), Good (7)
DLN is widely considered as a top tier steakhouse in Tokyo. Service (by the wife of the Chef) was uneven for a 1 star Michelin restaurant: over-the-board friendly with some diners, decent with others…which, I gather, is ‘normal’ in ‘general life’ as this boils down to chemistry between people..less so by the standards of a 1 star Michelin restaurant. That said, rest assured that the service is still good (you are in Japan, after all). The quality of the meat is the main reason that brought me here, and there is no denying it: the quality is, as expected, of top shelf mention. Sadly, Wagyu is overrated, which is not the fault of DLN, indeed, but DLN …as a steakhouse…needs to pair better red wine to their steak.
Dons de la Nature is widely considered as one of Tokyo’s finest steakhouses. Which means that, here, you are exempt from the laughable mis-identification of the meat, a sad recurrent feature at plenty of steakhouses around the globe. At Dons de la Nature, when they tell you they have Kobe beef, then it is the real one that comes from Kobe in Japan (and not from elsewhere), and when they say Wagyu, then it is TRUE PUREBRED Japanese beef and they will tell you from what region in Japan.
Traceability is taken seriously here. Wagyu beef is usually (usually, I wrote, not always) fed on rice straw which is essential for achieving the high level of intramuscular fat as well as whitening the marbled fat. The slaughter occurs in between 23 to 28 months.
THE FOOD:
I took no starter, fearing that the steak would be filling.
The meat available on the day of my visit was Wagyu from the Oki Islands, (there was a choice of a highly marbled sirloin, as well as tenderloin — for my taste, Sirloin features the characteristics I am looking for when eating Wagyu as it’s not lean like tenderloin, the flavor certainly more expressive compared to tenderloin).
Generally, in Tokyo, steaks are cooked on an iron griddle (teppanyaki), but here, at Dons de la Nature, they grill it over charcoal (my preferred cooking method for steak), no ordinary charcoal that is (they use the highly praised Binchōtan charcoal) , inside a kiln. From such steakhouse, there’s not much to say about the basics (as expected, they get the requested doneness right, medium-rare in this case, the seasoning, although simple — a bit of salt — is judicious, the nice crust on the outside that most steak aficionados favor nowadays is achieved beautifully , and the kitchen clearly knows how to delicately handle a meat of such extensive fat marbling ),
so what I was looking for was how far the extensive marbling could impress in flavor. Unexpectedly, the umami kick that the media and plenty of online accounts have praised continues to elude me (this was the 3rd Wagyu tasting of this trip, having tried Matsusaka a day prior, then Sanda) .Well, YES the umami dimension is definitely there (afterall the effect of the marbling has to be ultimately felt) but I get more exciting umami flavor from most 40 to 45 days perfectly dry aged corn-finished prime Black Angus cuts …that have less marbling. I also do not get the comparision to foie gras (a common comparison) that I often hear about. Do not get me wrong: this is quality red meat, that is for sure, the fat much more delicate in taste and texture in comparison to a fatty cut of Black Angus, but at the end of the count …it is just not as flavorful. I admire the quality of Wagyu beef, but for the enjoyment part ..nah,sorry…I (my palate) just do not get it. This was a 6/10, at best, for me (Grade: A5/ Breed: Japanese Black Wagyu from Oki Islands, 30 days of wet aging + 30 other days of dry aging )
The Chef’s wife has suggested to pair the steak with a glass of Camus Père & Fils Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 2001. This is a wine that scores high on paper: exceptional soil, exceptional vintage, too, as 2001 is one of the very best years of Mazoyères-Chambertin wine. But the wine I was having had barely any structure (surprising for a wine known for its complexity), the wine devoid of the mouthfeel expected from a grand cru, the finish disappointingly short. Furthermore, this glass of wine was so dry that it clashed with the flavor of the meat I was having. Dryness is a characteristic of Mazoyères-Chambertin wine, but but this was way too dry to be enjoyable. This is an instance where you need a wine with silkier tannins/rounder palate.
Pros: Wagyu is so praised outside of Japan that there are no shortage of marketing manipulations to call pretty much everything that looks like meat… Wagyu. You therefore really appreciate the moment when you get to enjoy the real thing on its very own land, which is exactly what Dons de la Nature offers.
Cons: Wine pairing to a steak is expected to be a highlight at a steakhouse. It has to.
Service: Very intimate, very very friendly. The wife of the Chef (she was the sole waitress on that evening) is very enthusiastic, perhaps more with some than others, but I am nitpicking here. It is much more informal than at most of the steakhouses that I have been to.
My verdict and conclusion: I won’t rate this house as I do not want my aversion to Wagyu to influence my opinion about Dons de la Nature. But Wagyu, you my friend….even at the same cost as my favourite Black Angus steaks, there is simply no way I could appreciate you. I respect your legendary reputation but for me, it is clear that your scarcity creates your value. Yes, you are beautiful to espy (I have rarely seen marbling of such striking beauty), but for my palate, you are not even half as flavorful as an expertly dry aged prime cut of Black Angus. And I just gave you 3 chances right here on your own lands! I even ensured to lower my expectations (I had none, to tell you the truth) and I did erase any notion of price from the equation so that the assessment’s focus is on what matters most: the flavor!!!.
