Per Se (2)

It all started back in early September of this year. I found myself with plenty of leftover dough from my summer job, and plenty of sensible things to potentially do with it, the least of which being to spend it on a restaurant. Yet fate displayed its dominance, and I decided that once again, I would throw away $298 on a single meal. This would be my third time going, and I am often asked why I am continuously drawn back to Per Se. The rest of this paper will aim to answer that question.

It was September 29th; exactly two months from the Saturday of Thanksgiving break and one of the few times I would be able to make the trek up to New York to dine at Per Se. I would have to call to make the reservation at Per Se at exactly 10 A.M today if I had any hope of getting that Saturday reservation. The only problem? I had school.

I sat patiently in my 9:30 – 10:25 science class as the clock neared 10. Very strategically, at exactly 9:57, I innocently asked to use the bathroom. I walked, no sprinted to the bathroom down the hall. I scrolled down my contact list until I reached Per Se, then dialed, and waited… After three minutes of waiting, a janitor came in. I cowered against the wall, praying he wouldn’t take my phone. “Is it an important call?” “Oh my god yes” I genuinely responded. He told me I had five minutes, then strolled back out of the bathroom. I waited anxiously, attempting telepathic communication with my phone. When that failed, I simply yelled at it. At that moment, almost as if on cue, the janitor returned and told me to go back to class. It was too late. Now all the reservations were surely gone. I waited an hour for lunch then called again. Everything was booked. It looked there would be no Per Se for me this time around. Maybe God was telling me to invest my money for college.

I arrived home later that day and explained the situation to my mom. I begged and pleaded with her to let me try tomorrow to make a reservation for the Sunday of Thanksgiving break, despite it being inconvenient with the next day being a school day and such. She finally obliged. I felt slightly guilty. If God had been telling me to invest money for college, I was laughing in his face. If he ate there I’m sure he’d understand.

Lucky for me, September 30th I had off school for a Jewish holiday (I believe). At exactly 10:00 A.M. eastern time, my sister, mother and I all called Per Se. I was bringing in the reinforcements this time around; there was no way I’d fail. My sister got through first after 15 minutes of waiting, and I snagged one of the day’s last available reservations- 11:30 for lunch. I wonder what the hostess thought of me as she spoke to me on the phone. I was like a kid on Christmas.

After much waiting, I found myself heavy in anticipation on a bus with my dad and sister to New York. I fell asleep, dreaming of foie gras and pork belly as the bus sped across the freeway. We arrived around 9, and my dad and sister soon departed, leaving me alone in New York. I felt like Holden Caulfield. I was a kid alone in New York with a lot of dough. Moreover, like Holden, I would be burning through this dough pretty quick. Per Se was no phony however. Oh no, this was the real deal.

Per Se is a world away from the plush boutiques of the lower levels of the AOL Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle. Glass doors slide open to reveal a zen-like space, dominated by muted browns and grays. If New York is the city that never sleeps, you can at least get some rest in Per Se. Upon entering I was greeted by a flurry of hello’s and happy birthday’s (I was going for my birthday) and was led to my table. A letter was waiting for me on my table. I opened it to a card that read “you’re not getting older per se…” Thomas Keller had signed it at the bottom. I was already having a good time.

Soon after, I met my waiter James. I was told the chef would be cooking for me, and was asked if there was anything I had to have. I told him foie gras and pork belly, and thus began the extravaganza. Note (while I would like to describe every dish, I would run out of adjectives synonymous with “amazing,” and my review would become redundant. I will therefore summarize the experience)

Sparkling Cider instead of the customary champagne**** (I made a mistake in the original and said I was served champagne which a restaurant of Per Se's caliber would never serve to a minor) was poured upon my arrival, and I was given the Thomas Keller signatures; two gruyere cheese gougers and the salmon cornets. I immediately told James that I believed the meal had already reached its peak. He chuckled. My first course (Sunchoke and toasted almond soup with langoustines and almond oil) absolutely blew me away. The soup was perfectly smooth, salty, and full-bodied, the langoustines were uncharacteristically tender and not the least bit rubbery. I once again wondered if the meal had reached its peak, yet quickly dismissed this notion as a cauliflower mousse with mandarin glaze and a large helping of sturgeon caviar came out. I controlled myself and ate the mousse slowly, savoring every last bit with my mother of pearl spoon (necessary for not reacting with the caviar).

