My boyfriend decided to take me to a surprise dinner for my birthday, and what do you know, the place turned out to be Jean Georges, oo-lala! I was extremely excited about dining at one of the most venerable restaurants of all of NYC, but at the same time a little intimidated, since little old me was going to eat at a respected Michelin-star establishment, and they would totally find out how I barely know the difference between Chablis and Chardonnay, or what an amuse bouche was (which they did serve!), and laugh at any other dining faux pas I was sure to commit.
We entered the restaurant and they were running a little late, so they whisked us away to the bar area. I nibbled on the complimentary bar food snacks that were on the counter, and let me tell you, I never had bar snacks quite like this! Rather than your regular nuts and pretzels, Jean Georges' snacks transcend the ordinary. I'm not exaggerating--I had these amazing wasabi peas and cinnamon almonds that I couldn't stop eating. These treats were definitely harbingers of the great meal that was to come.
Because we had some time to kill, I started scanning the room and seeing what types of people came to eat at a place like Jean Georges. You had your typical older, refined looking WASPy people, as well as the rich guy/model types, but surprisingly enough, there was a very mixed crowd of diners that day. My favorite part was seeing this pretty girl eating by herself, and she caught the eye of the group of men sitting nearby, who then proceeded to invite her over to join them and voila! She was alone no longer! So let this be a note to you--not only does Jean Georges have fabulous food, but it may just be the perfect spot to meet your future soulmate!
And then there was this couple that I noticed because they were so uniquely dressed. The guy was pale and bald, and his date was this woman wearing a strange gothic, corset-type dress. They looked like they could fit in at the Renaissance Faire or a Halloween party, a high-class one, of course. But I suppose great food is one of those universal, democratic pastimes that any person, whether glam or goth, likes to enjoy, so it shouldn't be a surprise that so many different types of people were there. And of course, that throws regular Jane schmoes like me into the mix, so it's fantastic!
At Jean Georges, you either get to order three items from a prix-fixe menu plus a dessert of your choice, or you can opt for the tasting course (no a la cartes here). I chose for my three items the sea scallops with caramelized cauliflower, the corn ravioli and the caramelized beef tenderloin, while my boyfriend also ordered the sea scallops, the butternut squash soup and the Maine lobster.
Everything was pretty fabulous--(I guess those Michelin stars were well deserved!) I absolutely loved the sea scallops and the butternut squash soup, the latter arriving in this ridiculous, lavish ceremony in which the server placed an empty bowl in front of my boyfriend and then proceeded to scoop the actual soup into the bowl from a separate silver serving bowl, how awesome is that?? The corn ravioli was great too, and the beef was extremely flavorful, although not tender enough for my taste but what do I know, it's Jean Georges!
Dessert in itself is a multi-course event. It comes in themes, and I ordered the fabulous chocolate theme which came with an amazing cake while my boyfriend had something berry based. And oh no, it doesn't stop there, they also serve you some chocolates, macaroons and gourmet marshmallows on the side! So really, you're getting like four desserts instead of one, and for someone like me with a sweet tooth that's pretty awesome!
Too bad I don't have pictures, since the visual beauty of the dishes were part of the experience of being at Jean Georges, but here are links to some sites that have some great pictures. Enjoy the spectacle and run to the actual restaurant to taste the real thing, vite! Bon appetit, mes amis!!
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2006/03/how_i_gained_si.html
http://thewanderingeater.wordpress.com/2007/09/07/eating-lunch-like-royalty-at-jean-georges/
Jean-Georges
1 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023
212-299-3900
(Central Park West and 60th/61st Sts)
Rating (out of 5 stars):*****
Style: French
Prices: $28-$95
Summary: Go here if you're looking to splurge on a fine French dining experience you won't ever forget!
(Pictures courtesy of NY Magazine and http://www.theworlds50best.com/)
1 comment:
Good post.
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