What I think weeks later: That Wagyu is my all-time biggest disappointment on the aspect of food, that is life and I can deal with that. What struck me most was how the praises about its superlative flavor had absolutely nothing to do with what I have enjoyed. If the flavor of meat is going to be almost as subtle as the one of tofu….then I’ll take the tofu! Meat needs to be flavorful no matter how hard you have worked its quality.
Restaurant: Au Pied de Cochon
Type cooking: Remake of rustic traditional Quebecois cuisine+ Misc French classic bistrot fares
Address: 536 Avenue Duluth Est, Montréal
Date/Time of the meal: June 13th, 2014 18:00
URL: http://www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca/
I went back to a long time favourite bistrot, Au Pied de Cochon. Sadly, this is the 3rd visit in a row that leaves me disappointed. I am one of the earlier fans of APDC, with amazing souvenirs of its brighter days. I do understand that not every cook can trade head to head with super skilled Chefs like Picard or Dufour (the earlier kings of this house) but there is no excuse for subpar cooking….especially for food as easy to satisfy as classic-based bistrot fares. It pains me to write this about Picard’s stronghold, Au Pied de Cochon (APDC), as I had some of the most interesting restaurant remakes of rustic/old school hearty Quebecois and French bistrot food, there in its early days when both Picard himself and Chef Hugues Dufour were still at the helm, but it now seems, to me, far, and each time further and further, from its best days. On this evening, I dined with a friend who knows his food well. His first time at APDC. His opinion is that he was impressed by the great service and loved the concept but sharp cooking skills is basically what he was missing.
Crab salad – Basically, well sourced fresh crab flesh mixed with a salad of cucumber. Not bad, but an $18 salad of crab certainly calls for a sign or two of ….restaurant quality effort. This was basically as decent as any salad that anyone would have made at home with quality crab and cucumber in his/her hands. Casual cooking does not mean easy / basic food….And btw, most bistrots would deliver this with a bit more creativity, a witty touch. Want more? Ask Chefs Dufour and Martin Picard if they would have deliver this salad in such uninspired fashion (simply toss a mayo-based vinaigrette with cucumber and crab meat..the effect was as basic as that) 5/10
Seafood platter – Summer at APDC has the seafood platter as the star of the house. APDC seafood platter comprises of a mix of raw (oysters, clams, conch , whelks, mussels, calamari) as well as fried items (sometimes fish, but on this occasion, well…anyways, we’ll get to that later), served with condiments such as tomato sauce, aioli, spicy yoghurt. Everything was well sourced on this platter, but sadly…everything was overdone and in a nonsensical fashion: whelk was drowned in a sort of mayo-based concoction that I did not bother inquiring about since it killed the appreciation of the whelk with its heavy creamy overwhelming dimension. Poor whelks, one of my favourite seafood items…. – The brigade on duty this evening seems to really love anything that pivots around mayo or cream-cheese or whatever yoghurty look alike dressing: the oyster not escaping from this pattern as one of those nonsensical dressings did escort my oysters, an aigrelette cream sauce accompanied the oysters this time . Good lord, … that is a perfect recipe to turn the oyster serving into an unappetizing bite both texturally and palatably (the effect being exactly the same, on this instance, as pairing cream cheese to oyster…certainly, that was not going to do anything good to the oyster). Mussels came in the form of small mounds of heavy-loaded brunoise of veggies mixed with mussel flesh, introduced within the mussel shells…so heavy on the stomach that I would hate mussel forever had this been my lifetime first mussel bite. Calamari, were drowned in what looked like a squid-ink based concoction that managed to be cloying, …poor calamari! As for the fried item..well, it came in the form of what looked like tiny pieces of fish (??) tempura sitting atop some of the sea shells offerings, and shall be remembered as yet another element too many in an already confusing seafood platter (this was the $60 seafood platter). For me, this was nothing more than just a waste of well sourced ingredients 2/10
Lobster risotto featured rice that was properly cooked to the bite but the overall texture was ‘cloying’ rather than creamy. I do not expect them to compete with the finest Italian risotti in town but for me, this was cloying, not creamy and cloying is not the texture I need with a risotto. And at $42 the plate, I need the lobster morsels to benefit from more inspired work than just featuring as morsels of boiled lobster laid atop the risotto… 5/10
Veal tartare was the best item of this meal, the veal seasoned judiciously, its taste really appetizing. The ‘asian’ touch of wrapping them in a nori sheet is an idea that never fails to entice as raw meat and seaweed sheets is one of those combinations condemned to pair well. 7/10
PROS : Popular, boisterous, it is never boring here. The service really great as always.