The momentum slowed however as I was served Shima Aji (fish in the yellowtail family) with sake granite. The fish was plain unctuous on its own and the sake granite tickled my underage taste buds, however together, the delicate fish was overwhelmed by the strong alcoholic flavor. After eating the next dish however, all missteps were forgotten. The dish was brought to me in a smoke-filled orb, the top half of which was removed to reveal a perfect rectangular piece of pork belly with radishes and a sultana raisin coulis. The smoke added a whole new dimension so the dish, giving the belly smoky undertones along with the unctuousness of thick, fatty pork belly. Call it bacon deluxe.

Tableside presentation added an interactive element to the dining experience. A whole de-boned quail stuffed with foie gras was brought to the table, before being taken back to the kitchen and sliced. Likewise, a large portion of Perigord black truffle (the finest) was shaven over buttery ricotta agnolotti at the table. Both dishes were stunning.

The bread, often overlooked in restaurants, was nothing to miss. A miniature soft pretzel roll put Philadelphia makers to shame and a crusty ciabatta roll transported me to Tuscany.

Per Se cooks variety meats just as well as luxury cuts. I was consecutively served veal sweetbreads then beef callote (cap of the rib-eye). The crispy sweetbread, served with turnips, swiss chard, and a brown butter-veal jus may have been the meal’s best dish. The meltingly tender beef callote, complimented by black trumpet mushrooms, baby Brussels sprouts, and a red wine vinegar sauce, wasn’t far behind.

Eating alone is often difficult, awkward, and more or less boring. My experience at Per Se was quite the opposite. I talked at length with my waiters about anything from how giving hungry prisoners candy and then not letting them drink was once a torture method (and how that would work on me), to how they became waiters. I even found that I shared a love of Fage Greek Yogurt with the wait staff (they eat it on their breaks). While I’m not sure if it pleased them every time I called them over to talk, they showed no evidence to the contrary. Overall, the service was phenomenal.

After the beef callote I asked to take a small break. I had just finished my 13th course, and was beginning to feel full. I ran to the bathroom, performed some breathing exercises, then returned to the table. I can’t imagine not finishing anything at Per Se.

The cheese course followed. Typical of Per Se and The French Laundry is a composed cheese plate with a single cheese. I was served 10 cheeses with four condiments! Highlights were shropshire blue, sierra de estrella, and Cabot creamery’s cheddar. The truffle honey was exceptional as well.

My sweet tooth was satisfied with a long list of desserts. A passion fruit sorbet with pomegranate syrup cleansed my palate, and the complex flavor of brown butter was showcased in a brown butter cake with a candied piece of granny smith apple. I expected the meal to end rather conventionally after that. I think I forgot I was at Per Se. My waiter brought out a whole chocolate cake that they had baked for me for my birthday! A lit candle stuck out the middle. I asked him if he was going to sing for me. He politely refused and told me that they would package up my cake to enjoy with my family, and bring me out a different dessert.

They brought me the signature “Coffee and Doughnuts.” This would be my third time having this dish, yet I was not the least bit unhappy. The yeasted cinnamon sugar doughnuts are accompanied by a cup that appears to be a cappuccino, however under the foamed milk is coffee ice cream. You eat a warm sugared doughnut with some cold coffee ice cream, and a job as a cop suddenly seems appealing.

My meal concluded with some truffles, a small dish of crème brulee, and some toffee. All of which I finished. I didn’t really need to finish them however. I was depressed because the meal had concluded. I was eating out my feelings My experience in New York had come full circle- I once again felt like Holden Caulfield. Per Se kills me.

I got my check, then paid the $298 without hesitation. I got up to leave but then returned to my table. I had almost forgotten my now-packaged cake. I began to walk out the door, but my waiter stopped me. “Thomas wanted you to have this,” and he gave me Thomas Keller’s new cookbook. That’s a $75 cookbook! I was in shock; I didn’t know what to say. I thanked my waiters relentlessly, then stumbled, awestruck, out of the restaurant. I had entered the restaurant at 11:30, I walked out at 4:15.

I walked away from the restaurant back to daily life. My steps were slow, I wanted to lengthen the experience. Again I pondered the question, “Why am I continuously drawn back to Per Se?” “This is why,” I thought, referring to my experience, and that’s the only explanation necessary.

Best Meal of My Life

Hello reader, would you like to know what I just spent six months of saved allowance on? No, it wasn't the IPhone, nor was it an Xbox 360. If you've been reading my blog (especially the last post) it should come as no surprise to you that this money was gone in 4 and a half hours of pure bliss. Lunch at Per Se.

Why would I spend half of my yearly income on a restaurant? Well this is no ordinary restaurant (read more here). I would not even degrade my time at this restaurant to the title of a "meal." Experience is much more appropriate.

