Tag Archives: Thomas Keller

NYC – 5/30/17 – Per Se

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This post begins my short farewell to NYC tour.  These will be many of my favorite places in NYC so I won’t be writing much because I’ve said it all before and I can’t recommend them highly enough.


oysters and pearls

salad of greenmarket squash, jingle bell peppers, picholine olive tapenade, aged parmesan and romesco


butter poached maine lobster, forest mushroom “tortellini,” green asparagus and sauce americaine

herb roasted elysian fields farm lamb, ruby beets, hakurei turnips, marcona almonds, and green peppercorn jus

“velvet elvis,” banana creme fraiche sherbet, peanut butter sabayon, and TKO crumble

NYC – 5/6/17 – Bouchon Bakery

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I don’t mind the food court feel of Bouchon Bakery at the Time Warner Center as it somehow then seems appropriate to visit post-gym still wearing workout clothes.  Consistently perfect. And I would love the recipe for the piquillo marmalade which elevated this avocado toast.

Deviled eggs

avocado toast, piquillo marmalade, pickled red onion, radish, feta, pain de campagne

NYC – 5/2/17 – Per Se 

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The only place where side-by-side sitting is acceptable is at the table in front of the window in the Per Se salon. Its one of my favorite views in NYC. Per Se is always a perfect experience and the Salon makes it so easy when you haven’t planned ahead and do not necessarily want a very large meal.



Oysters and Pearls – sabayon of pearl tapioca with island creek oysters

Hudson valley foulard duck foie gras – assaisonne au confit de canard, champagne gelée, brook cherries, and cocoa-hazelnut streusel

Herb-roasted elysian fields farm lamb – merguez sausage, chickpea hummus, shishito peppers, and meyer lemon jus

Velvet Elvis – banana-creme fraiche sherbet, peanut butter sabayon, and TKO crumble


Napa – 9/6/16 – The French Laundry

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With apologies to my still single friends and family, I fear that any wedding I attend in the future will be a disappointment. This was exactly what I would want for my own wedding, but since it has already been done I suppose I will have to stick to my Carrie Bradshaw city hall plan. Everything about this day was completely perfect from the weather to the ceremony in the courtyard, to the salmon cornets that I sadly have no photos of.  And of course being lucky enough to have such amazing friends who let me be a part of their wedding party.  While I had high expectations, serving an entire restaurant at once is challenging and I anticipated some service hiccups. However I could not have been more impressed. I would never have known that this was a wedding and not just a regular dinner or lunch service. Service was just completely impeccable. The food certainly was as well, so much so that I still cannot pick my favorite course. The classics are classics for a reason. Oysters and pearls, the hen egg custard and coffee & donuts will never ever get old. The others were equally as good.  And when was the last time anybody had a memorable wedding cake?  After two decades TFL is as good as ever and is further evidence that so many ‘best’ restaurant lists are pretty useless.

“Oysters and Pearls”
“Sabayon” of pearl tapioca with island creek oysters and white sturgeon caviar

Hen Egg Custard
with a ragout of Perigord truffles

Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras “Rillette”
piedmont hazelnut “Genoise,” Yountville figs, watercress and concord grape jelly


Extra Virgin Olive Oil Poached Gulf Coast Cobia
stewed garden squash, fino verde basil, nicoise olives and french vermouth

“Beets and Leeks”
Alaskan king crab, slow roasted beets, horseradish scented leek “mousseline” and garden sorrel

Cornbread Stuffed Thomas Farm Squab
brentwood corn, hominy, applewood smoked bacon, black winter truffle and “sauce mignonette”


Charcoal Grilled Snake River Farms “Calotte de Boeuf”
roasted garden eggplant, lobster mushrooms, ginger scented broccoli pure, crispy barley and miso “hollandaise”

“Manchego”
Schmitt family farm apples, marcona almonds and buttered shortbread

Lemon Coconut Cake
K&J Orchards peaches and nectarine sorbet


Coffee and Donuts

NYC – 3/29/16 – Bouchon Bakery & Cafe

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On those days when you feel absolutely dreadful chicken soup is an absolute necessity and Bouchon Bakery’s has to be the best in NYC.  A glass of wine, a lovely view and a fantastic salad later the day was much brighter.


Chicken soup

Salmon salad – Scottish salmon, quinoa, market vegetables, hazelnuts, house vinaigrette

NYC – 11/30/15 – Bouchon Bakery

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When one isn’t dressed for lunch at the lounge at Per Se, Bouchon Bakery is still a perfectly fine substitute.  This may be one of the best pickle plates that I can remember having and overall a perfect lunch.

pickled vegetables
hearts of romaine, chicken breast, apples, bacon lardons, cider poached raisins, blue cheese, apple cider vinaigrette

7/4/15 – Per Se, Elephant Bar at the Nomad Hotel, Dead Rabbit, and Batard

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Per Se

The 4th of July is perhaps my favorite day of the year to be in New York. It is so quiet and basically empty. No battling hordes of people to get anywhere and you can drive through the city with amazing speed. What better place to end up for a maximum feeling of peacefulness but the salon at Per Se for lunch? Even with rain outside this is still one of my favorite views in NY and each time I’m at Per Se I feel like I am somewhere other than NYC. Consistently perfect. Beautiful plates and I still think the best service in the city.  I love the extras in the salon such as the salmon cornets (which will always be one of my absolute favorite bites) and mignardises.



“Terrine” of Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras
Squire Hill Farm’s Currants, Market Fennel, Spiced Walnuts and Orange Creme Fraiche
Served with Toasted Brioche

California Candycot Salad
Chanterelle Mushrooms, French Breakfast Radishes, Petite Basil and Riesling Emulsion


Elysian Fields Farm’s “Cote D’Agneau”
Squash “en Persillade,” Jingle Bell Peppers, Garlic “Confit” and REd Wine Vinegar Sauce

Grilled Fillet of Gulf Coast Amberjack
Celery Root “Pastrami,” Poached Bing Cherries, Mustard Cress and Miso-Mustard Butter

Wolfe Ranch Bobwhite Quail Breast
Caramelized Shallots, French Leeks, Flowering Watercress and Stewed Black Mission Figs 
I wish I could remember what this one was!
 Coffee & Donuts
 Mignardises

 Elephant Bar at the Nomad

Unfortunately the Nomad Bar decided to close this year on July 4th which nearly derailed our entire day as we were counting on an afternoon hot dog.  At least the cocktails are the same at the Elephant Bar.

Dead Rabbit

Congrats to the Dead Rabbit on your Tales wins this year!  Always one of my favorite places in NY and if it wasn’t so far out of the way I would be here far too often.  I seem to have missed quite a few drink pictures, or they went down way too quickly.  Cannot wait for Greenriver to open in Chicago!





Batard

I have been meaning to get to Batard since it opened but sometimes it takes out-of-town guests to give you a push.  We arrived early for cocktails after reading about their collection of vintage glasses which were absolutely beautiful.  Such a lovely summer menu and the perfect amount of food.
Hamachi – fennel, passion fruit vinaigrette
English Pea Tortellini – burrata, caraway, pesto
Grilled Swordfish – melon, castelvetrano olives, warm ginger-citrus vinaigrette
Selection of cheeses