CONS: This (a remake of rustic traditional Quebecois cuisine) is one kind of food that I am very familiar with (by very familiar, I mean about 2 decades of enjoying it…) and to which my palate tends to be partial to, therefore easy to reach out to my expectations, BUT their current cooks really need to draw the line between enjoyable rich food (what made Au Pied de Cochon a widely praised foodie destination) Vs overwhelming fares (what I have experienced all along the recent 3 visits). Today, I saw plenty of dishes, served at other tables, and that were lost amidst an unreasonable amount of ingredients and condiments. My past two visits starred a lamb shank confit that was so over garnished to the point that I could not tell the difference between the meat and its garnishes. On that same visit, a piece of delicate fish suffered from the same problem (why, on earth, do you associate a delicate piece of fish with that much reduction on the plate??). As for the current meal, same old problems….
Overall food score for this meal: 4/10 You have all you need to know in the description of each of the dishes. Needless to add more … – I hope they improve because they used to be sensational.
Conclusion: Once upon a time, under this very same roof, the exact same items that failed today … were better conceived, and came with a very personal touch, because whoever was crafting them had a better sense of flavor combination, in my view and for my taste. APDC remains ‘unique’ / ‘original” by local standards, but, for me, the soul of this house has moved to their sugar shack (the souvenirs of the inspired rustic food that Martin Picard or Hughes Dufour were once crafting … they seem to have somehow resurfaced at their sugar shack). I do not know if there is an urgency of hiring a Chef of Picard’s or Dufour’s ilk, I just know that ADPC seems, to me, to fail to thrive well.
Post thinking: I usually have a section called ‘what I think a week or a month later”. With a meal like this, there’s no need for such section as it’s not a performance I want to think about. There are many things in life that we learn to cope with, and a forgettable meal is just part of life, even when you pay as much as what you would have paid at a 3 star Michelin restaurant…. for a poorly executed bistrot performance, but I have a friendly advise, just a friendly one: seafood are a gift from the above, whoever cooks has no other choice but to be gentle with them (the seafood), respect them (the seafood) because they (the seafood) are unforgiving when you treat them badly….they bite! (wink). I know that, because I have yet stumbled upon a kitchen that cooks well without paying utter respect to them (the seafood). Seafood is the mother of all ingredients, trust that one….On an aside note, I’ll conclude by suggesting that as an old fan of Martin Picard, and knowing how proud and passionate this man is, I can safely presume that Martin would not be proud of what I was left with in the course of the underwhelming past 3 visits. The past 3 meals had more to do with testing my patience rather than getting the job done…Now, can we resume with serious cooking???Is that too much to ask?
On a non-foodie subject, the magic of the soccer world cup is now in full effect. So an exciting summer for us, fans of soccer. June 12, July 13, let’s play! My WISH : a final between Brazil and Germany! ;p Though, I have a soft spot for Italy (would love to see Pirlo with the world cup in his hands, he’s my favourite soccer player ) as well as the UK (I grew up admiring Steven Gerrard). Regarding the recent games, my opinion is that the defeat of Spain against the Netherlands should not be taken seriously. Spain knows how to win and their next games will reveal an unbeatable side. I really do not see Brazil going that far even though my wish is that they face Germany for the cup. Yes, they have some of the players that I do admire a lot, like Oscar and Willian, but I do not sense, from their part, the fire or strong and deep passionate commitment typical of a team that is on mission (It’s of course a bit too early to talk about such, but Costa Rica seems to have that fire up to now). I also think that the South American teams will surprise many during this WC! Ah, soccer, the beautiful game….
Ristorante Dal Pescatore
Type of Cuisine: Updated Haute Italian (Classics of Mantuan cuisine, Lombardy)
Michelin Stars: 3
Event: Lunch on Thursday June 14th, 2012 12:00
Addr: Località Runate – 46013 Canneto sull’Oglio , Mantova
Phone:+39.0376.723001
Email: santini@dalpescatore.com
URL: http://www.dalpescatore.com
Service: 10/10 Mostly young, well behaved Gentlemen with great tact. My mother tongue is French, so they spoke French to me, and listening to Italians talking in French, with an Italian accent, is always pure joy to me. It has its charm, a charm that lingers on my mind. Overall food rating: 8.5/10 The Santinis have an amazing sense of taste as largely proven by the fabulous ravioli di faraona, the stunning tomato compote, great risotto, outstanding reduction to the braised beef shoulder, benchmark torta di amaretti. And at a time when everyone thinks that we’ve seen it all with a polenta, they manage to deliver one against which I will judge all other polentas. The only reason I give it a 8.5/10, as opposed to a 10, is because the overall impression I have of this meal is one of an overall Very good-to-excellent (8.5/10) classic 3 star Michelin meal rather than one of benchmark level (10/10). Regardless, this is exactly the type of classic 3 star Michelin I like most and I would run back to Dal Pescatore way before thinking about going back to Michelin star restaurants that I have rated with a 10/10. As always, a subjective matter based on personal preference and experience. Overall dining experience: 10/10 I have rarely felt so happy in a restaurant, Michelin starred or not. It goes without saying that at this level of dining, every little detail counts and each one found all along this meal simply scored high on my appreciation scale: the plating, the beautiful and elegant country home decor, the countryside, the charming and down to earth wait staff met all along this meal , and the qualities I expect from a top dining destination just kept piling up while I was there.
