Per Se vs. Eleven Madison Park

[JayJay]



Going up to NY next month for work, which happens to coincide with my girlfriend's b-day.. already made Per Se reservations. I'm wondering where else we should go and EMP is high on the list. Anything I should know or any other recommendations? (Daniel, Le Bern also on list)

You have a good list, can't go wrong with any of those.

 

[Pat]

those are all great, but i want to throw a shout out to corton. not as good overall as per se or emp, but definitely more thought provoking and boundary pushing.

 

[ac21686]



Going up to NY next month for work, which happens to coincide with my girlfriend's b-day.. already made Per Se reservations. I'm wondering where else we should go and EMP is high on the list. Anything I should know or any other recommendations? (Daniel, Le Bern also on list)

Pretty standard list of fine dining...nothing wrong with it, just don't see much variation here except of course Le Bernardin being a seafood restaurant. EMP is pretty wonderful, but I thought the service was really over the top as previously mentioned...I appreciate that they're nice, but it felt like something out of Disney World and honestly I came close to laughing a few times. I'll take it over the service I received at Daniel and Le Bernardin any day of the week though...found both almost unbearably stuffy and obnoxious. There were a few dishes at Le Bernardin that I thought were fantastic, but I was pretty disappointed overall in the tasting menu, but perhaps it is just not my style of food. I actually thought the desserts were the best part; really, really great desserts but unfortunately I think the guy in charge has since left. I liked Jean Georges far more than those two. Only downside to my meal at JG was them cutting ******* marshmallows tableside.

I would recommend Corton as well...I thought I'd hate it from seeing pictures and reading the menu, but I ended up thinking it was a fantastic meal. Others I would add:

The Modern
Ciano
Marea - great if you stick to the pasta side, I've had three different entrees there and always thought I should've just ordered another pasta. That seems to be what others say if you look around.
Cafe Boulud - Better atmosphere and food than Daniel, although many would disagree. Love this place a lot.
15 East if you like sushi. Rest of the menu was excellent as well.
Sorella
Hearth

 

[Lizard23]



Pretty standard list of fine dining...nothing wrong with it, just don't see much variation here except of course Le Bernardin being a seafood restaurant. EMP is pretty wonderful, but I thought the service was really over the top as previously mentioned...I appreciate that they're nice, but it felt like something out of Disney World and honestly I came close to laughing a few times. I'll take it over the service I received at Daniel and Le Bernardin any day of the week though...found both almost unbearably stuffy and obnoxious. There were a few dishes at Le Bernardin that I thought were fantastic, but I was pretty disappointed overall in the tasting menu, but perhaps it is just not my style of food. I actually thought the desserts were the best part; really, really great desserts but unfortunately I think the guy in charge has since left. I liked Jean Georges far more than those two. Only downside to my meal at JG was them cutting ******* marshmallows tableside.
I would recommend Corton as well...I thought I'd hate it from seeing pictures and reading the menu, but I ended up thinking it was a fantastic meal. Others I would add:
The Modern
Ciano
Marea - great if you stick to the pasta side, I've had three different entrees there and always thought I should've just ordered another pasta. That seems to be what others say if you look around.
Cafe Boulud - Better atmosphere and food than Daniel, although many would disagree. Love this place a lot.
15 East if you like sushi. Don't know how Sushi of Gari is anymore after he left for Japan. Always thought he was a dick anyway.
Sorella
Hearth

Are you referring to Sushi Yasuda? I know Yasuda left to return to Japan but was unaware that Gari did the same. FWIW Sushi Yasuda is still fantastic. Yasuda could be gruffif he didnt like you but I always had great experiences there.

 

[ac21686]



Are you referring to Sushi Yasuda? I know Yasuda left to return to Japan but was unaware that Gari did the same. FWIW Sushi Yasuda is still fantastic. Yasuda could be gruffif he didnt like you but I always had great experiences there.

Yeah, my mistake! I was referring to Sushi Yasuda, have been to each of them one time a while back. Guess he must not have liked me

 

[gdl203]

Both Yasuda and Gari are great - in very different ways. I actually find myself enjoying dinners at Gari more than Yasuda now.

 

[gomestar]

I love 15 East. I keep trying to convince Manton to go with me since he is a sushi philistine but he is always meh to the idea

 

[gdl203]

Maybe take him to Gari - closer to midtown and the pairing of sushi with toppings and sauces really does add some interest, both for sushi amateurs and those who don't usually enjoy sushi as much. Bond St copied the concept but doesn't execute as well IMO.

 

[gomestar]

Perhaps that will work.

We have two places on our list that will (maybe) happen first - Per Se being the first and Brooklyn Fare the second.

 

[whiteslashasian]



I have been somewhat disappointed in the evolution of EMP over the last couple of years. I liked the old menu better and I thought they did a fantastic job of being right in the middle of casual and high brow in terms of both food and service. I liked the food, though the service was exceptional, and loved the room. Now it just seems colder and has moved toward the "event" type experience, which I really don't care for.

This is the sentiment I have as well. My original trip back in the summer of '09 was quite magical. It has lost that feeling for me since.

 

[nmprisons]



This is the sentiment I have as well. My original trip back in the summer of '09 was quite magical. It has lost that feeling for me since.

Strange. My first visit in 2008 was phenomenal. My most recent two (2012) were also phenomenal. A few in between were only very good. Perhaps its worth a return?

 

[gdl203]

I've shared a similar sentiment in other threads. I was less than impressed by how the food on the plates tasted last time I was there. It may be unfair to say that but I feel the place is much more focused on plating and making the plates look pretty than ensuring it tastes great. I cannot quite pinpoint when this happened but I believe it was a gradual phenomenon, maybe somewhat driven by foodies and all that food photography. I remember only a couple of dishes that used fancy geometric plating back when Humm took over (there was a dish of beet cubes), with multiple dishes being traditionally plated (and generally delicious). Now it seems that every dish is an explosion of colors and dots, where visual trumps taste. I can't say I'm enthused by the idea of a kitchen run by food stylists.

 

[mgm9128]

The best tasting dish I had at EMP was the ugliest looking one.

 

[Grayland]

I'm a fan of Bouley. I've taken people there for lunch. $55 tasting menu for lunch - quite elegant and pretty damn affordable. Jackets are required.

 

[gdl203]

Had lunch at Bouley a couple weeks ago. Great food and service. I can't stand the decor though - I really wish they hired a decent interior designer; they had the opportunity when they moved but they did more of the same.