Per Se - New York

Per Se written by Karen with assistance from chickwithguts and Nes

When CWG asked us if we would like to go to Per Se as she had booked us for lunch online – we were thrilled to bits – it seemed a long way ahead so really we didn’t think too much about it until we got to NYC. The day we were booked for was the same day as the NY Marathon and as luck would have it the restaurant overlooked central park where the runners came across the line.

We entered the restaurant through a pleasant but ordinaryish building, the setting and the view from the windows was anything but ordinary. We were greeted with “you must be the party from Australia” and that was really the beginning of a very very delightful experience from beginning to end.

The expansive view over Central Park took over the room, it had immediate impact and the spacious round tables, high backed chairs and simple but beautifully fresh tuberoses on the table said “welcome”.

Our waiter was a diminutive young woman who asked if we would like to look at the menu and she was happy to answer any questions we might have. We were asked if we wanted still or sparkling water (I think this is an excellent sign that we were not going to get an enormous bill for water – well I hoped any way). At this time our waiter whose name is Olivia mentioned that she had noted that Nes didn’t want onions or any similar vegetable from the onion family and she was happy to accommodate any other preferences. We all felt very happy and at ease. The cutlery was the classic silver heavy but plain, the napkins were heavy damask again plain and a very generous size. Everything was crisp and white but not that just dry cleaned bleached sanitized white more the rich deep white of Irish linen.

There were 3 menus – two of the menus were $275 for 9 courses, one vegetarian and the other meat. The other menu was $175 for 5 courses and this was our choice.

The first little surprises to come out of the kitchen were gruyere cheese puffs, tiny little surprises that were light in texture delicious and beautifully presented in silver bowls. These little delights were quickly followed by small cornets which were delicate black sesame seed covered fine waffle cone with tiny creamed cheese and caviar – all engineered perfectly both in respect of the food itself and its presentation. They were hanging from little hooks from a circular silver cone. Everything was elegant, simple and playful even whimsical without the sometimes heavy fussy overtones of formal dining that can happen when silver service is involved. We were all happy to note that the friendly waiters, the easy conversation about the food and the food itself seemed effortless even though we could see clearly the precision in everything that was presented to us.

The first course we all enjoyed was granny smith apples cooked sous vide (CWG explained this as food being cryovac’d and suspended in a water bath like being poached and can be held at the correct temperature bringing out the most exact taste of the food being cooked). Well the tiny balls ball bearing sized balls of granny smith were exceptionally ‘smithy’ tart with a tiny hint of lime. They were sitting in miso butter which had a velvety texture with the tiniest piece of the brightest green water cress looking like a lucky four leaf clover atop! The dish was small and looked like a small Japanese painting but it packed a very decided punch of flavour.

This dish was served simultaneously (like the old fashioned silver service) with the little porcelain lids of the bowls being removed at the same time adding drama to the dish.

The second course for CWG and I was a type of ‘toad in the hole’ which was a circular brioche with a small piece of sausage in the centre. Surrounding this little meal was a prune jus (not my favourite description but that was what it was). The lightness of the brioche was perfect foil for the sausage and how the chef came up with prunes in there I will never know, but it worked a treat. The brioche seemed to soak up the prunes but only enough to bring out the taste of the sausage.

Around this time we looked at the wine list and I decided on a champagne and asked Olivia’s opinion. She suggested one that was made in France especially for the restaurant and I very quickly agreed to having that with the next course ($34 glass and worth every cent). CWG and Nes ordered a sparkling Normandy cider which was served in champagne glass like mine and they both looked extremely pleased to be part of the ritual and looked very happy with their choice.

Also around this time a waiter brought out a large square shallow wicker basket (I noted that it was close weave and was spotless not a crumb to be seen. The basked contained rows of tiny rolls and bread pieces – we each chose different breads, I had sour dough (the starter for this bread was almost 12 months old and the taste was sour and chewy and memorable). CWG had a rye with duck fat and swooned as she ate and Nes chose a soft pretzel again, saying it was delicious. We were offered salted and unsalted pots of butter and we began an experiment where we discovered unsalted butter is excellent and had a subtle cheesey flavour but once we tried the salted butter the unsalted seem to lose its initial delight. It was at this time that we agreed the staff all had exceptional product knowledge which made for excellent conversation without an intimidating use of language which was difficult to understand or unnecessarily formal.