Ok a few notes before we begin, I'm hitting myself now for this, but I was not able to take pictures because I was unable to turn the flash off my borrowed camera. 2nd, I will not be including every course in my review, it's already past my bedtime. Now, check this out, "When you acknowledge, as you must, that there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving toward perfection becomes clear: to make people happy. That's what cooking is all about." That's a quote from my hero, Thomas Keller (wow he's smart, and he's a chef), my English teacher would love him. It was indeed true, that my meal was not perfect, however the flaws that I describe to you deserve size 6 font, and had little effect on the overall experience (NOT MEAL). Keller's goal is to make people happy, and he has undoubtedly succeeded.

I waited impatiently as I stood behind a young couple on the escalator to the fourth floor of the AOL Time Warner Center. Per Se is, essentially in a shopping mall, however upon entering the grand room, dominated by muted browns, you are swept into a world away from the boutiques below. I tried, desperately, to surpress a grin as I walked through the sliding glass door, yet the childish glee welling up inside, got the best of me. My breath heavy, I greeted the hostess, and a waitor from my previous visit. No questions were asked about my reservation, and I was greeted by a flurry of "welcome back's" by the floor staff, as I was led to my table. The table presented a grand view, overlooking Columbus Circle, and the rest of the dining room, which would be useful if I was to spot any celebs (my waitress told me they had had Tom Brady come in a week ago).

Waiting at my table, was a letter. I tore it open, eager to examine its contents. It was a letter from Thomas Keller wishing me a wonderful afternoon full of special memories!!!! I was not poured champagne upon arrival, neither was I poured water. I was given some fancy Sparkling Cider! I met my waitress, Sandy, soon afterwards, and was told that rather than the regular 9 course meal, I would be prepared a 20 course feast! Can you imagine my excitement.

The meal started off playfully with Thomas Keller's signature salmon cornet. Keller got the idea for this while eating an ice cream cone in Baskin Robbins. The cornet is a tuile (kinda like a waifer), shaped like an ice cream cone, filled with creme fraiche and topped with salmon tartare. This course, served to every diner since Per Se's inception, is relavatory. With such a playful course to start, this fancy, high end restaurant becomes suddenly less pretensious.

The cornets are followed by Gruyere Cheese gougeres which are cheese puffs. No, no, no, I'm not talking about Cheetos (though the gougeres are "dangerously cheesy"), these present a much more refined "puff." A layer of light choux pastry juxtaposes a layer of rich, melting cheese. Give me more, please!

I thoroughly enjoyed a tumeric-scented eggplant soup, with toasted cardamom and icelandic yogurt. The eggplant soup, delicious on its own, was elevated to new heights with the addition of the slightly sour yogurt. Often a common reference point is necessary to understand something. Have you ever had blinis, caviar and creme fraiche? It being a classic combination, there is a good chance you have. I have too, and for this reason, I was able to determine that Keller's blini with creme fraiche and caviar, are far superior to all previous versions of the dish that I, or even you have ever had (don't argue with me, I'm right).

Now comes the part where you say, all literature has its conflict, or if you are a "Rock of Love" fan (TV show for you dinosaurs), every rose has its thorn. Such was true in the Butter Poached Lobster with kumquat confit, avocado puree, and citrus mousseline. The lobster was more rubbery than my liking, and the avocado puree seemed out of place. Another dish, called "Smoke," came to the table in an orb filled with smoke. The top was removed, allowing the smoky aroma to permeate my nostrils. The dish, sardine with a chickpea puree and pimenton oil, was rather bland, and other than the "wow" factor, the smoke contributed nothing to the finished dish.

On a lighter note, perhaps the measure of a great chef is not what he can do with luxury ingredients, but how he can transform lesser ones, as was displayed in the salad of Hawaiian hearts of palm with carmelized bananas and curry-banyuls vinegar gastrique. Rather bland hearts of palm were brought into realms of excellence. The sharp gastrique picked them up, adding unique and unexpected flavors of sweet, sour, and spicy (sugar, vinegar, curry), that presented an intricate yet flavorful playoff of different tastes. Did I say a great chef transforms lesser ingredients from slime to sublime? Oh, well I guess it can't hurt if he can deal with luxury too. A foie gras (my favorite food) terrine with pistachio buter, a poached fig and toasted brioche was so wonderfully rich that rather than argue with them, I believe Keller should give foie gras protestors free samples of this stuff. Unlike most overly sweet foie gras courses, the fig lended a gentle sweetness, which did not overpower the delicate richness of the foie. The perfectly golden brioche came from the hand of Midas. In addition, seven salts (maldon, fleur de sel, sel gris, 2 red ones, and 2 infused with volcanic ash), were given for this course, and for future courses. Due to my unfortunate age, my waitress was not able to pour me the traditional sauternes with my foie gras. Instead I received a Gewurtziminer grape juice! (Which I totally forgot about because I was so immersed in eating my foie) Attention to detail is really what seperates Per Se from other restaurants.

