Seasonal

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED!
I believe their food would be great, this rating is just to get your attentions. Apologize to the restaurant.
Yes it still takes reservations, but the manager will call you on the day to tell they are closed.

It was quiet when we went on a Saturday at 1 pm (only 4 others there), but lovely ambiance and décor. Our waiter was super helpful with wine recommendations and sampling.
Delicious free bread, which came with two types of cream cheese. Portions aren’t huge, but we were both pretty full after the 3-​course prix fixe. As for our dishes:
— Poached egg: Contrary to most reviews here, we both really disliked it. Maybe we weren’t expecting the salty/​fishy flavor or raw egg-​like consistency.
— Kaisergulasch (Veal cheek): So tender, with a thick, rich sauce, and side of Spatzle (egg pasta). Fave dish, hands-​down!
— Wiener Schnitzel: I normally don’t eat fried foods but the breaded veal was light, tender, and not greasy at all. The tangy berry sauce went beautifully with the meat, but the other sides were bland and cold.
— Rote grutze (Berry sorbet): Light and fruity, the perfect way to end a heavy meal.
— Kaiserschmarrn: Good, standard. Only got this bc they were out of Apple Strudel.

If there are 6 stars, I would’ve given it 6 stars. Superb service. Perfect ambiance and décor (simple or even a little old school but cozy). Food was great. I had the Schnitzel. My friend ordered the Kaisergulasch (Veal cheek) and it was sooooo tender.
When I first made a reservation, I didn’t know it was Michelin. I picked it due to its proximity to the theatre that we are going afterwards, the solid 4 star rating on Unilocal,and the fact that it is not a cuisine you find everywhere.
Definitely recommend someone who wants an intimate dinner with a friend or a few friends. Family and couple friendly. Great food and doesn’t empty your wallet!

The food was nice, definitely not worth the Michelin Star they proudly hang on their wall.
Service was just terrible. We came for a group lunch and told the waiter one of the executives had a meeting in an hour and a half so we would like the service to move a little fast if possible. After assuring us it will be so, service was VERY slow, in fact a table that came 15 min after us received their entrees well before us.
And so the executive had to leave before dessert was served (no apologies from the waiter). Surprisingly enough after he left, while everything was so slow in between courses, the check was served with dessert, and no one asked if we wanted tea or coffee.
We were seated at the front part of the restaurant and every time someone came in and the door was opened the freezing wind came in. They had not put any protective measure for the cold weather.
In summary: Not a good place for a business lunch, terrible service, okay food.

Small cozy quiet Midtown restaurant that I would highly recommend if you are up to try something a little different.
These guys have a well deserved Michelin Star. I can’t get enough of whatever that beer they have on tap is, it’s incredible! I can guzzle 5 of those easily.
So on with the ordering, we did the following:
1) Sweetbreads
2) Pork Belly
3) Wiener Schnitzel
4) Spatzle (Egg pasta)
All four courses I would very highly recommend, they were each fantastic! The portions were sized well enough for the three of us to eat and be full to the limit.
We ordered a few bottles of one of their Austrian wines which was very good as well.
The restaurant was small so it was essentially their sommelier and one other waitress as their service staff (and they were also bartenders if any other patrons ordered cocktails). But they were terrific.
Awesome restaurant, I would highly recommend you try this place out for a business lunch, meetup with friends or a good date.

