Securing a reservation at Eleven Madison Park isn’t impossible
– you just need to be punctual and quick with technology. A month prior (April 1 for the month of May),
online reservations are loaded promptly
at 9:00am. A quick refresh and a whole new month became available in the
calendar!
‘Reserve’, I chose (the split second it opened) and the 7:00pm
reservation is gone. Another click and 6:45 greys out as well. I frantically
click away … finally, I land a 6:15 table on my chosen Saturday. The minute
affair got my heart pounding, but at least was over quickly – unlike the
boredom inducing, time wasting effort of securing a table at the French Laundry
- who even uses telephones anymore?
As it turns out, May was a good time to visit as the
restaurant offered an 11-course menu ($295 inclusive of gratuities but before
taxes) of their most influential dishes from the past 11 years. This is before
the restaurant temporarily closes on June 9th for renovations before
reopening in the fall.
After settling into our table and freshening up with a hot
towel, a bowl of warm gruyere gougeres, first
served in 2006, was brought over as a welcoming. Bite-sized puffs emitting a
light cheese aroma, the first bites were delicious.
To avoid sounding like a broken record, in general, I found
all the dishes too salty. Almost every dish was topped with a sprinkle of sea
salt, which would had been fine if the food and sauces weren’t already well
seasoned. In reality, that extra flourish of salt wasn’t required – I started
scraping off the seasoning from each dish before digging in – and even
detracted from many of the seafood dishes.
For example, the sea urchin cappuccino’s warm creamy broth
was so salty that I couldn’t taste the sweetness of the crab at the bottom …
the crustacean merely became an element that adds to the texture of the soup,
but not the flavour. This was a similar experience for the following clams.
Eleven Madison’s first communal dish, served in 2011, was
presented with great fanfare: water is added to the dry ice and seaweed so
smoke billows out releasing a seashore scent to augment the experience. In their
version of a clam bake, we’re treated to a velvety velouté and a series of little
neck clams: a saltier one topped with bacon, simply adorned with daikon, and
the most neutral one incorporating a roasted garlic panade (my favourite of the clams).
The Parker House roll, a buttery milk bread, was a tad dry
on its own, but perfect for dipping into the creamy velouté.
Despite looking rather simple, the prawn roulade’s flavour is rich and complex.
The avocado, of course, gives it that creamy texture. Then, within the roulade is a mixture of chopped sweet
prawns in a luscious yoghurt reminiscent of devil’s egg yolk. A delicious dish.
Indeed, the foie gras
torchon is gorgeous and I’m sure when it was first introduced in 2004, guests
considered it an innovated dish as maple syrup oozes out when it’s cut – it still
is, I haven’t had stuffed foie gras before.
Everything also works so well together – a bit of the warm apple cinnamon bun,
a generous piece of melt-in-your-mouth foie
gras, then a dip into the sweet maple syrup. It’s like having buttered
bread with olive oil to the next level.
Although the dish was heavenly, it’s also very heavy. At first, it’s nice that the
foie gras essence lightly lingers in
the mouth. But, after having the entire torchon
that lingering reminds you of how full you’re feeling. It seemed like a shame
to waste any of the delicious torchon,
but at the same time, its richness detracts from the dishes that follow. So,
finish at your own peril.
Thankfully, the following carrot tartare was a well-timed
dish. A grater is fastened to the table and a small bunch of Hudson Bay area carrots
are grated tableside and served fresh. A wooden tray filled with ingredients (a
pickled quail egg yolk, pea mustard, sunflower seeds, dried fish, horseradish,
snap peas, chives, mustard seed, salt, mustard oil, and mustard vinaigrette) accompanies
so you can customize to your own tastes.
I added a bit of everything, except for sunflower seeds and
salt. Surprisingly, when the various stronger mustard and horseradish flavours
combine with the sweet juicy carrots, everything mellows out and works. An
almost refreshing palette cleanser after the heavier foie gras.
If you’ve ever watch the movie Burnt, pay attention
to the fish they serve to a London food reviewer, you’ll notice the dish looks identical
to Eleven Madison’s poached turbot. Topping the perfectly cooked fish are thin
slices of baby zucchini made to replicate the scales. Although the turbot is
neutral, it can still hold up against the saffron sauce. On the side, an
amazing zucchini blossom filled with a ratatouille
with soft and crunchy bits that makes the dish sing.
