York Street
Dallas

I don’t often arrive at a restaurant by SLAMMING on the brakes.

Unless you’re paying close attention, you could easily drive right past York Street, a tiny, unassuming 40-seat restaurant in East Dallas. That’s what my friend and I almost did. Wedged in between an empty lot at the end of a stretch of residential lots and a car repair shop and across the street from a gas station, it’s not exactly a logically situated restaurant.

York Street kicked off a recent string of successful and fun meals in Dallas, a city that I was long overdue to revisit.

With items like sweetbreads, poached sole, and skate wing on the menu and specials like sole roe, it was clear that Sharon Hage is a market-driven chef’s chef. I’m not a chef, but I eat like one and my meal at York Street practically assembled itself.

Olives and Spiced Walnuts
York Street, Dallas

York Street feels like a neighborhood restaurant despite the fact that it’s somewhat of a local destination for serious foodies. On the Thursday night that I was there, the tiny restaurant was fairly full for the two hours my friend and I occupied a corner table.

Seating is cozy and quarters are tight–so tight, in fact, at one point, our server awkwardly stood for a good two or three minutes on the other side of two back-to-back diners with our food, unable to reach us. Á la Strictly Ballroom, “he was what we call “blocked” or “boxed-in.” Thankfully, he didn’t resort to the “inexcusable” behavior that Scott did in the movie.

Tenuta Monmoraia
Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2004
York Street, Dallas

And I suppose that’s a good illustration of how this restaurant’s aesthetic. It’s extremely casual and homey. Things aren’t perfect. But it doesn’t have to be. York Street gets by with being quaint and charming. They greet you with warm towels, a shot of sherry, and small dishes of marinated olives and spiced walnuts.

Our server was helpful, but at times a little distracted and overwrought (by what, I don’t know). He was helpful in suggesting a half bottle of wine based on the progression of dishes we had ordered. The Vernaccia di San Gimignano was clean and balanced, with a volatile development on the palate ending on a decidedly fruity tart note. Given the wide range of foods and flavors we ordered, it was surprisingly versatile.

“Lobster-y Bisque”
York Street, Dallas

Hage’s flavors tended to be assertive and bold, which I liked. The “Lobster-y Bisque” is a good example ($12). As my friend aptly noted, was more lobster bisque-y than a lobster-y bisque. The soup was a dairy-less (or, if there was any dairy, there was very little), rich and intensely flavorful shellfish stock garnished with chives and Cheez-It-like crackers (They didn’t taste like white Cheddar Cheez-Its, which is what they looked like. My friend agreed, that they looked a little too-perfect to be home-made, although I wouldn’t be surprised if there were made in house.).

My only knock against the bisque was that the shreds of lobster meat inside the piping hot soup had slightly rubberized. The presentation was also a bit sloppy–it appeared as if the soup had been sloshed around and then heated so that the soup had baked into the side of the bowl.

Sole Roe
York Street, Dallas

I noticed an appreciable amount of acid, whether it be citrus, herbs, or vinegar, laced throughout the dishes we ordered. In some cases, the use enhanced the dish, like the sole roe which was sauced with a tart lemon-caper brown butter that helped cut through the rich, creamy interior of the perfectly pan-fried roe sacks. The roe was very fresh and clean-tasting and I was particularly delighted to have caught this highly seasonal prize.

Poached Casco Bay Sole
York Street, Dallas

In other instances, the acid tended to kill, like the lime-marinated shrimp that accompanied my half-order of pink peppercorn-poached Casco Bay sole (normally $30).

They had 86′ed the sole main course, but when I inquired as to whether the chef could accommodate a half-portion of the sweetbreads main course and a half-portion of another dish, our server informed us that they had just enough sole left to make that combination work.

Although the two curled pieces of sole were wonderfully poached, scented lightly with the floral spice of pink peppercorns, the shrimp had been over-marinated and had become tight sour rubber coils. The underlying white corn stew was not sweet enough to counterbalance the overly-sour shrimp. Sweet yellow corn might have worked better.

Skate “Oscar”
York Street, Dallas

My friend’s Skate “Oscar” was shockingly generous ($29). Her bowl contained two entire skate wings (stacked one on the other) topped with a tangle of spliced logs of white asparagus and peekytoe crab. This could easily have fed two people. Instead of a thick Bearnaise sauce, Hage presented this play on Oscar with a buttery and (black) peppery broth, which complimented the white fish and crab wonderfully. I think there were sauteed leeks in the mix as well as parsley which lent some fragrance. The two or three bites I got were perfect. The asparagus, skate, and crab were soft and moist.

“Ripe Tomatoes”
York Street, Dallas

Being the apex of summer, I couldn’t resist the “Ripe Tomatoes” ($10), which featured three different presentations of tomatoes: large wedges of fresh tomatoes and grilled cherry tomatoes halves dressed with a roasted tomato vinaigrette. A riff on Insalata Caprese, the tomatoes were crowned with a buttery white nugget of Robiola cheese, which I found just a bit too soft to stand up to the watery tomato. In addition to purple basil, the salad was spiced with clusters of fresh, tart purslane.

On top of all the delicious decisions we made, the best move of the evening was ordering the bacon coleslaw side dish ($5). This crunchy confetti combination of chopped vegetables reminded me of a rough tabbouleh salad, except there was no cracked wheat, a de-emphasis on the parsley, and the addition of celery, carrot and jicama.

Bacon Coleslaw
York Street, Dallas

Okay, so it wasn’t like a tabbouleh at all, but it was good. The slaw dressing was rewardingly tart — vinegary and bright– with a pointed kick of heat. The sour and the heat was an inspiring combination. And, the best part–the bacon bits managed to say relatively crispy, despite all the wetness. This was great coleslaw–the kind you want with your sweetbreads.

Hage gets her sweetbreads from the vaunted Four Story Hill Farm in Tyler, Pennsylvania. My half-order (normally $27) was the perfect amount, given all that I had already consumed. The two lovely nuggets had been lightly dredged in flour and pan-fried so that the outside was golden and crispy and the inside was creamy hot.

Four Story Hill Veal Sweetbreads
York Street, Dallas

I loved the cured ham flavor imparted by the prosciutto wrapped around the sweetbreads, but I found the texture of the ham, especially having to cut the leathery ham, to be somewhat distracting. The underlying bed of chanterelle mushrooms were melted and a bit too soft; I like a little texture to my mushrooms. However, the pearls of “big cous cous” had a nice bounce and resistance and the overall flavor of this dish was extremely enjoyable.