I went at lunch time and it was very quiet, which was awesome. The place has a modern twist, with comfortable boots and dim lighting. Beautiful art pieces adorn the dining area. We opted for the $ 29 price-​fix lunch, which is a phenomenal deal. You get to choose your three course between several dishes, all captivating.
Poached egg: an explosion of delectable creaminess with porcini mushrooms back taste. Wow.
Pork belly: one of the best I’ve ever had; delicate and strong at the same time, and beautifully accompanied by a delicious sauce.
Kaisergulasch: the veal cheek is so tender you can cut it with a fork, and the strong reduction is tastefully complemented by the smoothness of the pasta.
Wiener schnitzel: I’m not a fan of deep fried meat, but the veal here is soft inside and crunchy outside, all accompanied by a delicious potato salad with garlic and sweet & sour of berries (can’t remember the name).
Apple strudel: divine; warm and soft inside, crunchy outside. Truly memorable.
Caramelized pancake: much more interesting — and tasty — than I had expected. A great dished desert indeed.
Maybe because the place wasn’t busy, but our service was exceptional. Matt made us feel welcome as soon as we sat down. He was attentive, but in a graceful way, and never overly oppressing. The rest of the staff was also outstanding; they even brought us more bread before we asked… something that never happens, especially in fancier restaurants.
Overall, we had an amazing time, and look fwd to going back.

I took the seven courses chef tasting menu. A true bargain! Each dish used very fresh ingredients and had «something special», usually an unexpected taste for a standard food. The risotto with mussels, halibut and beef tenderloin were well prepared and tasty. The portions are not big, but you will have eaten more than enough by the end of the evening.
I did not have the impression of being in an Austrian restaurant but for sure it was seasonal!!! Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

I had very low expectations of this place, because I knew that Austrian cuisine is generally bland (I prefer spicy food: o) and heavy with meats and sauces.
I was pleasantly surprised with the smaller beautifully crafted and delicious portions, pleasant service and cozy dining atmosphere. The décor is minimalist thus making the food and service the focal point.
This restaurant indeed deserves its Michelin star. I appreciated the fact that while they didn’t depart far from Austrian cuisine: gulasch with spatzle and apfelstrudel, they managed to make it exquisite and memorable!
I also appreciated that they remembered my special occasion and offered free champagne and dessert. That’s the stuff of classy service!

We have brought many friends and family for dinner at Seasonal but this was our first time having lunch. The pre-​fixe is an absolute bargain and it is rather nice to have quiet Saturday lunch after a quickie bagel breakfast and shopping spree.
I chose the pork belly appetizer, skate entrée, and berries dessert. My husband had the watermelon gazpacho, schnitzel, and also the berries dessert.
Let me tell you this, this jalapeño cornbread preparation of pork belly is not like the way they serve it on the 7 course and it is not Tex-​Mex either. I would describe this dish as a wonderful gestalt of chewy, crispy, creamy texture and savory flavors without being garish in any way. My husband said the gazpacho was adventurous and curious but not as knock your socks off as the poached egg we usually get. I have to agree that really no app compares to the poached egg dish at Seasonal, but the gazpacho was a nice refreshing appetizer for a warm autumn day.
The skate was served with a sort of tomato chutney and several purée sauces — delicious but I found that I preferred placing my piece of fish on the side of the plate so I could control how much tomato I got per bite. The schnitzel was a beautiful puffy not greasy fork tender cut with the usual yummy sides of cucumber salad and potato salad (though this time it was a tad bit too much vinegar to my taste).
The berries dessert was a nice refreshing finish to a lovely meal.
I am sad to say that I do not remember the name of the server who was incredibly attentive and well mannered to us. He treated us very well and explained the new wines to us and gave us tastes. He also sent us champagne for our 1 year wedding anniversary — how kind!
Seasonal — still keeping it classy while widening their clientele base. I am all for it and will continue to recommend this accessible fine dine Austrian restaurant!

A review was written on Unilocal about how disappointing the seasonal was. What I do not understand is HOW this review was removed.
The seasonal was a horrible experience. I went with my mom, aunt, and cousin. The food was unimpressive, and expensive. It is possible that I was too upset with the service to really enjoy the food. The host/​waiter was pompous. My aunt is a gregarious woman who likes to befriend everyone. I have never seen a waiter so set on not smiling. He was extremely unfriendly with us and it seemed that it was perhaps we weren’t dressed to his standards. While ordering, he knocked over our water and did not apologize. Accidents happen and I normally wouldn’t care, but it was just confirmation that he was not going to even be polite. He never checked up on our table to see if we needed anything, if he said anything to us, it was out of obligation. He even got our order wrong.
The only dish that I found worthy of a star was the lobster with poached egg appetizer. After that, nothing they make is worth the price they charge. The bill came out to be over 200 dollars for 4 people. Don’t do it, there are SO MANY BETTER PLACES IN NEW YORK FOR LESS. The portions were so small, when we finished eating what they served us, we decided to go get dinner. Don’t go to this place, you can find better. I hope this was helpful to you and will not be deleted.
This is an edited review. I went to the restaurant in Sept 2011