The white blobs may not look like much, but the dish is
supposed to imitate a winter in Provence. This was first developed in 2009 as
an extra dish the restaurant could send to friends or VIPs. Comprised of a
silky potato purée, tangy goat cheese foam, and a sweet beany truffle paste, as
you dig into the dish there’s a variety of flavours. Yet, it’s the puddle of
olive oil and the diced black truffle and celery bits inside the makes the
dish. If only there was more of that, as all the smoothness needs something of
substance for interest.
Hands down, the suckling pig confit served at Eleven Madison
is the best I’ve ever tasted. As expected, the skin is so thin and crispy it
shatters to the touch and the meat is tender and has a strong pork flavour
having been slowly poached in lard. Overall, there’s a soft chewiness to the
dish that makes you want to hold it in your mouth and savour it repeatedly.
The rhubarb compote, accompanying the suckling pig, had the
perfect balance of sweetness and lightness against the rich meat and the
braised leek and sweet cipollini onion were nice as well.
Transitioning from savoury to sweet, dessert starts with a
milk and honey dish that has both elements. While the dehydrated milk foam
sorbet is cool and sweet, the bit of gooey honey filled bee pollen in the
centre has a salty element with a grassiness that makes it bitter (a taste I
could have done without). All the while, there are sprinkles of other
ingredients that provide a coconut and nutty finish to the dessert.
My husband’s description of the chocolate palette is rather fitting – like an
amazing Wunderbar. There’s the shiny chocolate ganache coating and crispy bits
of peanut butter candy inside. In addition, a delicious ice cream that tastes
like buttery caramel popcorn. The dessert is rich and delicious, take small
bites.
To end, our waiter presents a selection of petite fours and
welcomes us to take as many as we want. Already stuffed, I decide to stick with
three last bites: a fluffy alcohol-laced cream puff, a soft and chewy pistachio
tart, and an olive oil gummy complete with sour sugar (the most interesting and
tastiest of the three).
Before leaving, we’re presented with two shots (and a
bottle) of St. George apple brandy, which is made especially for Eleven Madison
Park.
All the sudden, a table we observed at the beginning of our
meal started making sense. When first seated, we looked directly onto a table
of four that were finished eating but still having drinks. One couple left and
the two remaining guests were inebriated – we’re talking slurred conversations,
staring into space, and wobbly walking. At one point, we were wondering if they’d
keep their meal down … what a waste!
I had commented to my husband that it’s strange a table
would order a bottle of apple brandy. It’s normal to get a bottle of wine to
share, but apple brandy? That’s a first. As it turns out, every table gets a bottle,
it’s just that they normally they don’t finish it.
Upon asking our waiter about the situation, he agreed that a
finished bottle was the first for them. But, they want guests to enjoy the
experience (within reason) and if a table wants a second, third, fourth, or
fifth glass, they’re welcomed to help themselves.
Indeed, this comment sums up the hospitable environment at Eleven
Madison Park. Despite earning
three Michelin stars and topping the World’s Best
Restaurants list in 2017, it’s not pretentious and stuffy. They don’t have a
dress code (most men wore jeans and a blazer, while women donned pants or a
simple dress), questions are answered frankly, and the bright and airy dining
room makes the meal feel casual.
Days before the meal, an email arrives re-confirming whether
there’s food allergies, special events or anything they could do to make the
dinner a pleasant one. I requested a table that had more lighting (to help with
pictures) and sure enough, we were seated in one of the sunniest corners of the
dining room. If anything, after all that, I was a surprised there wasn’t a follow-up
email after the meal.
In traditional fashion, guests don’t leave empty handed. We
each received a canister of house-made granola, which made satisfying
breakfasts following the dinner.
Looking back at the meal, I wouldn’t say it was the tastiest
one I’ve ever experienced; nonetheless, the food is good. What makes the dinner
memorable is the combination of food, service, and overall environment. After
all, where else are you presented with a bottle of apple brandy and they don’t
bat an eye when it’s finished?
Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10
How To Find Them
Location: New York, USA
Address: 11 Madison Avenue
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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!
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