Texas Blueberry Pie
York Street, Dallas

Citrus overwhelmed an otherwise brilliant Blueberry Pie. I thought it tasted like orange juice. My friend was sure it was lemon. Here is where our server was less than helpful. When asked, he clumsily dodged our inquiry. I hate that.

Eight dollars is not a small sum to pay for a slice of pie. But this slice was worth every penny. The thin, buttery crust was stuffed full of tiny, sweet Texas blueberries. There was just enough heft and cohesion to the filling to make it easily forkable. It took every ounce of control for us not to leave the table with purple faces.

Peach Buckle
York Street, Dallas

Peaches are the one thing that, during the brief window of their ripe appearance, I cannot pass up. So while my dinner date inhaled the pie, I busied myself with clearing a beautiful “Peach Buckle” ($8). Served in a shallow baking dish, the piping hot slices of rendered peaches were sealed beneath a crumbly layer of short dough. The whole thing, inside and out, was spiced with cinnamon sugar. The buckle was topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

As far as summer desserts go, I can’t think of two more-pleasing and perfect ones than blueberry pie and peach cobbler. And, we were lucky enough to have gotten variations of both.

York Street, as I mentioned up-post, isn’t perfect. Service and style can be a bit rough around the fringes and I’ve seen more comfortable and heard less noisy dining rooms in my time. But, there is a confident vibe to this somewhat quarky operation that makes a serious food lover take notice. Hage’s non-intuitive twists in flavor and food combinations indicate a strong independent streak and suggests familial approach ot cooking; it’s like home-cooking meets haute-ish cuisine in a neighborhood restaurant. York Street is the type of place where being too polished isn’t necessarily a desired trait. For the true foodie, this restaurant is a treasured find and haunt.

York Street
6047 Lewis Street
Dallas, Texas 75206
214.826.0968

Salmon Cornets
per se, New York

I bet you know what this picture heralds.

Was it was transcendent?

No.

Was it life-altering?

No.

But, everything was technically flawless, which is more than I can say for my previous meals at both per se, which I visited in 2006 and The French Laundry, which I visited three months later in the same year.

I was recently invited back to per se as a guest of the house by Chef Thomas Keller and Co.

per se, New York

This special invitation was extended to redress prior mistakes.*

Given the special nature of this arrangement, I debated whether or not to blog about it. I concluded that it was only fair for me to set the record straight by publicly acknowledging Keller’s apology and his offer to correct the mistakes that (unbenownst to him) I have mentioned on the public fora. To borrow a coined (and highly charged) phrase, I take a “fair and balanced” approach to food/restaurant blogging. I tell the good and the bad.

I must emphasize that, to my knowledge, neither Thomas Keller nor his staff knew that I was a food blogger when I made the reservation. I did not premise my meal on my blogging and I did not solicit any favors or special treatment as a blogger. As far as I was concerned, this meal was to redress the service issues that I, as an anonymous eater, had experienced before. I must also disclose that one of my guests was known to the house, so many of the “extras” that we received were probably done as a favor for that guest, for whom I do not presume to speak for in this post.

Bonito Flakes for
Japanese Fluke
per se, New York

I had also debated whether or not I should accept Keller’s offer to begin with. Yes, I had invested a significant amount of time and money to get to and eat at his restaurants. No, there was no excuse for the mishaps at my dinner at The French Laundry. But, Mr. Keller’s offer seemed too generous.

Veuve Cliquot Brüt Vintage 1999
per se, New York

Along similar lines to my decision about blogging about this meal, I justified accepting the invitation by deciding that it was only fair to give Chef Keller another chance to demonstrate to me that his restaurants are worth every bit of praise and press they receive - or, at the very least, that they can operate without error. I can only assume that Chef Keller would not have extended the offer if he had not sincerely wanted to.

I’ve always heard that the best way to enjoy per se is to have an extended tasting menu. I asked the restaurant if they could accommodate such a request if my guests and I (I took two guests, one agreed to pay for himself) paid the difference. (We would also pay for any wine or beverages that we ordered.) They said that the chef would be more than happy to cook for us. I also requested that we all have the same courses.

per se, New York

Now, when I requested an “extended menu,” I had envisioned something around the 12- to 15-course range. I certainly had not anticipated that Chef Jonathan Benno, who was in that evening, would send out 21 courses, with snacks and nibbles aft and rear. I’m sure some of that was due to the guest that was known to the house.

My guests and I enjoyed cocktails in the lounge. Upon being seated in the main dining room, our captain (a Keller vet - that is, he has been with Keller for many years and is very good at what he does - who was devoted almost exclusively to our table for the evening) presented a bottle of the widow Clicquot’s 1999 vintage Brüt on behalf of the house.

Bread Service
per se, New York

We briefly discussed wine pairings. Anticipating that wine would be the biggest expense, my friends decided to leave it to the sommelier to pair five to seven wines as appropriate given the length of the meal. I requested two, maybe three, glasses to be paired throughout the meal. They seemed to ignore my request and poured the same five wines for me as for my guests. Since it was only two more pours than I had contemplated, I didn’t object.

Here is our menu. You can click on each course for the photo, or see the entire set here.

Amuse Bouche
Warm Gougeres
Salmon Croquettes

Veuve Cliquot Brüt 1999

First Course
“Velouté” of Sweet Peppers

Second Course
Yuzu Sorbet

Third Course
“Oysters and Pearls“

Fourth Course
Japanese Fluke

Salomon Undhof Von Stein Grüner Veltliner 2006

Fifth Course
Monterey Bay Abalone

Sixth Course
White Truffle Oil-Infused Custard

Seventh Course
“Smoke“

Betts & Scholl Hermitage Blanc 2004

Eighth Course
Salad of Hawaiian Hearts of Palm

Ninth Course
Salt Flight
“Torchon” of Élevages Périgord Moulard Duck Foie Gras

Pfalz Gewürztraminer Auslese

Tenth Course
Pavé of Kindai Bluefin Tuna

Eleventh Course
“Peas and Carrots“

Twelfth Course
Spinach Rigatini

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir 2006

Thirteenth Course
All Day Braised Hobbs Shore’s Pork Belly

Fourteenth Course
Degustation of Eden Hollow Farm’s Spring Lamb

Fifteenth Course
Di Bruno Brothers’ Burrata

Sixteenth Course
Blueberry Sorbet

Seventeenth Course
Apricot Sorbet

Eighteenth Course
Glacé à la Fraise

Nineteenth Course
“Coffee and Donuts“

Twentieth Course
Ocumare Croquant

Château Raymond-Lefon

Twenty-First Course
Créme Brulée

Mignardises
Chocolate Bon Bons
Staircase of Truffles, Nougats and Caramels
Chocolate-Covered Hazelnuts and Hard Candies

I can’t speak for my friends (unless otherwise noted), but I thought that nearly every course was technically flawless.