Outstanding.
The $ 29 prix fixe is a steal. Had the well-​documented poached egg/​lobster dish, then the flatiron steak in oxtail consommé with rosti and carrots, then apple strudel. Portion size, presentation, temperature… all spot on. Michelin-​star-​deserving (good to see, give it has one) cuisine in an elegant, but not stuffy atmosphere. Cordial, knowledgeable, attentive-​but-​not-​too-​attentive staff. Water glasses refilled as soon as they were half empty, but no hovering. The perfect balance between brisk and relaxed enough not to feel at all rushed.
Better value and comparable quality vs. the venerable (and also great) $ 25 prix fixe at Milos a couple blocks away.
VERY hard to find. Buried under scaffolding, with a small black awning that has the restaurant name/​logo on it… in black. Even knowing you’re looking for it, you’ll likely miss it on first pass.
Given a decent sandwich, fries and a drink will run you about $ 15 in this part of town, paying twice that for this food and experience is a privilege. Imagine if Halal Guys lowered their price to $ 5. That kind of value here.

To be honest, I don’t get how this place has a Michelin star.
We went to this Austrian restaurant for a weekday lunch. The place was pretty much empty. We had the 3-​course meal; main courses were Wiener Schnitzel for me and Gulasch for my wife. Totally unimpressive German/​Austrian-​style food that could be found in any standard restaurant in those countries. Not bad for sure, but without any twist or anything interesting about it. The other courses were similarly unmemorable. For $ 30 it was still a good deal, but I really expect something else from a place with a Michelin star.
What I found most annoying was the overpriced wine list. They have a nice selection of German and Austrian wines, but I don’t get how they can regularly charge $ 70 – 80 and more for bottles that go for $ 10 – 12 retail at my favorite wine store.

I was a little hesitant at first because only one table was occupied on a weekday lunch time, but I am glad we came in.
The service was exceptional. Probably because only 2 tables were being served. The bread basket came with 2 amazing cream cheese dips. Im not a fan of bread but I already stuffed myself because of the cream cheese.
We had the 3-​course meal for $ 29. So worth it. Had the lobster and poached egg appetizer. The lobster was so tender and not chewy at all. Then I had the veal cheeks for the entrée. It was AMAZING! The sauce did not overpower the dish and the meat was so tender. It was so good I had to eat ot very slow to savor each bite. Then we had the streusel, appleOh no. Are you gonna be alright with your work load today? You have a busy day i hope you wont be staying extra late pancake-​like dessert and soufflé. The streusel was so moist and creamy in the inside and nice crunch on the outside. All was superb! First time I had Austrian food and glad this was the first.
The service was top-​notch! They were so attentive and made us feel special.

