Since I just tossed out a question, let me offer up a quick review. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to dine at Corton, opting for the tasting menu…
GREAT dinner. Too many great dishes and bites to name, but to throw out a few…
Seemed like four or five pre-menu amuses bouche. The truffle gelee over sunchoke creme (if I got that right); a pickled quail egg were all solid.
To the proper dishes…
The gnuddi with carmelized squid broth was awesome.
I loved the sunchoke plate - with something resembling a sunchoke hush puppy, olive puree, crosnes.
The potato puree with the grilled potato ice cream - it had these great throwback flavors of baked potato with sour cream & chives in a completely different form (reminded me of the great turbot dish with the feeling of pork skins and fried fish, from Town House).
Everything about the lamb plate with loin, cheek, and pickled lamb tongue consommé - this was a dish that really threw me back to the hare courses at el Bulli in May!
By the time I hit the desserts I was pretty well wasted, though I did take note of the Oolong Tea Financier.
I have not been to every great restaurant in the city - but I’ve been to EMP, J-G, WD-50, LB - certainly a lot of great spots. And while I loved a lot of meals at a lot of these places, I am hard-pressed to say I was more pleased with a meal - this was spectacular stuff. Better than Town House last month.
The only off thing about the experience (and service was good too)… weather was awful that night, but I was there for about 2 1/2 hours and I was the single diner, until two couples came in just as I was leaving. I was early and weather was dreary, but how could I be the only person there for 2 1/2 hours? I counted 21 people working there - front and back. Crazy.
I’ll paste the (rather imprecise) tasting menu below…
Madai - Huckleberry, Yuzu, Oscetra Caviar
Squid - ‘Gnudi,’ Puffed Grains, Sea Cress
Sunchoke - Peanut, Black Olive, Crosnes
Potato - Lemon, Seaweed
Turbot - Nantucket Bay Scallops, Wild Maine Mussels, Black Garlic
Elysian Fields Farm Lamb - Flavors of Crabapple | Smoked Anchovy | Liquorice
Papillon Roquefort - Quince in Textures
Fennel - Blueberry Tapioca, Fromage Blanc
Vanilla | Lemon Verbena Fudge - Sablé Noir, Matcha Green Tea
I’m going by memory and scanning the wine list, here…
2008 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht ‘Gueberschwihr’ Riesling
White Burg - something from 1995 - oddly spicey, but pleasant - but not a clue, otherwise.
2005 Domaine du Coulet ‘Brise Cailloux’ Cornas
2007 Domaines Schlumberger Gewurztraminer ‘Cuvée Christine’ Vendanges Tardives