11 Madison Park (New York, NY)
Why go there: The food is amazing and so personalized! Steve & I went there for my Bday. When we first arrived, they had a hand written note waiting at our table wishing me a Happy Birthday. We looked at the menu or lack there of and were a little stumped. There were 16 foods listed. Each item represented the featured item in any one of the four courses we were to receive. We each picked out our own four items and gave some pointers as to what ingredients we didn't like (e.g. cilantro for me). I selected crab, lobster, squab, and chocolate (of course). As we were celebrating, we chose to also add on the wine pairing. Little did we know that by choosing this option, we would start immediately drinking several aperitifs. We were given Claude Jenet Champagne to accompany our first two amuse bouches (fish based soup with nori/sesame crisps and scallop ceviche w/ grapefruit and tangerines and fluke on housemade crisps). The Champagne was made from Chardonnay and from someone who doesn't care for Champagne it was delicious. The next amuse bouche was our personal favs: Served in the form of a lolly pop were thin slices of goat cheese dipped in beet juice gelatin and served with watercress puree and goat cheese fritters. The lolly pops melted in our mouths. Steve doesn't even like cheese and he ate the same amount as I did. My first course (the crab) was amazing! They served paper thin sliced pieces of daikon (Asian radish) accented with edible flower petals (purple and yellow) atop shredded crab meat. This was one of the best dishes of the night. My next course (the lobster) was also very good as lobster usually is when prepared right). The squab was prepared with foie gras on top and was very juicy. While it was very tasty and paired with a 1999 Brunello, I actually would have preferred Steve's beef selection. His filet was served with smokey potatoes and fried sweet breads (thymus glands of veal, young beef, lamb and pork. There are two glands: an elongated lobe in the throat and a larger, rounder gland near the heart). The sweet breads tasted like fried chicken, no joke and were the best that I've ever had. Prior to dessert, they gave us each an egg cream. I've not had one previously but it was made with seltzer and their housemade vanilla bean malt. It was soo yummy! By this point, to say that I was tipsy would be an understatement but of course they paired a tawny port with my dessert. The chocolate was atop a nutty crust and served with popcorn flavored ice cream and pieces of caramelized popcorn. They additionally gave us several housemade desserts such as macarons (not the coconut and chocolate cookies you may be thinking about but rather these wafer like sandwiches filled with cream which when eaten as a whole tasted like you were tasting a bite of the best carrot cake ever. After dessert, they gave us VSOP Cognac for a digestive. They left the bottle in case we wanted any more. I took two sips and was done. At the end of the meal, they gave me a chocolate bar topped with fruit for my birthday and additionally gave me a mason jar filled with granola (which is something they give to all females). I place this restaurant in my top 3 favorite dining experiences (Grand Vefour in Paris always to remain #1).
Why skip it: This is not only one of my favorite dining experiences but it also rises to the top 3 in terms of price. This is not for those on a budget by any means. Additionally, while we did leave the restaurant full, this is not the place for those that need to feel packed at each course and take home doggy bags.
Overall Recommendation: Go there at least once if you have a fine appreciation for talented chefs and prepared to have one of the best meals ever!
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