Seasonal is one of the restaurants that deserves more recognition than it currently receives. For one, Austrian cuisine is not a readily-​found cuisine, even in New York, and I was surprised to learn that a small, nondescript restaurant located on the outskirts of Columbus Circle had been able to garner a Michelin star. When two college friends were in the city over a weekend, I took advantage of the timing to book a reservation for lunch.
On a Saturday afternoon, I managed to find the entrance to Seasonal with some difficulty, as the signage is easily overlooked. However, upon stepping inside, there was no mistake that I had entered a restaurant of high caliber. No, it’s not quite as spacious as some, but the brightly lit rooms, the elegantly set dining tables, and the variety of paintings displayed across the walls are more than enough to make up for it. Modern, simple, and sleek — it was indeed as though I had entered an art gallery.
Once all four of us were present and seated, we began the task of choosing our courses for the meal. As we were al unfamiliar with Austrian cuisine, we spent a substantial amount of time going through the options available for lunch. Thankfully, the lunch prix-​fixe helped limit our choices for the day and the host was very helpful in answering our questions and making recommendations. Once we had each made our orders, our table was presented with a bowl of sourdough and rye bread as well as two types of cream cheese — paprika and pumpkin. Though I would have preferred the traditional bread and butter pairing, the four of us did enjoy the novelty.
For the first course, I had decided to go with the Pochiertes El, a tiny appetizer that was deceptively complex. Slices of lobster were nestled on top of hen of the woods mushrooms, topped with a poached egg and finished off with a sprinkling of pumpernickel bread crumbs. Our server instructed us to mix it thoroughly, but I was extremely hesitant to ruin the masterpiece on my plate. Before combining the elements together, I tried them all separately and hated to admit — this is when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Each forkful had so many varying flavors and textures, and the still-​runny egg yolk served as the perfect medium to bring it all together.
Our main courses followed, and I had opted for the Wiener Schnitzel — a veal cutlet served with a small potato salad, slivers of cucumber, and a lingonberry sauce. While I was impressed that the veal was actually sliced into multiple layers before being breaded and cooked, it was a bit too simplistic and straight-​forward, especially following the prior course. Nonetheless, the flavors were balanced, the arrangement of each component of the dish artistically done, and the portion was just right for a lunch course. On the other hand, my friend’s Kaisergulasch, braised veal cheeks with a side of spatzle, looked amazing; if I return, this would be the entrée I would order.
Hoping to end on a lighter note with dessert, I had agreed to the «Seasonal Cake» available that day, which was described to me as a raspberry ice cream tart. Curious, I had accepted our waiter’s recommendation and was not disappointed with the dessert placed in front of me. Two flaky sheets of phyllo dusted with confectioner’s sugar encased a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and came with a side of preserved raspberries. While, in hindsight, it was a fairly modest dessert, it was an ideal way to end the meal. My friend’s Apfelstrudel was also tasty, but a bit of a heavier dessert and surprisingly too sweet, even for my taste buds.
In my opinion, Seasonal has a lot of potential; the service, ambiance, and even the technical skill are all there, but not all of the dishes are on par with each other. For potential future guests: Enter with an open mind and don’t be afraid to ask questions. After all, there is no return without some type of risk.

My parents were in town a couple of weeks ago so I was trying to find a cute lunch spot to take them to. We were already doing French food later so I pulled out my Unilocal app and searched for lunch in the midtown area. We hadn’t had much Austrian food before and the reviews were favorable so we decided to check out Seasonal. I made a lunch reservation for 1, though no reservation was needed since we were the only ones there! I was worried that maybe Seasonal was failing to please and mostly just confused, but figured why not give it a shot. Besides, we would definitely be able to hear each other.
The restaurant was well-​lit, simple and modern, and complete with cute purple flowers on the table. The host and waiters were all friendly and super attentive (score to being the only ones there) and started off explaining the different items on the menu. We all decided to get the prix fixe lunch, which is a great deal. Our server first brought out breads with two delicious spreads, which we eagerly started gobbling up. The spreads were amazing! And our server did not hesitate to refill them.
We then all had the Pochiertes Ei for our appetizer, which featured a soft poached egg and lobster and some brown thing all around it (is this what hen of wood is)? It was delicious and I’d never had something that tasted like it before. Slightly salty and foamy from the egg (at least I think this is why it was foamy, but I don’t really know), The Pochiertes Ei was filling and delicious. Then came the entrees. My mom and I both had the Tafelspitz, which is essentially a flat iron steak with oxtail consommé, and my dad got the Kaisergulasch (goulash). Both of the entrees featured meats that were perfectly cooked. They were so tender and naturally flavorful, we were impressed. I loved the consommé too, which was a light soup that really cleans the palate between bits of the meat. There are three different sauces that come with the dish, and the horseradish one was definitely my favorite. My dad’s goulash was also delicious. It came with Spätzle, a pasta, on the side. It wasn’t particularly flavorful, but the goulash was so it was nice to taste a bit of each together.
We were already pretty full, but then our server brought out the desserts. There were three options of dessert and three of us so we decided to share them. The traditional Austrian Sacher Cake is one that we had had before in Austria. Like most American tourists, we found our way to some fancy restaurant/​hotel featured in Rick Steve’s guide and ordered dessert from the carts with our tea. I thought it was too chocolately back then and still think that Sacher Cake is just too rich, but the one at Seasonal had a nice whipped cream next to it and my chocolate-​loving mom enjoyed it. The Apfelstrudel (apple strudel) was warm and tasted great. Finally, the fruit tart, which was the seasonal cake that they had for the day, was my favorite. The crust was baked to perfection, the fruits arranged so beautifully, the cream sweet, but not too sweet, my belly, stuffed, and my mouth, super happy. Service was consistently awesome throughout the meal and my family and I would definitely come back!

