The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.
Complimentary Champagne – Domaine Gresser 2007
Brioche, Olive Focaccia, Sourdough, Salted Butter
Red Beet Cannelloni with Lemon- Montrachet Goat Cheese
Gouda- Parmigiano-Reggiano Gougeres
Celery Root, Potato, Black Truffle Arancini with Black Truffle Aoili
Chicken Liver Spread with White Wine Glazed Shallots over Toasted Brioche with Candied Kumquat
Fried Green Market Green Tomatoes with shaved Zucchini Squash, Lemon Vinaigrette, Black Olive Aoili
Grilled Lobster with salad of avocado, frisee, fresh hearts of palm, citrus-basil dressing
House Cured Terrine of Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Pineapple Chutney, Toasted Sicilian Pistachios, Ice Wine-Yuzu Gelee, Caramelized Pineapples, Toasted Brioche
Roasted Baby Beet and Artichoke Salad with Goat Cheese Mousse, Sweet Carrot Puree, Radishes, Carrots, Basil Seed Vinaigrette
Parmesan and Lemon Risotto with Mousseron Mushrooms, Toasted Pine Nuts, Mustard Greens, Parmesan Foam, Herbs Fines
Truffled Creamy Parmesan Grits and Sunny Side Up Squire Hill Farm Arucana Country Egg with House Cured Veal Bacon and Preserved Black Truffles
Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with Sugar Snap Peas, Rhubarb, Orange Segments, with Walnut Vinaigrette
California Sea Urchin and Angel Hair Carbonara with Sea Lettuce, Lime, Soy
Oven Roasted Poussin with Spatzel, Morel Mushrooms, Fava Beans, Young Garlic Emulsion
Pan Roasted Black Sea Bass with Saffron Cauliflower Puree, Confit tomato, braised artichoke, baby fennel, finished with Marjoram emulsion
Steamed Chocolate Pudding Cake with Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream, Caramel Sauce
Rhubarb and Strawberry Tart with Honey Tuille and Frozen Goat Yogurt, Strawberry Sauce
Greenmarket Strawberry Napoleon with Pistachio Ice Cream
Ice Creams – Chocolate, Passion Fruit, Coconut Lime, Pear, Blood Orange
In a city of Michelin Stars it has always seemed strange to me that Tocqueville has gone unnoticed despite the consistent praise it receives from people and palates I trust and on the day that the Kings stood poised to capture their first Stanley Cup I visited Marco Moreira’s grand dining room with three of those people and had a truly wonderful Saturday lunch; a meal where the food and friends were matched by the superlative service and setting confirming what I had long suspected – that it is often better to trust your friends than any ‘guide,’ no matter how prestigious.
Admitting that two of my dining partners were known to the restaurant based on frequent visits and that our champagne as well as a couple of our amuses plus the Greenmarket salad were not offered to other tables the vast majority of what we ordered and received was paid for and available to all at a price far less than similar dishes at more highly acclaimed restaurants…and in many cases the version at Tocqueville was just as wonderful, sometimes even better.
From high thread count linens and highly polished silver at hand to oil paintings, mirrors, and chandeliers overhead plus a bounty of exotic ingredients married with fresh organic produce and complex sauces there should be no doubt about the luxury offered by the team at Tocqueville and with everything from the outstanding bread basket to the vegetables, pastas, proteins, and desserts on par with those offered in world class kitchens my only regret is that I overlooked the restaurant for so long – Michelin starred or not this is a spot that should be on any short list for best fine dining in New York and in all but a handful of United States cities Chef Jason Lawless‘ cooking would be the best in a hundred mile radius; a bold statement for sure but one I’d stand by and one strong enough that I fully intend to see what Marco’s team at newly starred 15 East is doing very soon.