This might have just been my overall favourite of all high end restaurants. I have never felt more of an emotional connection to an upmarket restaurant than this one. To call a restaurant ‘the best in the world’, you either do it for marketing purpose / generating hype (for eg, San Pelegrino World best restaurant’s ranking ) or you do it based on personal preferences, obviously. And NO..you do not need to visit every single restaurant in the world to have a good idea of what you could define as YOUR “best restaurant in the world (only someone who has no clue of what professional cooking and the high end restaurant level is really about would need to reassure himself that way..a bit as if you would feel the need to visit every single country of this globe to get to the conclusion that Americans are among the best at playing Basketball.. ). For me, for my taste, with respect to what I value as real great “artisan Chef’ cooking, coupled with my profound love for Italian cooking and the countryside of beautiful Italy, Dal Pescatore is “THE best restaurant in the world”.
Around two years ago when I decided to review restaurants (NOT really something that I like to do, reasons are explained here, and I do NOT systematically think about reviews wherever I go, or on whatever I eat, Lol!), I knew exactly what I wanted in my reviews: avoiding style at all costs and focusing on what I believe to matter most: assessing the (relative) value of the restaurant food that I am eating. Ironically, by ‘assessing the value of my restaurant meal”, I went one step further and removed …the price factor…. out of the equation. That is because on top of the already explained reasons that led me to review restaurants, I had one major quibble (with most opinions about restaurant reviews) that jumped to my attention: what if the $$$ was not taken into consideration?? Apparently, from most answers I have gathered throughout the years, most would have found their meals to be excellent had the price been lower! Interesting…So, sometimes it is worthy of raves because it was affordable. Let’s take $$$ out of the picture then and focus on what I have in my plate. Make no mistake: I understand the notion of value for my bucks, but I am interested by one thing ONLY: the deliciousness of the food that I am eating way before its value gets lost in ‘value for money’ interpretation.
Restaurant reviewing is, of course, not limited to one or two aspects of a dining experience. And it does not have to be something special neither. I personally refuse the idea of restaurant reviewing on a professional level for a very simple reason: I don’t see why something as personal as this (talking about the food you eat) would be remunerative , unless you go way beyond the basic restaurant scripts and books of recipes as it is the case for few exceptional food journalists like Quebec’s Marie-Claude Lortie, Perico Légasse in France, John Mariani in the US . I know, it (reviewing restaurant as a job) is a pointer, a way to be better informed. But you have this in tons of opinions over the web, and those people are not renumerated. I know some will argue that a professional food critic will provide you with stylish write-ups and professionalism. BUT that is not what I want in a restaurant review: like it or not, I do not eat ‘style’ nor ‘a sense of professionalism’ nor ‘megalomania expressed through writings”. I eat food and I just want to know what is offered, how it is made, to what relative level of cooking is the kitchen reaching out to.
There is also the widely preached bogus belief that anonymous reviews may hide personal agendas. Even a saint can hide an agenda. We all know that. More importantly, a normal diner at a restaurant is anonymous, shall I remind this? And when you dine at a restaurant, guess what…you have opinions on what you have just paid for, with, as it should normally happen… your own hard earned money. Those opinions can be expressed in many ways: verbally, in writings, etc. So, I do not see any problem with comments from anonymous or well known sources. They both can either hide agendas or be honest. No one will ever have any control over this, anyways. Desperate harmful and insulting views with no constructive and no honest purpose —- which is the only thing that would make sense to fear from an anonymous review– should obviously NOT be encouraged and this applies to celeb faces hiding agendas of restaurant propaganda . Either way, there should be no excuse to intimidate freedom of speech. The debate over anonymous opinions is a debate full of nonsense, a creation of some of the industry’s watchdogs, a debate pertaining to ancient times when big Daddy, scared of the judgements of others, would command you to show your face before you can think and judge accordingly. But humanity has evolved and people paying for what they consume, with their own hard earned money, should never accept that the restaurant industry and some of their watchdogs take control over what we should have as opinions.
Who you are, as a restaurant reporter, makes absolutely no difference: this type of opinions (about restaurants) are subjective anyways, no matter how credible you might think you are, and consequently, knowing what you like or not, what you are hiding or not, is of utter irrelevance. We should do this (sharing our opinion) for the simple sake of sharing knowledge but certainly not as an exercise of potential serious influence on the choices of others. As far as I am concerned, my agenda is clear: it’s written here and as explained, I wanted to experience for myself the journey of an independent voice completely detached from the restaurant industry. I wanted to be able to rave –or not — about what I felt authentically deserving of its raves –or not –, to be able to freely convey what I really had in mind as opposed to be influenced by outside elements. Naturally, I can afford behaving this way (fully enjoying the role of a normal diner, being independent from the industry, mocking at style or etiquette) and abide by my own principles no matter who says what — only because I have no commercial interest in the restaurant business . I took time to write this because there is nowadays a universal debate around the subject (of anonymous restaurant reviews), a non-debate in my pertinacious view, thus my two little cents on this matter. This is my opinion, and I’ll proudly and obdurately drink to that, Rfaol!
