Of finding value, a most delectable lunch and being inspired
How we skipped the New York Restaurant Week and instead enjoyed, in my opinion, one of the best lunch deals available in New York City as well as being inspired by the meal.
When I received the email informing me that the New York Restaurant Week was on, I was beyond excited. I must have spent more than an hour just pouring over the different restaurants and deals. In the end I settled on 3 restaurants, but due to one reason or another I had to cancel 2 reservations and was left with a reservation for dinner at Nougatine at Jean Georges. I was still pretty excited as Nougatine was the one that I really wanted to try in the first place.
Most people in New York know of Jean Georges, the 3 Michelin starred restaurant which is the brain child of the world famous chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Nougatine is the more casual and upbeat sister of the more prim, wildly expensive and exclusive Jean Georges and many reviews have mentioned that it is actually an often overlooked gem in New York's dining scene. No matter what your preference is, there is no denying the value of dining in Nougatine; as in Nougatine you can sample some of the dishes invented by Vongerichten without breaking the bank.
Excited about the reservation I started looking at the different menus and after a couple of clicks I found that the selection for the Restaurant Week Prix-Fixe Menu was actually not that exciting. For 42 USD you can get 3 courses from a limited menu. The problem was, the Restaurant Week menu was unduly limited, and reading the description of the dishes, nothing really popped out to me as something I would love to try. Further research revealed that Nougatine does a Prix-Fixe lunch menu every Monday - Saturday, which offers a much wider selection of dishes at the price of 38 USD. Not much of a choice really. Looked up their website, found a lunch slot on a Saturday, and with that I cancelled my reservation for the dinner and skipped the New York Restaurant Week completely.
When the day came, after skipping the metal barriers and various security guards standing outside, Benoit and I stepped into gold and marbled lobby of the Trump International Hotel and Tower where the restaurant is located. I had mixed feelings about the location, but I thought I could endure being in the property of one of the most detestable man on earth for some good food.
The reception was very sleek, with a concierge immediately attending to us, checking in our coats and showing us to our table. The restaurant was very tastefully decorated, quite minimalist but bright and modern, with an open kitchen at the back where you can see the team preparing the meal you're about to enjoy.
We got the menu and the waiter asked if we'd like to have something to drink. Just out of curiosity we asked to see the wine list and what came was a thick leather-bound binder of a wine list. The selection was so extensive it's difficult to even describe it. They have bottles which ranged from expensive to 1500-USD-per-bottle expensive. We were really surprised that they actually had the cheapest bottle at the very reasonable price of 36 USD.
I find that it always takes a certain level of confidence and a dose of 'not giving a fuck' attitude when ordering the cheapest bottle of wine in a fancy restaurant (with a wine list containing probably more than 500 wines). So, with no single fuck given, we decided to order that cheapest bottle of wine, which was a bottle of 2015 Ken Forester, Old Vine Reserve, South African, Chenin Blanc. When the bottle came, we tried it and it was delicious. Perfectly reasonable for 36 USD, in a restaurant like Nougatine.
We ordered our dishes and got settled with the bottle of wine and the bread and butter that is customary for any self-respecting French restaurant. When the first course came it was such a delight to our eyes. I ordered the Tuna Tartare served with radish, avocado and ginger and miso broth. The dish was one show-stopper of a starter. It was absolutely delicious. The melding of the textures and flavours was perfect. It was clear and beautiful French cooking with a strong Asian influence, something which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Benoit opted for the Calamari for starters. We found the Calamari itself was alright, but it was the foam-like cream that came with the Calamari that was the winner of the dish in our opinion. The foam was perfectly seasoned, with just the right amount of tartness, spiciness from Thai chilies and also a hint of smokiness which we guessed came from a hint of paprika.
Satisfied with our staters (leaving the plate practically polished), the waiter promptly cleared our table and our mains were brought in. I chose the Black Bass with Habanero sauce and roasted brussels sprouts. Needless to say, the fish was perfectly cooked, with the skin crisp and salty and the meat still tender and moist. The Habanero sauce with the hint of lime was so good. Just the right amount of spice and tartness, and it went so well with both the fish and the slight bitterness from the brussels sprouts. It had to be one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
Benoit opted for a fish main as well. He got the pepper encrusted Salmon, served with Kohlrabi and a red wine and beetroot emulsion. You wouldn't naturally think that Salmon and red wine would work, but we were really surprised at how well the dish came together. The pepper crust gave a crunch and zing that helped to bring out the natural flavours of the Salmon which married well with the richness of the red wine emulsion, highlighted by the tartness of the beetroot, brightening up the palate.
Clearing our plates, the waiter asked us how we liked the dishes so far and we told him our honest opinion, which was to gush about everything that we had. He laughed and he told us that we made very good choices, as the two fish dish we had is his own personal favorite as well amongst all the dishes in the menu.
After a few minutes of sipping wine, the desserts were rolled in. We opted for the same dessert which was the Jean Georges Warm Chocolate Cake with Madagascar Vanilla ice cream. It was a classic dessert and which was done very well and was just heavenly. I think I'd let the picture do the talking and describing instead.
Stuffed from the meal and finishing our last glass of wine, I messaged a friend of mine who is coming in a week's time to New York to visit and told her that this is one lunch that we must do. So even before we had the check for our first meal at Nougatine, I already had another reservation at the restaurant for 2 weeks later.
For me personally, the meal was more than just a great meal. It was also an inspiration. I loved how each dish is distinctly French in technique and yet flavour wise it is something utterly unique and novel. The French cooking technique is one of the most refined and revered in the world, and for good reason. The basic techniques is really all about doing justice to the ingredients and how do you bring the best out of every thing that you are going to serve on the plate. The basic French cooking techniques are amongst the most versatile in the word and is susceptible to innovation and fusion with techniques and flavours from other regions. I have always had the intention to seriously try and master the basic techniques of French cooking, with the goal of being able to impart the flavours that I know and love from Indonesia, and bring it to a different level using those techniques.
Well that's the dream anyway, but at that moment, I was as happy as I could be, having had not just a great meal for the body, but also for the mind.
A twenty-something trainee solicitor currently based in New York City. I created this blog with the intention to both record and share my thoughts and experiences relating to the things I love most in life, which is arts and culture, food and traveling. I was born and raised in Indonesia, but have lived abroad since I was 15, first in Singapore, then Nottingham, London and now New York City.