Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
Bruce is in town; Jay and I meet him at Chambers NYC.
We sit at the communal table, at the end towards the window. Hardly anybody else sits next to us, so, we text a brief complaint to the nice-but-apparently-ineffective people at Right Guard and settle in for the evening. We have some fun banter with each other and with the server -- we are among the world's most flippant diners -- but all went well, especially with the application of a little guest management from Pascaline. (Ahem.)
We ordered just about one of everything on the menu. I think we skipped one main.
Starters
fluke: concord grape | jicama - strangely compelling plate of mild fish, crunchy vegetable, and overly-purple dressing
zucchini: tomatillo | pumpkin seeds - jazzy marrowz (don't get to write that often)
beets and endives - sweets and bitters in complement
new zealand cockles: shishito peppers | oregano - tasty little crustaceans
veal sweetbreads: tokyo turnip | garlic chives - an easy sell as the sweetbreads are crispy and the turnip is mild
Mains
tilefish: peekytoe crab | sweet corn | fregula - this is late summer on a plate and we jockey for the last shreds of crabmeat
snowdance chicken: spinach | sherry | thyme - good acidity enlivens the roast chicken
hanger steak: pole beans | miso-garlic sauce | fresh herbs - a French kitchen that can't get this right deserves to have its moustaches revoked
Sides
cauliflower: curry - I don't eat cauliflower so dunno
japanese eggplant: tahini - tender and yummy
Desserts
mascarpone: phyllo | cinammon caramel | lemon pistachios - served as a Napoleon, alternating layers of crispy, creamy, sugary, nutty
honeycrisp apple: custard cake | chartreuse ice cream - a very good apple cake with mildly herbal/bitter ice cream
dark chocolate: raspberries | raspberry jam | cacao nibs - yeah, that's a mousse-y chocolate dessert
Pascaline was in fine form, as always, guiding us through things both on and off the lists. Bruce and I are going to Savoie in January so, with a little nudging, I chose a jacquere varietal to start, Domaine des Côtes Rousses (Nicolas & Marielle Ferrand) 2020 "Armenaz" Savoie Blanc which was medium-bodied and crisply acidic. Bruce made a sentimental pick for the second wine, Martin Texier 2020 Côtes-du-Rhône Brézème "Vigne de la Carrière", a wine beautifully expressive of its place and its cepage. And between the two, Pascaline inserted a glass of Didier Chaffardon 2020 VdF "Açores et Attrape Verre", 13.5%, natural wine (crown cap and all), which is chenin at demi-sec sweetness, fascinating stuff.
Go and enjoy.
We sit at the communal table, at the end towards the window. Hardly anybody else sits next to us, so, we text a brief complaint to the nice-but-apparently-ineffective people at Right Guard and settle in for the evening. We have some fun banter with each other and with the server -- we are among the world's most flippant diners -- but all went well, especially with the application of a little guest management from Pascaline. (Ahem.)
We ordered just about one of everything on the menu. I think we skipped one main.
Starters
fluke: concord grape | jicama - strangely compelling plate of mild fish, crunchy vegetable, and overly-purple dressing
zucchini: tomatillo | pumpkin seeds - jazzy marrowz (don't get to write that often)
beets and endives - sweets and bitters in complement
new zealand cockles: shishito peppers | oregano - tasty little crustaceans
veal sweetbreads: tokyo turnip | garlic chives - an easy sell as the sweetbreads are crispy and the turnip is mild
Mains
tilefish: peekytoe crab | sweet corn | fregula - this is late summer on a plate and we jockey for the last shreds of crabmeat
snowdance chicken: spinach | sherry | thyme - good acidity enlivens the roast chicken
hanger steak: pole beans | miso-garlic sauce | fresh herbs - a French kitchen that can't get this right deserves to have its moustaches revoked
Sides
cauliflower: curry - I don't eat cauliflower so dunno
japanese eggplant: tahini - tender and yummy
Desserts
mascarpone: phyllo | cinammon caramel | lemon pistachios - served as a Napoleon, alternating layers of crispy, creamy, sugary, nutty
honeycrisp apple: custard cake | chartreuse ice cream - a very good apple cake with mildly herbal/bitter ice cream
dark chocolate: raspberries | raspberry jam | cacao nibs - yeah, that's a mousse-y chocolate dessert
Pascaline was in fine form, as always, guiding us through things both on and off the lists. Bruce and I are going to Savoie in January so, with a little nudging, I chose a jacquere varietal to start, Domaine des Côtes Rousses (Nicolas & Marielle Ferrand) 2020 "Armenaz" Savoie Blanc which was medium-bodied and crisply acidic. Bruce made a sentimental pick for the second wine, Martin Texier 2020 Côtes-du-Rhône Brézème "Vigne de la Carrière", a wine beautifully expressive of its place and its cepage. And between the two, Pascaline inserted a glass of Didier Chaffardon 2020 VdF "Açores et Attrape Verre", 13.5%, natural wine (crown cap and all), which is chenin at demi-sec sweetness, fascinating stuff.
Go and enjoy.