I’d like to speak to the manager!!!
Our trip to NYC this trip was unlike many of the others.
We saw more shows.
We had lunch out most days instead of dinner.
And this brings me to lunch on Thursday.
It was an experience to last a lifetime.
We dined at Le Bernardin.
Le Bernardin is a 3-star Michelin restaurant. Voted number 1 restaurant in NYC over and over. And is 26th on restaurants world-wide.
Adam made the reservations a while ago, as soon as they became available on the day we wanted to go. Lunch on a Thursday, so that we’d have nowhere to be.
We arrived last Thursday, right at 12:15, the time of our reservation. It feels silly, now that the experience is behind us, but we both felt a little nervous.
We are both in the business. We dine out a lot.
But there’s a nice lunch, and then there’s A NICE lunch.
I was afraid I was underdressed, as I was not wearing a jacket. But alas, I was not the only jacket free person in the dining room.
We arrived, and from the moment we sat down, we knew the experience was going to be special.
Unlike anything we’d ever done before.
We were led to our table, where the chairs were pulled out for us. The settings were exquisite. And everyone exuded hospitality, from the host who sat us, to the sommelier, to the person, who kept clearing our plates, and bringing us new ones.
I joked after the fact that we were given plates twice that we never used. The initial place setting was taken away, as soon as we ordered bubbles to start. The plate that replaced it was taken away, just before the bread was delivered to the table.
The bubbles were delivered promptly, we were asked if we were doing the tasting menu, or ala carte. We chose the tasting menu, and looking around the dining room we were the only guests doing so. We also chose the wine pairings as well.
We sipped bubbles and snacked on salmon rillettes.
And soon we were off.
Tuna-Urchin
Tuna-Tartare-Sea Urchin Toast; Jus de Viande
Albariño, Leirana, Rodrigo Mendez, Rías Baixas, Spain 2022
Langoustine
Seared Langoustine; Foie Gras-Cabbage Confit, Truffled Consommé
Riesling, Van Volxem, Wiltinger Ortswein, Saar, Germany 2021
Japanese Madai
Baked Madai; Fennel-Olive and Citrus Medley
Sauce Barigoule
Palomino Fino, Bodegas Luis Pérez, La Escribana, Andalucia, Spain 2022
Salmon-Caviar
Slowy Baked Salmon; Royal Osetra Caviar, Horseradish Emulsion
Bollinger, La Grande Année, Aÿ, Brut, Champagne, France 2014
Dover Sole
Pan Roasted Dover Sole; Green Olives, Toasted Almonds
Aged Sherry Wine Emulsion
Chardonnay, Evening Land Vineyards, Seven Springs, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2022
Halibut
Steamed Halibut; Baby Spring Vegetables
Red Wine Nage
Clos du Roi, Beaune Premier Cru, Domaine Chanson, Burgundy, France 2020
Rhubarb
Poached Rhubarb, Vanilla-Scented Chantilly
Bugey-Cerdon, La Cueille, Patrick Bottex, Savoie, France NV
Peruvian Dark Chocolate
Warm Peruvian Chocolate Tart, Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream
Taylor Fladgate, 20 Year Tawny, Portugal
Each dish was better than the next.
The pacing was perfect. Plates dropped. Plates cleared.
New glasses dropped at the table. They left the old ones for a while, so for about 30 minutes it looked as though we’d had four glasses of wine each.
The sommelier would stop by, describe the wine, pour two glasses and move on.
We didn’t take a lot of photos because we didn’t want to appear to be THOSE people.
But Adam did snap a few photos, and we had one of the server assistants take a quick photo of us.
In all we were there for three hours, although it felt like about 90 minutes.
The other thing that was interesting, was that the food was all approachable. There was nothing weird, or outrageous that made you go yuck. It was all delicious and prepared wonderfully.
It’s not a meal we’ll repeat again, anytime soon.
But I will look forward to the day that we do.
PS. It was interesting, looking around the dining room. We got the feeling that most everyone there was just out for lunch on a Thursday. There were business meetings going on. 20 somethings just going about their business. For most of our fellow diners I really don’t think it was a special occasion.
I'd Like to Speak to the Manager!!! 