“Velouté” of Sweet Peppers
per se, New York

One friend really enjoyed the opening course, a chilled red pepper velouté that was especially appropriate for the hot Spring day that it was. Personally, I’m not big on red bell peppers, which is the only thing that prevented me from truly loving this soup. It had the texture of liquid velvet.

The quenelle of “picked peppers” (the consistency of tomato paste), with a piquant flavor that I especially enjoyed, was a little too thick and dense for me, it didn’t dissipate into the soup well. Otherwise, it was entirely lovely.

“Smoke”
per se, New York

The most memorable course for me was the “Smoke.” It was a glass orb filled with apple wood smoke. Removing the domed lid released the haze revealing two small pieces of Kobe beef tataki with a swatch of “satay sauce” that tasted like the finest barbecue sauce ever; slightly sweet, mostly vinegar-tangy, with a hit of smoky heat: ketchup manis meets North Carolina barbecue sauce. The two thin slices of Kobe had been gently seared around the edges, but left silky and rare and quite cool in the center.

I briefly described this course to a friend the next morning and he asked me how/why this course impressed me more than the “aromatherapy” courses at alinea, which he knew I had not been impressed with. Wasn’t this just as “gimmicky?” In a way, yes. But, here, the smoke actually perfumed (although it did not penetrate) the food, and it enhanced the flavor and matched the aesthetic of the beef and barbecue theme. Neither of my two experiences at alinea - duck with “mace air” and ham with “lavender air” were as successful (not to mention that eating on a slowly deflating pillow is extremely annoying).

All-Day Braised Hobbs Shore’s Pork Belly,
per se, New York

The pork belly was one of the finer specimens I’ve encountered in my life. The top skin was crispy, the underlying strata of fat, meat, and gelatin were soft and supple. The wine-poached plums and turnips were off-sweet, a good pairing with the pork.

Degustation of Eden Hollow Farm’s Spring Lamb
per se, New York

I’m not a chef, but from a cook’s perspective, the “Lamb Degustation” was probably the most awe-inspiring (or terrifying - depending on which side of the house you are in) course. This featured a mini-tasting of seven preparations of lamb on one plate - lamb confit topped with crackling; lamb rillete in caul fat and demi glace; duo of lamb mousse rolled in Swiss chard; stewed lamb shank; lamb loin, lamb kidney, and lamb merguez. This showcased Benno’s versatility and talent. Although all of the cuts were wonderful, the rillette, merguez and kidney were particularly outstanding.

Di Bruno Brothers’ “Burrata”
per se, New York

The Di Brunno Brothers “Burrata” was probably my favorite course. Our captain presented a ball of freshly made mozzerella (shipped by the Di Brunno Brothers in Philadelphia to per se once a week). Cutting off the top knot, he carved the ball open, revealing a creamy textured filling of burrata cheese. Seasoning it with sea salt, pepper, and drizzles that famous Armando Manni olive oil over it, the server closed the ball back up and pounded it around to get the seasonings distributed. Wedges of the mozzerella with burrata were cut from the ball and set atop each of our plates which contain a crusty garlic-rubbed toast (i.e. bruschetta) topped with thinly sliced heirloom tomatoes (imported from The French Laundry garden in California), yellow onions, and baby arugula leaves. This was truly a great dish.

Monterey Bay Abalone
per se, New York

I feel obligated to mention our abalone course. Thinly sliced, the abalone was fanned out over a wedge of avocado which sat on a slab of perfectly-cooked abalone mushroom (a.k.a. king oyster mushroom).

This is not the first time I’ve encountered the pairing of abalone with abalone mushroom - the textural play is almost too uncanny and witty to avoid. But, the addition of the avocado, which was completely unexpected, was brilliant. It added a slightly sweet butteriness that I had never imagined would go so well with abalone and mushroom.

Osetra Caviar for “Oysters and Pearls”
per se, New York

The “classic” Keller dishes were my least favorite, and not because I’ve had them at previous meals. I didn’t particularly like them before.

The “Oysters and Pearls” were just as cloyingly rich as I remembered, this time with the addition of over-seasoning. Although it didn’t benefit the taste of this dish, the table-side presentation of caviar performed this time did make the experience more memorable.

Our captain presented a whole dish of caviar to us after which he proceeded to quenelle (I’m going to use this as a verb even if it isn’t one) the caviar with two mother of pearl spoonettes into individual football-shaped rounds and plated the caviar atop each of our dishes of warm tapioca-studded sabayon.

White Truffle Oil-Infused Custard
per se, New York

The famous “White Truffle-Infused Custard” served in an emptied egg shell was just as it was the first time: the custard was fine and rich, perfumed with white truffle oil and topped with a layer of black truffle puree, and, as before, the “window pane” chive chip was as hard and chewy except the portion that was submerged in the custard, which was wet and leathery. Somethings are more beautiful to look at than to eat; this is one of them.

I had never had Keller’s famous “Coffee and Donuts” so I requested it ahead of time.

It was good, but it wasn’t great. While I get the riff on the classic breakfast on the go - the flavors are all here - what’s the use of having coffee with your donut if you can’t dunk? This is really a silly nit to pick, but one would think that the highlight of “Coffee and Donuts” is the dunking.

“Coffee and Donuts”
per se, New York

Having never opted for the foie gras supplement, I had never experienced the signature “salt flight” until this dinner. (My friend’s foie gras supplement at The French Laundry was accompanied by three salts.)

Salt Flight
per se, New York

This time, the full flight of seven salts arrived with our foie gras course. It was left on our table through the subsequent six savory courses. I thought it was more novel than substantive.

By now, I’ve encountered many of these salts before. And all of our food was seasoned - even the foie gras, although I did enjoy the crunch of the salt with it. Rather, what I really enjoyed was pairing the salt with the butter and bread, which arrived just before the eighth course.