Before I write about the current reviewed restaurant – Every gourmand’s dream is to find the best value restaurant at the very top level of world’s fine dining. Once every 5 years or so, I stumble upon one and lately, it is in Chicaco, Illinois. It is L2o, a restaurant that I have discovered back in the days of Chef Laurent Gras. It was back then already deserving its 3 stars. Then Chef Francis Brennan took control of the kitchen, and the solid 3 star Michelin performance kept rising to the top. Now, that Chef Brennan left, it was downgraded to a 1 star Michelin restaurant and I recently had a meal there, under its present 1 star Michelin assignment, and everyone at my table (they are regulars of world’s haute dining extravaganza) agreed: it is, between you and me, the current best value at the very top Michelin star dining level, and Chef Matthew Kirkley is, for now, the most underrated Chef in the world. You get a top 3 star Michelin dining at an official 1 star Michelin. Other great discovery, lately: La Table d’Aki (after more than 2 decades alongside Bernard Pacaud of 3 star Michelin L’Ambroisie, Chef Akihiro Horikoshi has opened his own little bistrot and is unleashing some of the secrets that made of Chef Pacaud one of the most respected icons of La France gourmande. A great way to sample the sense of classic culinaric savourishness of Chef Pacaud, brought to us by Aki, at very sweet $$$. Check that out: Table D’Aki, 49, rue Vaneau, 7th Arr, Paris. Phone: 01 45 44 43 48).
And now, our featuring restaurant review (Lunch on Thurs June 14th, 2012 at noon):
Dal Pescatore, its cuisine, its Chefs – Dal Pescatore is a restaurant of haute Italian cuisine balanced between innovation and tradition. The latter (balanced between innovation and tradition) being a description that is dear to them; on their web site they do insist on this, and it is also, based on my meal there, a realistic portray of their cooking style. Innovation here means that it brings an updated approach to a style of Italian Haute dining that remains classic (with a focus on its surrounding regional fares: for ie risottos, nearby Mantuan pasta dishes, other Italian classics especially from their local Lombardy region ), but it is by no means into futuristic culinary styles. They do also insist on the food being wholesome. It is among restaurant Magazine top 50 best tables of the world, a member of the prestigious ‘Les Grandes Tables du Monde” as well as earning three Michelin stars since 1996 (only seven Italian restaurants boast three stars). It is considered by Paul Bocuse, the pope of French gastronomy and many top culinary journalists such as John Mariani as well as frequent patrons of the haute dining scene as the very best restaurant in the world. High profile chefs such as Anne-Sophie Pic had their lifetime’s best meal here. The soul of Dal Pescatore, Chef Nadia Santini (one of her sons, Giovanni, is nowadays an active Chef at this restaurant as well as their legendary Mama Bruna / I recommend that you read their story on their web site, it is an interesting read – it’s surely fun to observe how they evolved from a 1920s countryside tavern to the top of world’s Alta cucina, for ie, or how Nadia Santini went from studies in Political Sciences to the position of one of world’s most respected 3 star Michelin Chefs / It is also amazing to note that Chef Nadia Santini rejects the idea of a brigade in a kitchen; she is one of the very rare top Chefs around the globe who thinks that hierarchy is unnecessary in a kitchen and that everyone should work as equal members of one team) is frequently mentioned as one of the top 3 best female Chefs in the world alongside Pic (Maison Pic, France) and Elena Arzak (Arzak, Spain). Many grand Chefs have also trained and honed their culinary philosophy here: LA’s Sotto Chef Steve Samson , Celebrity Chef Todd English, Malibu’s Granita Restaurant Chef Jennifer Naylor, Chicago’s Spiaggia Chefs Sarah Grueneberg, Tony Mantuano and many more. Other high profile Chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Giorgio Locatelli and top British Chef Angela Hartnett have expressed great admiration for DP. It is always admirable to learn that such a Grand Chef like Nadia Santini (who, after numerous years of excelling at such top level, would be in the excusable position of saying ‘I have nothing to prove anymore’) is always in her kitchen in a world where ‘embryo’ cooks with a lot left to be proven are busy parading afar from where they are supposed to be found!
Decor – A mix of classic and contemporary elegance with emphasis on ‘ la gioia di vivere ‘ , the joy of life, as easily expressed by the possibility of indulging in one of Italians favourite custom ‘Mangia fuori’ on their veranda in summer, evidences of cozyness (fireplaces, the joyful color scheme of the 3 dining rooms, the wooden floor that gives the room a warm and intimate feel), the artworks on the wall. Pastel colored walls (in pure Northern Italian decorating style , the colors pay respect to various elements of the surrounding countryside: lakes, earth, etc), beautifully laid tables positioned for privacy. Think of the restaurant as a sophisticated country house with a peaceful view on a well kept garden.
