Yet another great Contra collaboration dinner, this time with Andre Chiang of Restaurant Andre in Singapore. He is fantastic as is his food and I hope to someday make it to Singapore!
Baby mushroom croque en bouche
Oyster, lapsong gelee, peas
Rose champagne, heirloom tomatoes, poisson de roche
King crab, celery sabyon, capers
Elysian fields lamb, scallop lasagna, cresson-wasabe
Quail, fava, cherries
Camembert
I have absolutely loved all of the Contra collaboration dinners and this one was no exception. While the floral displays and seasonal decorations at Gramercy Tavern are always stunning, the centerpiece of the large table in the private dining room was exceptional. Looking back at this menu it is very difficult to pick a favorite dish. And in several cases I am not sure which dish was a Contra vs. Gramercy Tavern creation which in my opinion means that this was a very successful collaboration. Also impeccable service by the GT team!
Warm potatoes, mackerel, spruce
Smoked trout & eel consomme, onions
Hake, parsnips, mustard greens
Sweetbreads, asparagus, lobster
Grilled coppa, mushrooms, fresh herbs
Off-menu dessert
Passionfruit semifreddo, wildflower honey, spruce
Strawberries, sour milk ice cream
I’m not sure if I will make it to in de wulf before they shutter at the end of the year so what a fantastic opportunity to have Kobe Desramualts’ food at this collaboration dinner with Contra. Definitely a longer menu than I was expecting and while the pacing wasn’t the best, it was actually better than I expect at any event where there rhythm of the kitchen is vastly disrupted. It seems so predictable to be my favorite course, but I could have eaten 4 more of the kerremelkstampers. I hope that Contra keeps doing these!
snails
beetroot, sloeberry yogurt
sea urchin, carrot, husk cherry
kohlrabi, scallop, green strawberry
mussel broth, charcoal roasted vegetables
kerremelkstampers, caviar
monkfish, celeriac, liver
red kuri squash, crab, egg yolk
lobster and homemade butter
persimmon, tangerines, bourbon
chocolate, sunchoke, beer
For some reason this is the first Contra collaboration dinner that I have managed to attend. Such a fun evening and I’m glad to have finally experienced some of James Syhabout’s cooking as I have yet to get myself to Commis. So many fantastic dishes that it is difficult to choose a favorite but I think I would have to go with the trout skin as I could have easily eaten a dozen more. Looking forward to the next of these collaborations!
trout skin with smoked roe, cultured cream
bread
oyster, horseradish & red shiso, dried scallop broth
cabbage & caramelized sunchoke, dill, anchovy
hake, warm soup apple, verbena, licorice, caviar
treviso, carrot, pistachio
raw beef, kale, sorrel
squab, ginger & plums, hazelnuts
grape & oats
Yet another restaurant that had been on my to-do list for ages but with too much time spent out of town I had never made it here. But with a set menu, at a very reasonable price point, it seemed like the perfect spot for my birthday dinner. A perfectly sized menu and perfect for the season. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here!
lettuce, tarragon, ramp
snap peas, fresh cheese, herbs
squid, asparagus, walnut
scallop, sorrel, sea beans
beef, pistachio, broccoli rabe
peach, honey, occhipinti olive oil
strawberry and corn
iwillmakeualist 