Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
attendees: tse wei + Diana, Mike + Toby, Bruce + Karen, Jay, Jeff
Chef Yokota, after 30 years in many other parts of the world, has come to New York City to open a tiny space in which to serve exquisite tempura. The eight of us fill the house for the 8:30p seating. We await the omakase menu:
shiitake soup with jalapeno - a demitasse portion, of course, the jalapeno is pungently pyrazinic but not spicy
amberjack sushi - somewhat strong, I would easily have said this was bonita
kurobuta pate and chrysanthemum leaf salad - texture and seasoning perfect, would that my local French places made a pate this good!
tempura: (each two bites, in approximately this order)
..baby zucchini
..tiger shrimp
..lotus root
..mackerel
..japanese yam
..scallop
..king crab
..eggplant
..sea eel
..uni (from Peru)
..whole smelt - as we expect, each piece is fresh and perfect but this is an exercise, from start to finish, in texture... the zucchini is moist but still snaps, the scallop responds to the teeth like a fine bonbon, the king crab is just between shreds and dissolution, the yam is hearty and nearly sweet; only the overly-crunchy lotus root troubles me
nikujaga: beef tongue - well, it's um, er, pot roast made from beef tongue; good, of course
panna cotta, strawberries - I'm spacing a third significant component, perhaps one of the other diners can complete it; a textbook Italian dessert; I'm happy for the light touch although I don't necessarily grok how this is on theme
We ordered one bottle off the list (can you guess which one?) and brought the rest. And Bacchus treated us very well:
Moncuit 2010 Champagne Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru "Vozemieux" - classic, low dosage, beautiful balance, a touch of funk (B. linens?) to keep it interesting, excellent bottle
Roederer 2006 Champagne Brut Nature, "Starck" - allow me several paragraphs to introduce the wine: approx 1/3 chard - 2/3 pinot, no malo, no dosage (duh), all the fruit picked on one Fruit day, the blend was made at the press, raised all in wood with no racking... and... a touch closed at first (maybe even reduced?) but a half-hour later it is beautiful, gently fizzy, pear and flowers, a hint of citrus and cocoa powder
Janisson-Baradon 2006 Champagne Brut, Blanc de Blancs, "Toulette" - oxidative when it starts and becomes moreso with air, I avoid it after the first glass but it provokes much conversation about this style and our differing alleles
Prager 1999 Chardonnay Weissenkirchen Smaragd - a rare bottle, and this is unusual and amazing: a honeyed nose, not like chenin but beesy, followed by a palate that is indubitably chardonnay, followed by a long sturdy resinous finish; wow
Nikolaihof 2010 Gruner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Federspiel - also tame for a few minutes then stylish, unctuous, well-chosen ripeness and cut (less sharp than a similar riesling might have been but satisfyingly compatible with the foods); wow again
Bertheau 2013 Chambolle-Musigny - gorgeous, open for business, I think in a Beaune style (more lightweight and a touch greener than I usually find in Chambolle), long and chalky, yum
Pascal Henriot 2017 Coteaux de Champlitte - chalky, acidic, and bright; rather dark for a lightweight pinot but nevertheless drinks almost like a rose, strawberries and dust; I love this sort of wine
Musar 1995 Rouge - run, Oswaldo, run!; death-defying nose of damp cellar and nail polish remover, this is really good, solid without heaviness, floral smellies, too
This was a delightful evening and so kudos to tse wei and all the team at Secchu Yokota.
Chef Yokota, after 30 years in many other parts of the world, has come to New York City to open a tiny space in which to serve exquisite tempura. The eight of us fill the house for the 8:30p seating. We await the omakase menu:
shiitake soup with jalapeno - a demitasse portion, of course, the jalapeno is pungently pyrazinic but not spicy
amberjack sushi - somewhat strong, I would easily have said this was bonita
kurobuta pate and chrysanthemum leaf salad - texture and seasoning perfect, would that my local French places made a pate this good!
tempura: (each two bites, in approximately this order)
..baby zucchini
..tiger shrimp
..lotus root
..mackerel
..japanese yam
..scallop
..king crab
..eggplant
..sea eel
..uni (from Peru)
..whole smelt - as we expect, each piece is fresh and perfect but this is an exercise, from start to finish, in texture... the zucchini is moist but still snaps, the scallop responds to the teeth like a fine bonbon, the king crab is just between shreds and dissolution, the yam is hearty and nearly sweet; only the overly-crunchy lotus root troubles me
nikujaga: beef tongue - well, it's um, er, pot roast made from beef tongue; good, of course
panna cotta, strawberries - I'm spacing a third significant component, perhaps one of the other diners can complete it; a textbook Italian dessert; I'm happy for the light touch although I don't necessarily grok how this is on theme
We ordered one bottle off the list (can you guess which one?) and brought the rest. And Bacchus treated us very well:
Moncuit 2010 Champagne Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru "Vozemieux" - classic, low dosage, beautiful balance, a touch of funk (B. linens?) to keep it interesting, excellent bottle
Roederer 2006 Champagne Brut Nature, "Starck" - allow me several paragraphs to introduce the wine: approx 1/3 chard - 2/3 pinot, no malo, no dosage (duh), all the fruit picked on one Fruit day, the blend was made at the press, raised all in wood with no racking... and... a touch closed at first (maybe even reduced?) but a half-hour later it is beautiful, gently fizzy, pear and flowers, a hint of citrus and cocoa powder
Janisson-Baradon 2006 Champagne Brut, Blanc de Blancs, "Toulette" - oxidative when it starts and becomes moreso with air, I avoid it after the first glass but it provokes much conversation about this style and our differing alleles
Prager 1999 Chardonnay Weissenkirchen Smaragd - a rare bottle, and this is unusual and amazing: a honeyed nose, not like chenin but beesy, followed by a palate that is indubitably chardonnay, followed by a long sturdy resinous finish; wow
Nikolaihof 2010 Gruner Veltliner Im Weingebirge Federspiel - also tame for a few minutes then stylish, unctuous, well-chosen ripeness and cut (less sharp than a similar riesling might have been but satisfyingly compatible with the foods); wow again
Bertheau 2013 Chambolle-Musigny - gorgeous, open for business, I think in a Beaune style (more lightweight and a touch greener than I usually find in Chambolle), long and chalky, yum
Pascal Henriot 2017 Coteaux de Champlitte - chalky, acidic, and bright; rather dark for a lightweight pinot but nevertheless drinks almost like a rose, strawberries and dust; I love this sort of wine
Musar 1995 Rouge - run, Oswaldo, run!; death-defying nose of damp cellar and nail polish remover, this is really good, solid without heaviness, floral smellies, too
This was a delightful evening and so kudos to tse wei and all the team at Secchu Yokota.
