Jean-Georges

1 Central Park West

New York, NY 10023

Tel. +1 (212) 299-3900

I can’t think of too many places I would rather have lunch in New York City than Jean-Georges. Everything simply works. The food is light and vibrant yet full of flavor, while the room is elegant but not overdone. It doesn’t hurt that Jean-Georges Vongerichten seems to always be in the kitchen during the day. The $38 lunch prix fixe (additional courses are $19/each) is one of the screaming values in New York City today.

I tend to gravitate towards fish at Jean-Georges, and these three dishes were all outstanding. I especially enjoyed the Yellowfin tuna ribbons with ginger marinade. The tuna was served quite chilled, but the spicy radish and ginger marinade added a sense of energy. The Scottish salmon with black truffle crumbs was a richer and could have easily been paired with red wine. The salmon was cooked perfectly, and all the elements melded together beautifully on the plate.

The 2010 Chardonnay Santa Barbara from Sandhi was outstanding, both on its own and with the food. Sandhi, a projected headed by Rajat Parr, Sashi Moorman and Charles Banks, is one of the most exciting new wineries in California. Their entry-level Chardonnay Santa Barbara was firing on all cylinders. Crushed rocks, citrus and flowers lingered on the long, beautifully articulated fruit. Although distinctly California and Santa Barbara in style, the wine also reflected the influence of Burgundy.

I don’t drink nearly enough Sancerre, something that was painfully clear to me when I tasted Crochet’s 2009 Sancerre La Croix du Roy. The wine showed gorgeous depth and richness, yet never abandoned its essential sense of minerality and drive. It was a beautiful wine that really came to life with our food.

I highly recommend a visit to Jean-Georges. I didn’t have time to indulge in the Egg Caviar, one of the signature dishes, but readers on a more relaxed schedule shouldn’t miss it! If I were visiting New York City, and only had time for one lunch, Jean-Georges would be at the very top of my list.

Food:

Scallop sashimi, chipotle mayo, crispy rice

Yellowfin tuna ribbons, avocado and spicy radish, ginger marinade

Scottish salmon with black truffle crumbs, smooth and crispy parsnips

Wine:

2010	Sandhi Chardonnay Santa Barbara County	91
2009	Domaine Lucien Crochet Sancerre La Croix du Roy	90

 -- Antonio Galloni

 [Cover photo and credit: Jean-Georges, New York]