If it’s one thing that I’ve enjoyed at all three of my Keller meals, it’s been the bread service. Not only is the selection staggering, but the quality is incomprehensibly good. Mind you, I had already pigged out at at Cafe Boulud for lunch, and given the multiple courses we were endeavoring at per se, I was trying to limit my intake. But, I could not resist the rye bun made with duck fat and Riesling. The outer skin of the bun had an indescribably crisp and flaky quality - a cross between a traditional elastic skin and fry-dough. The flavor was just as elusively magical.

“Torchon” of Élevages Périgord
Moulard Duck Foie Gras”
per se, New York

If you have read The French Laundry Cookbook, you know that Thomas Keller poaches his torchon of foie gras.

Personally, I prefer my foie gras au torchon more raw and soft. I find that it has a sweeter flavor and a silky texture that’s more easily spreadable. Keller’s poached version is firmer, more like a traditional pâté that is more clay-like in consistency (per se is currently serving Élevages Périgord Moulard duck foie gras - the same Québécoise foie gras that I had at Eleven Madison Park). The warmth from the slab of thick toasted brioche that is served with the foie gras melts the liver somewhat, helping it spread a little better. The importance of the warm toast was reinforced when the servers brought out freshly toasted warm brioche before we could even get through half of our first slice; sheer indulgence of course.

“Peas & Carrots”
per se, New York

The rest of the courses were perfectly executed, but rather forgettable at this point, like the Salad of Hawaiian Hearts of Palm, which I had before at per se. But, I’m perfectly willing to accept the fact that, out of a dinner of 21 courses, there are going to be some that are more agreeable and exciting than others. I mean, you could have a hundred diners at per se have the same 10 courses and end up with 100 different combinations of favorites and least favorites.

There was a pasta course (spinach rigatini that, at first glance, looked like green beans) that stands out only because it pitted bright-tart preserved lemons against milky strands of melting mozzarella cheese, all operating above an underlying heat from chile flakes. It’s a shame that this course was aggressively salty, just a tad beyond what I would have preferred.

Spinach Rigatini
per se, New York

There was also an impeccably grilled porcini mushroom that starred on plate of “peas and carrots” in various forms with a large caramelized sea scallop. And the dashi gelée that pooled below a rolled slice of Japanese fluke sashimi was excitingly rich and complex, heightened perhaps only slightly by the flakes of bonito that were shaved and sprinkled over the dish table-side.

If there was one less-than-perfect course, it’d be the Pavé of Kindai Bluefin Tuna (read more about this, the first organically and sustainably raised bluefin tuna in the world). Although the cut of loin meat was nicely seared and left raw in the middle, the meat tended to be stringy and a bit tough. The flavor of the meat, however was spectacular - the same slightly ferric ocean heartiness that I noticed when I had this specialty tuna at Le Bernardin not too long ago. And coconut shavings on which a quenelle of yuzu sorbet dusted with black Kilauea salt bedded didn’t quite make sense - they added surprisingly little flavor and a distracting texture.

Apricot Sorbet
per se, New York

None of the desserts thrilled me, although they were, as everything else, exceptionally executed - like the créme brulée, which achieved the textbook 1:1 ratio in sweetness between the brulée and underlying créme. The most positive thing I can say about all of the desserts is that none of them were overly-sweet. In fact, with the exception of the créme brulée, they all incorporated fruit, which I especially appreciated.

The “Coffee and Donuts” was memorable for the reasons discussed above.

The “Ocumare Croquant” was significant to me only because I was familiar with that specific chocolate made by Rogue Chocolatier, one of the only bean-to-chocolate makers in the country. And I do like citrus and chocolate pairings (especially if you read my tasting notes for Ocumare) even if the idea of another layered chocolate dessert is quite boring to me. I am left confused as to why this was called a “croquant,” when nothing about this dessert was crunchy.

Glacé à la Fraise
per se, New York

The Glacé à la Fraise was probably my favorite dessert. In part because it was so painterly pretty. But, also because it tasted just as “beautiful” as it looked - like red with pink all over. It was like strawberry shortcake in Wonderland, a playground of textures and flavors.

The wine pairings were good, but no one coupling stands out, particularly, in my memory. I do recall enjoying the Château Raymond-Lefon with the last dessert.

The best part our meal was the service. It wasn’t perfect (for instance, they took us on a tour of the kitchen and we came out at the front of the restaurant and they never bothered to give us those famous take-away bag of cookies/macarons - not that I needed any more food). But, it was top notch. Where else will you have an attendant present a fleet (and I do mean a fleet) of truffles lined on a silver tray and recite the flavors of each one? If not one of the most polished restaurant staffs in the city, per se’s is definitely one of the most knowledgeable about the food and wine they are serving.

Mignardises
per se, New York

The maitre d’ had introduced himself to us in the lounge and visited our table briefly throughout the meal. Our captain, who had served us and performed the many table-side presentations was very polished and approachable. His bevy of servers was just as accomplished and likable. The staff affected a coddling tending more towards friends-and-family than suffocating.

I know that I’d be naive to think that our party didn’t get more serviced than the rest of the house that night. Just the sheer number of table-side presentations alone garnered us much more attention and face-time than the “regular” diners. But, I’m not sure we got better attention, just more of it.

Here’s the shocker: when the bill was presented, there was a card inside that simply said, “Compliments of Thomas Keller.” No charge for the extra courses. No charge for the wine. No charge for occupying one of the most sought-after tables in New York for an entire evening.

After my guests and I awoke from shallow comatose, we left a generous tip.

Betts & Scholl
Hermitage Blanc 2004
per se, New York

Many have said that a VIP dinner at either The French Laundry or per se is about as close to gastronomic nirvana as you can get. One very well-regarded New York chef told me that his meal at per se was on a completely different plane than anything he’s ever cooked or experienced in a restaurant. That was hard for me to believe. And it still is, even though this latest meal was very solid.

If my meal was par for the course for VIP dinners, then I’d have to admit that (a) I’m incapable of distinguishing such high-level quality from ordinary high-level quality, (b) I’m just extremely hard to impress (though easily pleased), or (c) a VIP dinner at a Keller restaurant maybe technically flawless, but perhaps not the exciting and elevating experience that some make it out to be. I suspect it’s a combination of all three.