Location – Dal Pescatore is located in the village of Runate, municipality of Canneto sull’Oglio, in the province of Mantova (region of Lombardia), North of Parma, East of Milan. Around 65 km from Verona Intl Airport, 115 kms from Milan Linate Airport, 150 kms from Milan Malpensa Airport. I’d suggest you include a dinner here within a tour of Lombardy’s main attractions (historical cities of Mantova, Modena, Cremona, Parma / the urban life of Milan / scenic places like lakes Maggiore, Como, Garda). Hire a car.
Produce– I have always admired Chefs who are really close to the land, to the point of growing most of their own food. I have always favored Chefs who are really close to their local produce and artisans. That is perhaps why I always had a soft spot for the work of Chef Alain Passard at L’Arpège, Chef Patrice Gelbart who used to work at ‘Aux Berges du Cérou’ or Chef Craig Shelton who was at the helm of the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse, New Jersey. I remember my excitement when, during a dinner at the Ryland Inn (Chef Shelton does not work there since years, now), Chef Shelton kept rushing between his garden and his kitchen making sure that optimal freshness was present on our plates. He had that strict ‘xxx minutes maximum delay’ ..5 or 7 mins if I remember properly (Chef Shelton was a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement on the East Coast in the US) …in between picking the ingredient, getting it cooked and served. Of course, Chef Shelton is an exceptionally skilled Chef and I would have never mentioned this had his food not been of stellar mention. Years later, here I am in Canneto sull’Oglio and the Santinis have that exact same philosophy at heart: they raise most of their vegetables on the premises.
The food report –
I started with a tomato compote of stunning marinda (from Sardinia, Italy) tomato flavor 10/10. It’s a great example of why Italian food, in its prime, is so well respected: startling simplicity, beautiful produce, great flavors. A food item that reconnects your palate with the real flavor of the ingredient. I am not rating this with a 10 just for the produce alone: a touch of beautifully aged balsamic and inspired hands brought this tomato to palatable triumph.
Followed by Porcini, Fegato di Vitello (Veal liver), romarino (rosemary) – Flawless cooking technique as shown all along this meal. The mushroom packed with deep earthy flavors that complemented so well with the veal liver. No quibble here: cooking achieved beautifully and flavors as good as you can get from a nicely prepared veal liver. 8/10
Then, Tortelli di Zucca (Zucca, Amaretti, Mostarda, e Parmigiano Reggiano) – tortelli with pumpkin, amaretti biscuits, mostarda (a type of candied fruit and mustard chutney condiment and a speciality of Lombardia) and Parmesan – Star Chef Todd English has always praised Dal Pescatore for for being the place where he learned everything about pasta and the work of the dough. Pasta making is indeed pushed to high level of conception, here. It is artisanal pasta, hand made on the premises. Pasta can’t be fresher than this: they make it only when you order. One Pasta signature dish of Dal Pescatore is Tortelli di Zucca, and a Mantuan classic: made of pumpkin (Zucca), nutmeg, a bit of cinnamon, cloves, mostarda (A ‘glacé fruit’ preserved in a spicy syrup), Italian almond-flavored cookies (Amaretti) and the iconic cheese of this region: their Parmigiano-Reggiano. They are using, in Mantua, an ingredient that adds so much to pasta: pumpkin, as expected, does indeed add amazing texture and superb flavor. Its sweet, and yet savory nature teasing the palate. As a quick reference, if you had sampled Chef Todd Stein’s iconic “Caramelli dish” (pasta filled with butternut squash, sage, amaretti crumbs) when he was at the helm of Restaurant Cibo Matto in Chicago – that dish made it to America’s best pasta dishes of several top food magazines — then think of Tortelli di Zucca as its elder (not served the same way, and not fully identical, but the basic idea and also ingredients behind both dishes are similar) . Dal Pescatore’s version was flawless: the mostarda enhancing the pumpkin with lots of panache, the pasta itself is impeccably executed, its texture utterly refined, the taste is of course a bit less rich and rustic compared to the tortelli di zucca I tried at the other places in the region but this is understandable since this is fine dining and not rustic dining. Also, the Santinis focus a lot on good healthy food, therefore food that’s not overwhelmingly rich nor too rustic. What justifies, in my opinion, a 3 star Michelin meal is its depth of precision in balancing, better than many others, the flavors, textures and other cooking aspects (timing of the cooking, judicious choice of the ingredient combination, effective usage of heat, etc) that are involved on a dish, all things achieved brilliantly on this dish. PS: Try this recipe at home . Excellent. 9/10
Ravioli di Faraona – Guinea fowl ravioli was of benchmark 3 star Michelin material. The preparation of the pasta, its impeccable texture, the outstanding balance of flavors, the superb mouthfeel are just a fraction of the superlatives I could use to describe the amazement of this dish. 10/10
Then Branzino con olio extravergine umbro, Prezzemolo, Acciughe e Capperi di Salina – Excellent seabass that retained its well known enjoyable mild flavor, its flesh was firm and immaculately white as any top quality fresh seabass has to, the cooking achieved to ideal moisture retention. 8.5/10