The first main course for all of us was turbot and we all had the same dish. Prior to eating the fish, a waiter came to the table with a very delicious looking chunk of fish showing us the meal we were about to eat prior to its carving. The fish was baked with tiny new onions, celery tops…. We all sat back in our high backed chairs with satisfied smiles happy in the knowledge that we were eating delicious food while marathon runners were moving over the finish line in central park NYC several floors below us.

The second main course for me was lamb off the rack which was a lamb chop cooked like no other lamb chop I have ever had before!

The second main course for CWG and Nes was veal cooked three ways which was 3 cuts of veal with sweet breads – both girls smiled as they saw the dish spread out before them. Each of the cuts they described was very different and they were surprised at how different each cut tasted Nes was particularly surprised that veal could be so different. CWG said the dish evoked a sense of the Sunday roast with the roasted turnip, greens and elephant garlic.

During the course of the meal we each made visits to the bathrooms which were in keeping with the restaurant surroundings. CWG managed to get lost in the toilets trying to exit through the other toilet and battled with the sensor operated tap in the wash basin to be rescued by K before she imploded in the bathroom. She agreed she was having a Mr Bean episode for what seemed like a very long time.

We were very excited about the dessert, even though we were not given a choice we were all pleased to see chocolate 3 ways. When the dish arrived it contained a rich chocolate brownie, mousse and chocolate shavings in the shape of a cigar with a hint of citrus, caramel icecream was to the side of the dish. CWG pointed out that each of the tastings were the separate elements of the chocolate brownie. We were thrilled to bits with the dessert it offered us everything we had hoped for in taste, texture, presentation and a feeling of indulgence.

Before the dessert was served we were asked if we would like coffee or tea. I chose a coffee as did CWG. Nes asked for green tea. When the coffees arrived CWG and I were bright eyed and bushy tailed to see the most delicious looking coffee ever presented before us. It was perfect consistency and ratio milk to coffee. I noticed that the coffee liquid didn’t fall about all over the place it was about 2 inches under the top of the cup and sat there all proud of itself.

We were all happy by this time to lie down and die as we really believed this was as good as it gets only to be asked after the remnants of the dessert dishes were taken away “can you go another one”. Why yes we can!. Within a short time a delicate little shallow bowl was presented to each of us with the most perfect crème brulee complete with tiny pieces of vanilla pod and toffee top we had seen. This delicious morsel was welcomed with open arms, because of the delicate and creamy subtle taste but also because it was such a sweet and generous surprise.

However, we were in for more surprises.

The waiter appeared with a silver tray covered in hand made chocolates, there were approximately six different flavours and we were invited to choose two of each! We were almost at the end of our culinary tether and we chose one each, I enjoyed a raspberry infused chocolate – not a chocolate which had raspberry helper flicked over it – no a truly rich raspberry chocolate confection the taste of which I can still imagine. CWG enjoyed a dark chocolate and pronounced it sublime and Nes chose a praline with dusted cocoa – she said it was perfect thickness of chocolate and the nut was fresh and alive. We were happy diners and both CWG and I ordered another perfect coffee ready to leave happy.

Again, the waiter appeared with a little silver container which when pressed at the side sprang out into little compartments each section containing confections again hand made at Per Se. We were astonished at the engineering feat of the elegant silver contraption as much as the delights that were inside. We asked the waiter what his preference would be if he only had the chance to have 1. He thought the salty caramel would be his choice – CWG and I went in and truly it was remarkable – it was truly salty and sweet and rich. Again, if I try not too hard I can imagine the surprise and pleasure that tiny chocolate gave.

It was a perfect day – only to get better. Olivia asked us if we would like to see the kitchen and I kid you not we looked at each other with such excitement! and got to see the cleanest most efficient happy staffed looking kitchen imaginable. THEN we were given take home bags of cake. It was a perfect day in every way.

Chick with guts would like to apologise.....

For the lack of posting!!! The Chick was wandering the mean streets of New York's lower east side (LES to those in the know) for a month eating and eating and eating some of New York's finest grub and has been in the pit of despair since coming home. Not conducive to long expressive posts about food. But to keep you in the loop I will post up a guest blog that a good mate wrote about our trip to Per Se, Thomas Keller's 3 Michelin starred restaurant in the Time Warner Centre overlooking Central Park!!!!