Créme Brulée
per se, New York

I’m left wondering whether a “regular” meal at per se can be as impeccable as this dinner was - neither of my previous 9-course dinners were flawless. Each had one dish that was poorly executed, in my opinion. And, as you know, the service I received at The French Laundry was somewhat bad.

Does one have to be VIP’ed at per se or The French Laundry to walk away impressed? Given the scads of adoring and genuflecting diners, I’d say not. I’m willing to accept that the issues at my two previous meals were aberrant. But, given the high price tag - currently, $275 for the food, not including supplements, alcohol/drink, or tax - I’m not sure how much room should be allowed for aberrations.

Truffles, Nougats and Caramels
per se, New York

Lest any of my ruminations and criticism be taken as ungratefulness, I offer this: my take-away from a Keller meal is to delight in experiencing Keller’s and his staff’s amazing ability to orchestrate a staggering amount of perfectly executed dishes in concert with excellent service (a kitchen tour will underscore this point). It may not be the most exciting or heart-pounding experiencing, but it an impressive and memorable one for sure.

Certainly, my previous experience at The French Laundry fell far short of Keller’s standard. But, each meal does come with a satisfaction guaranteed, of sorts, as my experience shows. This invitation back and the opulent display of unexpected generosity more than made up for any previous inconveniences and disappointments I experienced before.

Thank you, Thomas Keller, for bringing me back to experience your restaurant as you intended. You are a gentleman. I hope to return to experience more of your class act in the future.

per se
10 Columbus Circle, 4th Floor
Time Warner Center
New York, New York 10019
212.823.9335

*** Michelin

Time Warner Center
per se, New York

*This is what happened:

After hearing about a rather botched meal at The French Laundry (mostly service issues, although a cut of chicken was nearly unpalatable), an acquaintance, who is, apparently *very* close to Keller and his erstwhile partner, Laura Cunningham, buzzed me to encourage me to share my disappointment with Ms. Cunningham, then the manager of hospitality and service at The French Laundry.

Plating
per se, New York

Not one who readily voices complaint, I was hesitant. In fact, I had only done it once before and have never done so since. But, my acquaintance was relentless, insisting that Ms. Cunningham would want to know about such issues.

She finally persuaded me to write a letter. I expected nothing in return (I even stated so in my letter). And, for a few months, nothing came back. I actually forgot about the letter until this acquaintance buzzed me again to ask if the issue was resolved. I said that it was; that I had sent a letter but had not heard back, which was fine, given that I had stated that I didn’t expect an answer.

Within a week, I got a letter from Keller (or his assistant) apologizing for the mishaps (it was quite apparent that my party’s service issues had been made known to the maitre d’ even during our meal and he later admitted to just not having gotten around to redressing the problems in a timely manner). To redress the issue, Keller’s letter invited me and a guest back to either The French Laundry or per se.

Boulevard Pale Ale Onion Rings
blanc burgers + bottles

I had anticipated its opening back in March, and positive press and word of mouth in the subsequent months only intensifed my hungry curiosity. Over a recent weekend I descended upon blanc burgers + bottles not once, but twice.

The first night, the tiny Westport burger spot (in the space formerly occupied by Tatsu’s Cafe) was bumping and BUSY around 8pm when my friends and I arrived. We shuffled in just before the line was forced out the door. By the time we were seated 15 minutes later, the line had trailed beyond my view from inside the narrow, exposed-brick space.

Two friends ordered the Spiced Lentil Burger ($7); another, the Kobe Burger ($12); and I, the Pork “Burger” ($8) with no intention of finishing any of them. We also ordered sweet potato fries and Boulevard Pale Ale onion rings, which came in a nifty mini shopping cart. For posterity’s sake, I also ordered a “BLT Salad” ($6).

blanc burgers + bottles
Kansas City

With the exception of the unseasoned onion rings (which tasted only of fried beer; the onion was completely lost in thick batter), everything was pretty solid.

The burgers at blanc burgers + bottles are truly “gourmet.” They’re the only ones in Kansas City doing them at this level. There’s a preference for local and quality is high: 8 ounce patties, whether it be tenderloin beef, Kobe, turkey, pork, mahi mahi, or vegetarian; brioche and whole wheat buns from Farm to Market; and house-made condiments, including ketchup, mustard aioli, and chipotle aioli.

Spiced Lentil Burger
blanc burgers + bottles, Kansas City

The Spiced Lentil Burger ($7) was breaded and crispy on the outside. The inside was a warm patty of curried lentils and vegetables. While I think it could have used a bit more texture - it was like mashed legumes - the flavor was excellent. I only got a small bite, so I didn’t get a chance to determine what other vegetables were used.

Whereas chefBURGER over-dresses their burgers, blanc burgers + bottles has a minimalist approach. For the most part, blanc strikes the right balance between simplicity and flavor. The Lentil Burger, perhaps, was the exception. The vegetarian patty sat atop a good amount of chunky avocado, but could have used more spiced yogurt, cucumber, and red onion salad, which I had really been looking forward to. It didn’t need any of these condiments for flavor, as the patty was extremely flavorful. But, I would have appreciated some contrast from the yogurt and texture from cucumber and onions would have been nice.

Kobe Burger
blanc burgers + bottles, Kansas City

The Kobe Burger (Port wine onions, mustard aioli, truffle butter, watercress, salt + pepper brioche bun; $12) was good, but significantly less memorable than the Pork “Burger,” which really knocked my socks off. The method: pulled pork is cooked with a wine reduction and then formed into a patty, crisped up on the grill, and topped with pickle and chipotle coleslaw. Despite its Euro-Latin leanings, it has an uncanny Asian pork dish appeal. The pork is sweet, the topping is sour. You get the earthy smoke and heat from the chipotle, but it’s somehow undercut by the sweet pickle slices crossed over the patty.

And, this brings me to the pickle. You get one long thin sliver of sweet pickle. It’s probably one of the finest pickles I’ve ever had. I need to ask if they make this in-house. Their sweet potato fries were the best I’ve had in this city: thing and crispy, with a narrow band of sweet soft starch tunneling through the middle.

Milkshakes
blanc burgers + bottles, Kansas City

We finished with milkshakes - one vanilla ($5) and one “Sangria” ($9) - and I ordered a beer float. They use Shatto Milk and Foo’s Fabulous Frozen Custard. Their milkshakes are much better than chefBURGER’s. Actually, everything at blanc is MUCH better than at chefBURGER.