Followed by Risotto con pistilli di zafferano e aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena (sometimes it is ‘Risotto (Vialone Nano) con pistilli di Zafferano e Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale ) – Saffron risotto with traditional Balsamic vinegar from Modena – They grow their own saffron on the premises and this is thoughtful: it has nothing to do with the average saffron I am accustomed to, and that you find in most saffron risotti of the region. This saffron has a superior subtle aromatic freshness that, on its own, transforms their risotto into a unique one. But the kitchen goes beyond the full satisfaction of their spice, and as stands true to a good Il Bagatto, it brings another secret weapon to the center stage of the show: the ethereal aged authentic Modena balsamic vinegar with its mesmerizing long finish flavor. Vialone Nano, well known for absorbing liquid better than many other rices, is indeed the appropriate rice that needed to be used for this risotto dish. Of this dish, I’ll remember the great technique, the superb taste that can only come from a top quality stock, the proper heat regulation and excellent texture. 9/10
Cappello da Prete di Manzo al Barbera e Polenta Gialla di Storo – braised shoulder of beef slowly cooked in Barbera wine with polenta – Cappello del prete is a cut of beef ideal for braising (although, in my view, not quite at the level of what a meat like beef cheeks can deliver when it’s braised to its prime) . The meat was cooked to tender consistency for long hours in a rich Barbera wine based sauce. This dish, due to its comforting nature could have been predictably less memorable but it was not: the sauce was reduced as it should, the delicious juice-infused beefy meat kept an ideal tender consistency to it, the exemplary polenta (if you see a cook looking down on polenta…it is not a Chef, it is just a lesser cook who badly needs to get a taste of a polenta like this one so that he will forever understand how he was never made aware of the full potential that lies ahead of such a supposedly simple fare). The reduced sauce was remarkable, even for this level of dining. 9/10
Amaretti Torta – For years, I have made Amaretti torta many times (this as well as torta sabbiosa, zabaione and chiacchere are among my favourite Italian desserts/cakes), and I just like tasting it whenever it is baked by others, just to see how far they push it, therefore an appealing pick for me. This one had a good ratio of the basic ingredients necessary to make this cake (choco chips, amaretti cookies, etc). The amaretti base was impeccably made, the cake itself cooled down to room temp, had proper moist consistency and was packed with a depth of enticing chocolate, coffee and almond aromas. Easily, a benchmark amaretti torta 10/10
I was warned by some of my Italian foodie friends that on Italy’s best tables, I should not expect petits fours of the standard found on France’s best 3 star Michelin tables. They were wrong: the array of fabulous petits fours (various chocolate creations, mini fruit tart, etc) on display could have been served at a top 3 star Michelin table in France and I would see no difference. They were that great, and I had a huge smile when I sampled the solo cherry featuring among those petits fours: I urge anyone to find me a better cherry! 10/10
I forgot to ask if dining alfresco was a possibility as I saw that they have a terrace.
My short conclusion on this meal at Dal Pescatore – The strength of this meal I just had at DP lies in (1) how this cuisine is entirely symbiotic with its environment and (2) how most of the dishes are perfected: the pastas I had would set the bar for their artistry in colors, their flawless textures, their delectable stuffings. The risotto I have just tasted is also of that level of culinary mastery. I was quite surprised (in a good way) by this performance, even by the standards expected at this level of dining. Almost everything was copacetic all along this meal. The minimum at such standards of dining is food that’s refined and well done, for sure, but it was still remarkable to find items as eventful as some that I have just tasted. Many among world’s most talented Chefs have a spectacular culinaric sense, but few have an exceptional palate. Whoever has cooked the ravioli faraona, the tomato compote, the petits fours and the amaretti torta can be counted amongst the latter. I don’t know Dal Pescatore enoughly well so I can’t really tell which dish was cooked by Chef Nadia Santini, her son, or by Mama Bruna, etc — something I generally like to know since each person has a signature cooking touch and that aspect matters to me — but I could observe a common denominator in their cooking as a team: they favor harmonious flavours. I wanted a repast exempt from what I perceive as the UNECESSARY (the pipettes, the foams, the paintings on the plate, and tons of other gimmicks), a meal focusing on the pleasure of eating real food, enjoying the best local produce. You can eat very well at low cost in Italy (If you stumble upon a bad cook in Italy, my guess is that it is not a cook…it is an impersonator who just wants to make a quick buck…because here, it is not the ‘buzz’ that dictates who you are —some cooks in some cities will recognize themselves in the latest statement — it is often real talent! Hard working Real Chefs cooking for real….), but on this occasion, I wanted this simple and delicious cuisine expressed in its most refined version. That is exactly why I went to DP and that is also what I got.