** 4.5 stars **
Located in the culinary desert of Midtown near Central Park is Seasonal, a lovely upscale Austrian restaurant and wine bar. Classy and modern, it works for both the business-​minded and pleasure-​seeking.
In the elegant, narrow dining room, space is visually divided horizontally; stark whites above (walls, ceiling, lights, bar seats) and dark browns below (tables, chairs, floors), accented by pops of red. While small, it is comfortable, and quiet enough to have a good conversation. Service was smooth, quiet and assured.
A curved bar leans out along the center of one wall, somehow unobtrusive. A nice perch from which to drink their wines. Seasonal offers an impressive list of Austrian wines, with much of the rest European. Essentially nothing below $ 50 a bottle, but a budget up to $ 200 opens up most of the list. If those prices and by-​the-​glass wine don’t appeal, there are reasonably good cocktails.
There are a few ways to dine. Besides a la carte, one could dine from the 3-​course Taste of Austria for $ 53, a prix fixe with a few selections per course, or the chef’s tasting, either 5-​course for $ 68 or 7-​course for $ 89. For a time, my companion and I perused the choices before she inquired, unintentionally hilariously, what I might want to try. No need to respond since the answer was self-​evident. At this quality of restaurant, the best experience would probably be the tasting menus, so onto the 7-​course.
The food was exceptional. Presentation could be whimsical, like a single noodle coiled 7 times, a round of parsley jelly over mussels, or spheres of potato and green apple nearly undistinguishable from each other. Flawless preparation of primary dish components such as scallops, veal sweetbreads, rainbow trout, and tender duck breast, but they were made memorable by wonderful pairings. Over and over, vegetables, herbs, and sour flavors contrasted beautifully with the focal points of dishes, making the whole a far more enjoyable experience. I especially liked the fresh taste of broccoli, which made multiple appearances, its flavor enhanced by accompanying richer foods. Every course was worth savoring, each offering a different flavor and textural profile.
The meal was bookended by two amuse bouche, a creamy soup and a chicken consommé, and petit fours. A very appropriate deconstructed black forest cake parfait ended the meal; in a less than elegant if practical tumbler, but very delicious: sweet and sour, moist cake mixed in cream.
Seasonal is a wonderful restaurant, as unassuming as it is memorable. The tasting menu is a great experience, and for oenophiles, there’s an interesting wine list to pair it with. Easily recommendable for a special occasion. I cannot say I walked away understanding Austrian food any more than when I walked in, but if that’s the only negative to name, its not much at all.