These milkshakes are served in metal milkshake mixer cups and are thick enough to stand a spoon in. The “Sangria” (red wine, vodka, fruit juices, vanilla custard) was different than I had expected. It tasted more like sweet tannin than it did fruity wine.

My beer float, however, was fantastic. You choose from any one of their 150+ list of beers (hence the name extension) and add $2 for the frozen custard. I like stout’s, porters, and dark beers, so my Arcadia Ales “Coco Loco” - two parts coffee, one part chocolate, and one part molasses in flavor - pleased me immensely.

Au Poivre Burger
blanc burgers + bottles, Kansas City

The next day, my party of six, landed a table at 11:30-ish, when, apparently, the restaurant’s weekend lunch crowd hadn’t quite fully awakened (I hear there’s a line by 11.30 on weekdays); the place was nearly empty. It filled up quite nicely within the hour.

I did a redux on the Pork “Burger” (it really is fantastic). We also got a Turkey (lots of avocado) ($8), a Meatloaf ($8), and an “Au Poivre” ($8). The Turkey was my least favorite, but as among the other three, I’m not sure I could pick a favorite, although the pork seems to register most loudly in my taste memory.

The “Au Poivre” and the Meatloaf were both very good. The meatloaf was impossibly soft and moist. It’s a sweeter meatloaf, dabbed with a sweet ketchup and topped with melted onions. It’s also a square-cut (clearly baked in a loaf pan) - it’s the only blanc “patty” I’ve seen that falls short of the appropriate patty-to-bun ratio.

The “Au Poivre” is mighty good, too. Whereas the Pork and the Meatloaf are more sweet, Au Poivre is at the other end of the spectrum: the juicy patty is crusted with very coarsely cracked black peppercorns and sauced with a creamy green peppercorn mayonnaise. It packs a lot of flavor with a nice back-end kick.

Turkey Burger with BLT Salad
blanc burgers + bottles

Regardless, I’d say that all three of these were better than the Kobe, which runs neck and neck with the Turkey. Both of these were good, but nothing particularly memorable. I will note that whereas my Kobe was perfectly cooked - it was glowing pink in the middle - the Turkey seemed a bit dry. I wonder what’s in the “special sauce” on the Turkey.

Their “quick fix” lunch deal ($8) includes a burger from a limited list of burgers (all the $8 ones and the vegetarian Lentil Burger, which is $7) and your choice of either fries, onion rings, or a salad was a great way to sample a lot.

A fellow onion ring aficionado agreed that the onion rings, although nicely fried and full of beer flavor, were under-seasoned and rather forgettable.

BLT Salad
blanc burgers + bottles

Having now tried all of the salads, the best one is the BLT. Of course, it also happens to be the one salad that has bacon in it too. I realized on this second trip that they had left the avocado out of my BLT Salad the night before.

The Caesar gets a Dijon mustard treatment, which makes it different, and somewhat more amiable to me. The Spinach Salad, with raisins and bacon vinaigrette would be better without the red onions. The Butter Lettuce Salad is better suited for those who shy away from bold flavors. With nothing but lettuce and Fuji apples, it’s light, crisp, and clean tasting. Ordered as a full order ($6), the salads are rewardingly large. I hope they keep this up.

Arcadia Ale Coco Loco Float
blanc burgers + bottles

blanc needs to booster their ventilation system: when busy, a smoky, greasy haze hangs over the restaurant. Don’t expect to walk out smelling like a Downey dryer sheet.

A lesser annoyance, the restaurant can get quite LOUD, especially at night - which is, I think, part of the restaurant’s atmospherics and aesthetic. It’s almost expected, given its address on Westport Road.

blanc burgers + bottles
Kansas City

The young chef, Josh Eans, came from The Drop Bar, owners Ernesto Peralta’s and Eddie Crane’s first wine lounge on Martini Corner. Before opening The Drop Bar, Eans had been at 40 Sardines under Debbie Gold.

I’d be tempted to say that his talent is wasted on flipping burgers if these weren’t some of the most thoughtfully engineered burgers I’ve had. And they’re in Kansas City!

I hate to draw comparisons, but the fact that blanc burgers + bottles and chefBURGER - both offering “fancy” hamburgers - opened within a month of each other makes it inevitable.

From what I’ve seen, there’s no doubt that blanc burgers + bottles wins by a good stretch. On certain points, I don’t think it’s fair to compare the two. I don’t think these two restaurants are even in the same league. I’m not sure that chefBURGER ever intended or intends to compete directly with blanc. chefBURGER caters to the sports and beer crowds of the Power & Light District. blanc holds court in Westport, where the yuppies, hipsters, and Bohemians hang.

But, as I stated, I think that comparison and competition is inevitable. blanc is a sit-down service restaurant. It has a bar and an impressive beer list. Their burger selection, though not as comprehensive (or inflated) as chefBURGER’s, is more focused and clean. Presentations are pretty, service is lovely and rather efficient, and blanc’s ingredients and flavors pop more. The prices are pretty comparable, with blanc averaging about $2 more per burger. And, loudness and haze aside, I like the feel of blanc more than chefBURGER, which has all the personality of a high school cafeteria. The only advantage that chefBURGER has over blanc burgers + bottles - and this is a minor one - is that it has a great website. blanc, inexplicably, only has a “My Space” page. Now THAT’S high school.

I’ve been to chefBURGER only once and blanc burgers + bottles twice. I need to visit both more to reach a more definite verdict. So far, it seems that blanc is better for what it is than chefBURGER is for what chefBURGER is.  chefBURGER needs to pull out some pretty impressive game in order to change my mind. Judging by the crowds, I don’t think I’m alone.

blanc burgers + bottles
419 Westport Road
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
816-931-6200

“Turkey Burger,” chefBURGER

Interestingly, I was eating with pescatarians on my first visit to chefBURGER (which I first blogged about in March), and so I played along. Two of us got the two vegetarian burgers - the Black Bean Burger ($6.99) and the Crispy Falafel Burger ($6.99). One of us got the Ahi Tuna Burger ($8.99). And, yet another, who was less forgiving of our friends’ dietary restrictions got the Turkey Burger ($7.99), which had been recently added to the restaurant’s initial opening menu. So, no beef patty at our party.

But, I don’t need a beef patty to determine whether a place knows how to make a burger or not when ancillary issues are so troubling that it doesn’t matter what kind of patty they slipped between the buns.