From an aphorism of France’s 20th century best known writer, Curnonsky: “Good cooking is when things taste of what they are.”. Curnonsky would have been very happy with most dishes of this meal: wherever things looked simple, they were elevated with brio, but never through gimmicks and only with inspired emphasis on their very own nature. Simplicity, I’ll always reiterate, is nice only when it is in the hands of a gifted Chef.
In fine, for the food on this meal, I’ll underline the careful balance of flavors on all of the dishes, the importance of never roaming away from the comfort zone of a nice hearty classic dish (their meat, their pasta dishes) while adding the touch of superior inspiration and culinaric effort expected at this echelon .
PS: Wine – One of my favourite all time red wines accompanied this meal. It’s a 2008 Pergole Torte Sangiovese (memorable licorice aromas, perfectly balanced tannins). Talking about their wine list, it not only suits to all budgets and covers a big part of the globe (of course Italy and France, but also Australia, Lebanon, New Zeland, etc), but how thoughtful was that to classify it by type of wines (for ie, Franciorta – Trento classico e altri spumanti, Bianchi Italiani, Rossi Italiani, etc), then by vintage years. Here’s a sommelier who perfectly understands the importance of a logically well conceived wine list. Another great moment: a glass of giulio ferrari 2001, a must when it comes to bubbles.
PROS (of this meal at Dal Pescatore): In the days leading to my meal at DP, I have enjoyed Mantuan food at some serious trattorias of the region.I was also lucky enough to have sampled the food of two talented nonnas living in the region,too. So, my experience and expectations of my meal at DP was different, from, say, the standard food traveler who would have just visited DP with, in mind, some general knowledge of Italian food (as opposed to accurate information about Mantuan food and what should be expected from an interpretation of this specific cuisine). There are things that I am not fond of, such as the tad-less-runnier texture of the risotti that Classic Mantuan cuisine tend to favor, but that is just a matter of preference and should not be assessed as inferior to the sort of a bit-more-runnier textured risotti that can be found, for example, in the region of Veneto. It is just two different ways of taking the risotto. DP clearly offered a perfected interpretation of Mantuan Classics. I had a great time, here and this (great food, great wine, top service, nothing overworked but to the contrary brought up in a natural appealing way may it be in the behaviour of the staff, the presentation of the food, etc) is exactly what I do expect from a 3 star Michelin dining venture. CONS (of this meal at Dal Pescatore): When a heart is happy, there’s nothing to pique at.
WHAT I THINK MONTHS LATER – Your judgement of a meal goes down to who you are. I am someone who believes that greatness is about doing the most with the least. So simplicity done this well is, to me, the definition of perfection. It’s a classic place, so if classic is not your thing, you have tons of tables for you: Mugaritz, Noma, Thierry Marx, The Fat Duck, Alinea, Quique Dacosta, etc. If you want noise, buzz, hype, trend, there are tons of popular bistrots and restaurants around the world that will fit the bill. On the other hand, if like me, you believe in great classic cooking, then DP is a benchmark table. For me, for my taste, with respect to what I value as real great cooking, Dal Pescatore is an example of what I would define as a “best restaurant in the world”.
Pursuing my tour of some of the finest steakhouses of New York, having tried Peter Luger, Keens, Strip House, Quality Meats and Wolfgang.
Platter of 12 oysters – Dabob bay from Hood canal (Washington) and Canadian lucky lime. Nicely shucked quality fresh oysters. The lucky lime had the advertised citrus-tone finish in evidence. The intertidal beach cultured Dabob bay oysters, quite briny for an oyster coming from the Pacific. The mignonette properly done. A platter of fine oysters. 7/10
The 20 oz rib eye steak (Grade: USDA Prime), dry aged for 28 – 32 days on premise in their glass-enclosed meat locker ( You can see it from the street – a sight to behold). The meat is grilled on hickory coals, a rarity in a city where most steakhouses do broil their steaks. Grilling meat over an open fire has always been my preferred grilling method for meats. The requested medium rare doneness achieved with utter precision. It delivered on flavor (the seasoning, exquisite – the steak as delicious as it gets) and was superbly tender throughout. The great grilling effect of the open fire in evidence to the eyes/smell/palate. Dazzling crust. My steak had its juices settled within the meat, therefore timely rested. A steak is not a moon landing mission and one can do great steaks at home, indeed, but what matters here is that this is a steakhouse and it is doing one of the better steaks in NYC. Easily the best rib eye steak I ever had at all the top tier steakhouses of NY. 10/10
The creamed spinach. Here too, the G seems to have the edge as the creamed spinach had superb taste and great balance between the cream and spinach flavours. Superb texture too. Just some delicious creamed spinach like few — surprisingly, indeed – seem to be able to pull out at the NYC steakhouses. Vibrant fresh and delicious flavours. 9/10
An anonymous Montrealer's Michelin Star dinners 
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