We left our Saturday lunch at Seasonal completely blissed out and feeling slightly guilty, as if we’d somehow gotten the better of the restaurant. For only $ 29, we were treated to three delightful courses of extremely well executed (Michelin-​starred) Austrian fare in a gorgeously modern dining room with impeccable service.
1. Pochiertes Ei — if this is on offer and you do not order it for some reason, you are cheating yourself. A thrilling creation of perfectly tender lobster, soft poached egg, flavorful hen of the woods mushrooms and pumpernickel crumbs, we actually heard multiple diners emit pleasure noises on their first bites (yeah…think herbal essences commercials type pleasure noises… mmm…yes! Yes! YES!!!)
2. Wiener Schnitzel — as much pleasure to say as to eat, this was perfectly pounded and fried to golden brown with a light and crispy batter. The potato salad was tasty and the addition of lingonberry sauce (thank you for the education Ikea) was a fitting accompaniment
3. Spätzle — I love Spätzle as a rule and this version was ample, cheesy and perfectly chewy with mushrooms and zucchini. However, between the Wiener Schnitzel and the Spätzle, I actually preferred the schnitzel
4. Apfelstrudel — served warm with creamy vanilla ice cream, the filling is clearly fresh and retains some of the naturally honey apple flavor and crunch. Minimally seasoned with cinnamon, this strudel was pretty perfect!
5. Sacher Cake — classic dark chocolate cake, served chilled… if you have only one choice, get the strudel, but if you are sharing, definitely get this to complete your Austrian dining experience!
PARTING THOUGHT: I still can’t believe how great a deal lunch was! The Pochiertes Ei is usually $ 18 alone!

Seasonal is underrated. There is barely any hype about this place, yet it has been open since 2008. To our surprise, my fiancé and I had one of the most creative, fun and tasty meals ever.
We opted for the 5 course tasting which is a bargain at $ 68/​person. The chef started us out with a beautiful and elegant cucumber amuse bouche. Next we were treated to a cucumber gazpacho with a pastrami artic char centerpiece. It was fresh and light on the palate. Sweetbreads with grilled watermelon cubes was our next course. The chef used a clever watermelon juice based sauce to finish the dish — who knew watermelon juice would be used in a savory sauce? Our third course was probably the best: poached egg and lobster under a covering of hen of the woods mushrooms, finished with pumpernickel foam. The textures of the hen of the mushrooms, airy foam and soft poached egg formed the perfect threesome.
My final savory course consisted of just three ingredients: filet mignon, carrots and peas. But the presentation was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The carrots and the peas were set up to look like an alice and wonderland landscape. A one inch wide, six inch across layer of peas purée was the base for a mini jungle of carrots and peas shoots. My words won’t do it justice, take a look at my pictures to see the amazing artistry. Dessert was a trio of sorbets and fresh fruit over a line of rice pudding. A light but perfect end to the meal.
Wolfgang Ban and Eduard Frauneder are doing some amazing work in midtown. The dishes were very modern and made me think about food in new ways. I’ve never been treated to such beautiful art on a plate. Per the Seasonal website: «[Ban and Frauneder’s] goal is to provide elegant home-​cooking in a sleek but welcoming setting.» They have succeeded in doing that, now it’s time to get the word out.

My friends and I kicked off our NYC weekend here with a Friday night dinner, great start! What really impressed me was that I had made a reservation here and when the woman called to verify our 6:30 I mentioned that I was arriving at 4:30 at JFK, should I push it back? She said it would be no problem if I was late. When we arrived, about ten minutes late, she remembered and was so personable about being happy I gotten in and there so quickly.
We perused the menu for quite a long time and our server was beyond gracious and patient. We had trouble deciding which tasting menu to do but settled on the 3 course. What you have to remember is that I recently retired from teaching JR HIGH and so when I saw Veal Cheek, I reacted like a Jr. High boy, I assumed it was not a facial cheek. My friends thought I was insane but I checked with the waiter who could not maintain his previous completely professional demeanor after that. He burst out laughing and told me I was the only person who had ever asked that. (It’s because Jr. High teachers don’t get to fancy restaurants much!) We knew we were going to have a great time after that and we did.
We had a lovely amuse bouche then I partook of the Pork belly first course which was gorgeous and delicious. My main course was the aforementioned Veal Cheek (facial) with spatzle. For dessert I had the best Apple Strudle of my life with coffee and then complimentary candies. We savored and talked and had a simply marvelous time.
I could not have enjoyed myself or my dinner more. I think you should go there and hey, bring a Jr. High Teacher with you. Take it from me, they need to get out more!

