Eleven Madison Park

11 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010

Tel 212 889-0905

March 2008

This was my second phenomenal meal at Eleven Madison Park in the span of a few weeks. This time around, we thought it might be fun to order Chef Daniel Humm’s “Gourmand” tasting menu to get a deeper sense of his style. The succession of small tastes was brilliant. Each dish sparkled with creativity and freshness. There were a number of especially profound dishes on the menu, but those we enjoyed most included the Cape Cod Bay crab, the foie gras and the Black Angus beef. The Nova Scotia lobster was probably the most deeply satisfying course, as the combination of perfectly cooked sweet lobster meat and morels was divine. It alone was worth the price of admission. The halibut dish would have been superb, but it was ever so slightly overcooked.

Our wines were equally delicious. As always, Wine Director John Ragan and his staff did a fabulous job with the service. Domaine Schoffit 2005 Riesling Rangen Clos Saint-Théobald was a compelling wine that developed beautifully with air. It showed off gorgeous notes of lime peel, passion fruit, jasmine and minerals and a full-bodied, generous personality. The wine’s underlying minerality and constantly changing aromas and flavors made in an especially versatile wine with our first courses. Fourrier’s 2005 Chambolle - Musigny Les Gruenchers Vielles Vignes revealed superb depth and richness with subtle notes of game, earthiness and tar that added complexity to the wine’s sweet, dark fruit. This was an especially powerful and masculine expression of Chambolle. The 2003 Vouvray Moelleux Cuvée Constance from Huet was an unexpected surprise. This sweet, full-bodied wine flowed onto the palate with a gorgeous expression of candied apricots, baking spices, flowers and orange peel. Most of its appeal was immediate, as the wine lacked some persistence, but it was a joy to drink alongside our cheeses. All in all, this was a superb dinner. Anyone interested in the finest New York City has to offer in food and wine owes themselves a visit to Eleven Madison Park.

Food:

Royal Sterling caviar, soft poached Knoll Crest Farm egg and tapioca

Heirloom beets, liquid sphere with Lynnhaven “Chèvre Frais”

Cape Cod Bay crab, roulade with avocado, lime and yogurt

Foie gras terrine with rhubarb, celery and pickled ramps

Wild Atlantic halibut seared with cauliflower, green almonds and crayfish

Nova Scotia lobster poached with wild nettles and Oregon morels

Niman Ranch pork belly sous-vide with peas à la Française

Black Angus beef, herb roasted with asparagus, parmesan and sauce Bordelaise

Selection of farmstead cheeses

Strawberry vacherin, basil and black pepper

Chocolate peanut butter palette with popcorn ice cream

Wine:

2005	Domaine Schoffit Riesling Rangen Clos Saint-Théobald	92
2005	Fourrier Chambolle- Musigny Les Gruenchers Vielles Vignes	91
2003	Huet Vouvray Moelleux Cuvée Constance	93

--Antonio Galloni