General observations: TOO MUCH CONDIMENT!!! Why is it that when you ask for them to “go easy” on something, they end up slopping on more than they normally would?

Black Bean Burger, chefBURGER

So, we had Srirachi aioli, Srirachi coleslaw, mayonnaise, cranberry chutney, and pickled ginger coleslaw oozing out of, off of, onto, and all over everything. I think that chefBURGER might be an environmental hazard alone, what with the amount of napkins sacrificed to the cause of burger eating. I mean, had I been at home, naked, maybe I wouldn’t mind what dropped where. But, seeing how I was in public, I was trying to keep myself from devolving into a complete slob.

This was especially unfortunate, because otherwise, the “burgers” were perfectly delightful. The buns (where there were buns–the Turkey Burger was really a slumming sandwich) were slightly sweet - I liked that, actually. The meats (or vegetables) were cooked properly. The dressings were fresh.

Garlic Waffle Fries, chefBURGER

The Crispy Falafel was indeed crispy. It was also flavorful, with a hit of appreciable and appreciated heat. It was sandwiched with fresh spinach, cucumber, tomato, and Srirachi coleslaw. Srirachi coleslaw is basically a Srirachi-tinged mayonnaise-laden coleslaw. The emphasis being on the mayonnaise. I tasted no Srirachi. I mean, if you’ve already you’re already in the Mediterranean with falafel, tomato, lettuce and cucumber, why not go the whole way and just do some yogurt or sour cream? I guess that’s why it’s chefBURGER, and I’m not the chef.

Grilled Ahi Tuna Burger, chefBURGER

Then there was the Grilled Ahi Tuna Burger, which was completely coated in aioli. The inside of the hefty (I’m guessing 6 oz.) tuna steak, however, was perfectly cooked to order; my friend got it rare. It came with a pickled ginger coleslaw, which was really flavorful, the small bit that managed to not be glopped with Srirachi aioli, which, like the Srirachi coleslaw, tasted nothing like Srirachi. Did I mention there was a lot of it?

Crispy Falafel Burger, chefBURGER

The Turkey Burger ($7.99) was not really a burger. I think it’s supposed to be some kind of witty riff on Thanksgiving. The turkey patty, which was flavorful and moist, was *sandwiched* between grilled bread, topped with Swiss cheese, cranberry chutney (which soaked through the bread), tomato, lettuce, mayonnaise, more mayonnaise, and then some mayonnaise.

I didn’t get to taste the Black Bean burger. It came with tomato, lettuce, pickle, and red onion. Oh, and it also was generously treated with “Chef Sauce,” which was - you guessed it, some mayonnaise-based condiment. I guess my friend liked it; she wouldn’t share.

The sweet potato fries were good, but not the best I’ve had. The garlic-parsley waffle fries were also good, though way too greasy. I’d be fooling myself to think that fries are health food, but there’s no need for pooling grease. Again, the napkin crew came to the rescue.

Milkshakes, chefBURGER

The milkshakes were watery and thin. I prefer mine thicker. They weren’t so thin that one could (easily) slurp it through a straw. Yet, eating it with a spoon was equally awkward - it was just too thin to hold on a spoon. I’m pretty sure they use soft serve as a base. I don’t know what milkfat their milk is–I wouldn’t be surprised if they used whole. I do give them credit for using Shatto dairy. The flavors we tried–pina colada, strawberry-pina colada, and cappuccino–were all very good.

Next time, I’m going to try one of their “spiked” milkshakes - the “B52″ (Kahlua, Bailey’s, Grand Marnier, and vanilla ice cream), “Alabama Slama” (Ameretto, Southern Comfort, butter-pecan ice cream, and Heath Bar), and the “Buttery Nipple” (Frangelico, Bailey’s, caramel ice cream, and Butterfinger) all sound great. I might have to have a wheelchair waiting for me.

Spinach Salad, chefBURGER

Strangely, the highlight of this meal for me was the Spinach Salad ($5.99), which was pre-boxed in a plastic to-go container and kept in a refrigerated case, along with the other salads (there’s also a Caesar, a “Classic Wedge,” a Chinese Chicken Salad, and a Chicken Cobb Salad–not sure whether the chicken is grilled and added to order or if it’s cold).

Densely packed, the fresh baby spinach was generously laced with dried cranberries, sweet toasted pecans, and creamy nubbins of goat cheese. In a separate sealed cup was some vinaigrette.

Was I disappointed? Yes. Was it disappointment beyond redemption? Definitely not. I mean, the space-age cafeteria atmospherics are less than ideal, but I’m sure I’ll be back. There are plenty of more burgers–namely beef patties–I need to try. I also need to get a second pass at the sides: onion rings, chili cheese waffle fries, tater tots, and jalepeno poppers. They’ve also got mini corn dogs and black bean chorizo chili. And, there are a few other salads I’d like to check out.

In the meantime, I hope they thicken up their milkshakes and yank back on the condiments. They might tighten up their ordering system as well. We had more than a couple of misfires.

chefBURGER
Power & Light District
1350 Walnut Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
816.842.2747

Pork “Burger”,
blanc burgers + bottles, Kansas City

What is the shape of a hamburger?

Round, right?

Not so much.

I mean, there are plenty of exceptions to this rule, which really isn’t a rule at all; it’s more of a norm. Or, is it?

In 1969, Dave Thomas made the square patty hip when he introduced them on a round, seeded bun at the first Wendy’s in Columbus, Ohio. If I have my facts straight, the square patty was inspired by Thomas’s childhood favorite burger and malt stop, the “Kewpee,” which is still in operation today (the website is a hoot).

It’s not hard to understand why the square patty was particularly alluring - with the corners of the filling hanging over the sides, no bite goes meatless.

And, of course, there are those wonderful munchkins of the burger universe, the White Castle burger. They’re square too - even the buns. They call them “Slyders.” (By the way, did you know that they have (square) chicken and fish sandwiches too? They’ve also got “chicken rings”–ranch and barbecue. *shudder*)

“Tenderloin Burger,” JJ’s

Sure, a very good bun can be exciting. But nobody eats a burger for the bun. Everyone knows that the main event is what is tucked between it. The bun is just for convenience and to keep things “together.” By that logic, the bun should be minimized. Or, the patty should be maximized.

But lately, I’ve found that (non-chain/non-fast-food) restaurants in Kansas City are cutting corners by adding them.