88%
Very good Austrian food and good lunch value
***Short Review
Came here for lunch in May’12
Food here is generally quite refined yet comfortable.
For the most part I felt the cooking was more traditional but there are some nice creative touches.
Their $ 29, 3 course lunch prix fixe, with an ‘amuse’ is one of the better lunch deals I’ve tried in NY.
There seems to be a lot of overlap between their lunch and dinner menu, and it might seem that lunch could be the better value.
I had their lunch prix fixe and added a veal cutlet.
Among the dishes I tried were
–Appetizer of lobster, poached egg, mushrooms & bread crumble.
More subtle, earthy flavors, with some interesting rich textures.
Not my fav, but generally solid.
–Pork Loin with kale and potato dumplings
Very tender, tasty, delicious well cooked pork dish that had some robust balanced flavors.
Condiments were awesome with nice au jus based sweet sauce, mustard seeds, and cooked.
–Veal Weinerschnitzel (I added this to my prix fixe).
Well prepared meat with excellent airy breading.
The condiments of cucumber dumpling & lingonberry jam were great.
Didn’t care too much for the more aggressive and starch heavy potato salad.
–Kaiserschmarnn (also added this to my prix fixe)
Light, well prepared chopped pancakes with a beautiful sear & a nice liquor flavor.
The more tart apples and sauce were effective condiments.
Ambiance is pretty laid back, elegant, and cosy.
It seemed a bit retro to me, but I felt it was tasteful.
Service was good but not great.
The restaurant only seemed to have a single dedicated waiter at the time I visited and other staff didn’t appear as informative or friendly.
I think we both forgot the dessert course of our prix fixe
Detailed Review will go into each course further.
This will be a longer review with multiple ‘updates’ that might be difficult to see with a smartphone.
***Detailed Review
–Amuse of roasted watermelon, fresh basil, basil oil, vinaigrette reduction.
(Dish Rating, 86%)
This was a refreshing beginner course. What was most notable was the blend of vibrant sweet flavors coming from the watermelon and the fresh basil. Both were intense and vibrant. The vinaigrette is mixed with a basil oil that lends a more mellow acidity and provides a pleasant contrast. There was a pinch of salt on top that gave the dish a slight salty touch, although the effect flavor wise is much more subtle relative to other flavors present.
Textures were simple but inventive. I enjoyed the soft crunchiness and light juices of the watermelon along the heavier basil oil. It also seems as if the watermelon might have been lightly seared from both ends although it was barely noticeable. The few salt crystals on top gave a slightly more aggressive crunch than the fruit.
–POCHIERTES EI
Soft Poached Egg, Lobster, Hen of the Woods, Pumpernickel (part of lunch prix fixe or $ 18)
(Dish Rating 76%)
This was a more delicate dish of lobster with foam, ‘hen of woods’ mushrooms, and toasted pumpernickel bread, broken up into a crunchy soil. The mushrooms seem to be mixed in well into the bread, blending together well. Flavors were often much more subtle presence. Overall it was executed well and had it’s own character, although it was my least favorite dish of the lunch.
Flavor wise, nothing in particular stands out robustly, although everything is pretty balanced. The flavor most prominent appears to be a light saltiness, probably from the bread. I did enjoy the flavor of the lobster over the rich egg yolk, but at times I felt the bread’s saltiness was a tad distracting, but not terribly so.
Textures of the dish seem to be more involving, with a more notable crunchiness of the bread contrasted with the delicate, tender, and moist lobster along with the rich egg yolk. Because the mushrooms were so well integrated into the fried bread, it was often hard to tell it’s presence apart from it. The foam didn’t appear to have much flavor, but lent more of an airy quality to the dish.
Although I wasn’t wowed by this starter, I felt it was very comfortable and had more of a distinct earthy character. Overall it was certainly good, but not something I felt was outstanding.
*to be continued, please refer to ‘earlier review’

Loving the dessert’s caramelized pancakes & chocolate hazelnut soufflé!