Meet the square bun with a small round patty–like a blue cheese-topped tenderloin burger I had at JJ’s (website is temporarily down) ($10). The novelty is that they used a rustic grilled country bread (even though the menu says it’s an onion roll) that added a nice toasty crunch to the experience. And, they did keep the corners tight. That is, the bun was not overly-big. But, there were four corners. For me, that’s four too many. Even so, the tenderloin burger was moist and juicy and the dressings kept simple and neat. Too bad the fries were soggy.

“Cheddar Burger,” The Bristol Seafood Grill

Then there’s the long rectangular bun with the round patty. This appeared at the newly opened Bristol Seafood Grill in the Power & Light District, our city’s latest heave towards urban splashy ($6.50).

Unlike JJ’s burger, which was thoughtfully square, this one was absurdly so. The twin-size “Cheddar burger” patty was pretty good, but the king-size “hand-made” focaccia was like plywood–stiff and flavorless. And I don’t know anyone who eats jumbo pickle log, halved lengthwise, with their round burger.

Talk about fitting a square peg in a round hole.

This next one is the most curious of them all: a triangle bun with a meatball for a patty. These “fococcia sliders,” offered on the happy hour menu at Pierpont’s, a steakhouse in our city’s renovated Union Station, move quickly past awkward and straight into the absurd file, along with fruit sushi and vegetarian steakhouses ($4 at Happy Hour).

“Focaccia Sliders,” Pierpont’s at Union Station

I’ll tell you my version of this logic (feel free to come to your own conclusions): Focaccia is usually baked in sheet trays–especially at a high-volume restaurant. Cutting rounds out would be wasteful. It would take too much energy to make croutons, or something else, out of the scraps. So, you cut them into squares. But, you don’t want to offer an entire burger at happy hour. And you probably want to seem “hip with it.” So you cut the squares in half, diagonally, and use the buns for “sliders.

Of course, it would make too much sense to also shape the patties into triangles. So they stick a perfectly round ball of meat in between.

Whereas the Bristol’s foccacia was dry and hard, Pierpont’s is dry and spongey. Three to an order, these awkwardly shaped puppies with teeter-tottering tops aren’t sliding any where. They should call them “chokers.”

“Focaccia Sliders,” Pierpont’s at Union Station

For a better example of a slider, take note of the ones served at lunch at The Raphael Restaurant inside the boutique hotel of the same name ($15). These three amigos are just about the right size–maybe three to four bites each.

Although the bun-to-patty ratio is high, you manage to get some of everything– meat, Cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce and cornichon–with each bite.

And unlike the crudely assembled burger at The Bristol, or the cranky creatures at Pierpont’s, the ones at The Raphael manage to be pretty.

Taste is another matter. The “Kobe” patties were moist, if not a tad bland, but the cheese was gummy–sticky almost. The buns were like a cross between an English muffin and a bagel.

“Turkey Burger,” chefBURGER

So, now we come to another issue: Is a burger defined by the presence of the patty or the bun, or both? I tend to think that you have be have both.

For instance, a bun between sliced bread–like the “Turkey Burger” at the newish chefBURGER (also in the Power & Light District)–is a sandwich ($7.99)

And, anything other than a patty of ground-something on a bun–like pulled pork–is a sandwich. So, even though I love it to bits, I’m not sure you can call the Pork “Burger” at the newest (only?) gourmet burger outlet in our city, blanc burgers + bottles (I wish they’d hurry up with building their website) a burger ($8). But, they seem to “get” that, unlike so many others.

By the same token, anything served in a long, torpedo-shaped bread is called a “roll” (if it’s filled with lobster), “hot dog” (if it’s filled with a casing-style sausage), or a “hoagie” or “subway” (if it’s filled with anything else, including vegetables, deli meats, or even patties or meatballs).

But, all of this is straying far from the initial purpose of this post, which was to talk about Kansas City’s two most recent burger outlets–the last two mentioned here: chefBURGER and blanc burgers + bottles. I will do so in subsequent posts.

Update: Read the review of chefBURGER here.  Read the review of blanc burgers + bottles.

Café Boulud, New York

I was trying to not eat.

But, that didn’t work.

So, then, I thought I could just eat light.

Yeah, that didn’t work either.

Despite the fact that I had a reservation at per se that evening, I tempted myself into having lunch at Café Boulud.  A couple of friends who had been impressed with Gavin Kaysen’s cooking over the past few months emailed me about the restaurant, which reminded me that I needed to visit.

Café Boulud, New York

Perhaps more than any other Daniel Boulud operation, Café Boulud has always come with the highest commendation from other restaurant enthusiasts (although a recent surge in popularity for the newest kid on the Boulud block, Bar Boulud, might change that).

Since opening in 1998, the restaurant has seen a parade of some of the most talented young chefs in the industry. Andrew Carmellini (together with Alex Lee, the former Chef de Cuisine at Daniel) was the first executive chef. Under his 7-year tenure, chefs such as Bradford Thompson (now executive chef at Lever House), Johnny Iuzzini (now executive pastry chef at Jean Georges), and Jean Francois Bruel (now executive chef at Daniel) passed through the kitchen. In 2005, Carmellini left Café Boulud to open his own successful restaurant, A Voce. He was succeeded by his sous chef, Betrand Chemel, who served as executive chef until late, 2007. Chemel is now the executive chef of 2941 in Falls Church, Virginia.

With Chemel’s departure came the arrival of Gavin Kaysen.

I have followed Gavin Kaysen since his days as the executive chef of El Bizcocho in San Diego. With a nomination for the 2008 Rising Star award from the James Beard Foundation, I thought that this would be an opportune time to finally visit another Daniel Boulud property.

The name Café Boulud belies the seriousness of this restaurant, both in terms of service and level of cooking. I have heard (and read) that Boulud had intended it to be a “neighborhood restaurant.”

With one Michelin star, white tablecloth, a polished waitstaff, finessed food, and prices frequently sailing north of thirty, I don’t see how it could *just* be a “neighborhood restaurant.” Aesthetically, the only thing neighborhoody about it is its somewhat remote location on the Upper East Side and the occasional pair of designer denim that walked into the restaurant on the weekend lunch that my friends and I were having.

Here is what we ordered:

Amuse Bouche
Hummous with confetti of peppers

Starter Courses
Vidalia Onion Velouté
Ramp leaves and crispy onions