One of cooking's greatest challenges is the perfection of simple food (trust me, I know). With such simple food, pristine ingredients are necessary, as was apparent in the following courses. Tataki of Wagyu Sirloin with edamame and scallion salad was simply raw slices of kobe beef (doused in soy sauce) with scallions and a few edamame. The beef was well marbled and silky and was complimented traditionally with the scallions. A dish of hand cut tagliatelle with black winter truffles was likely the standout of the night. The pasta was exceptionally rich (clearly because of the high ratio of egg yolks to flour), and provided more than just a vehicle for the robust, heavenly, truffle flavor.

Other standouts included a veal sweatbread, over a scrambled egg and truffle coulis. The scrambled egg was scrambled just until the curds began to form and lended itself beautifully to both the sweatbread and the truffle. The sweatbread was crispy and flavorful, without the off-putting texture commonly associated with offal. A dish entitled "Pork and Beans" was nowhere reminiscent of its canned namesake. It was composed of a 24 hour braised pork belly, and a cassoulet of pole beans with veal jus. The skin was infinitely crispy, while the meat remained tender. The veal jus connected the pork and the beans, creating one hell of a culinary combination.

Ok, now I must talk about the secret life of my sweet tooth. Ever seen that show on the food network, the secret life of...? Well this tooth right here deserves an episode. Sweets are guiltlessly devoured when no one is watching, and I have disappointed my mother on numerous occasions when she has left her fudge unattended. Anyway, I was quite excited to get my dessert! "Shirley Temple," my waitress told me that because I was underage, they would serve me this. It was ginger sherbet, grenadine "confetti," sour cherry bread pudding, and tonic water foam. This was presented on one of those one bite, mini chinese spoons and was delicious. I don't even know why it was good, but I took one bite and loved it. The best dessert of the night by far was a Per Se signature, "Coffee and Doughnuts," cinnamon sugared doughnuts with cappuccino semifreddo (almost ice cream). Let me say, Per Se could run Dunkin Donuts bankrupt with this. This comes to your table with one doughnut, and its hole, and the semifreddo in a coffee mug with foamed milk on top (it looks like a latte). It takes but a glance around the room, to see other diners experiencing the same awe, upon receiving this dish.

The service at Per Se, can simply be described as amazing. Every detail is accounted for, and you can be sure that your water, wine, or in my case sparkling cider glass will remain full. Your bread plate does not remain vacant for long and the check is brought before you must ask. The waitors are like transformers, changing their approach and formality to suit the guest (I witnessed this transformation by watching the tables around me). Most importantly, the overly pretensious mandate for high end waitors is nonexistant. I felt comfortable talking to my wonderful waitress Sandy, about well, anything.

How does this meal stack up against my other adventures in fine dining? Well remember, unlike my other adventures, this was no mere meal. This was an experience, putting my time at Per Se in a league of its own. Asking me to describe the pleasures experienced here is an unrealistic request, for this meal stretched to otherworldly boundaries. In a time dominated by fast food, quick fix meals and Sandra Lee, such a relavatory, four hour experience at Per Se seems like a savior in this era of shortcuts.

As the meal came to a close, sadness was inevitable. I struggled with my bursting stomach, pushing its limits in an attempt to savor every last bite. Finally, after all the desserts were presented, I was brought the check. $298.03 was the final bill. Now, you might think parting with that money was difficult, but I can't think of a better use for it then perhaps, spending it on Thomas Keller's Napa Valley Restaurant, The French Laundry. I even threw in a few extra bucks for the superb service. Afterwards I was taken back to the kitchen to meet the chef (Thomas Keller was not there). In the kitchen, certain reminders, and motivators for the chefs are posted on the walls. Below the clock, a label reads "Sense of Urgency," in a walkway, the Michelin 3 star award is posted, most notably, above the door to the dining room a sign says "Finesse- Refinement and delicacy, in performance, execution, and artisanship." I was led out of the kitchen and to the door, but before I left, I was presented with a signed menu, a box of chocolate truffles, chocolates and other goodies, and a signed French Laundry cookbook which is a 50 DOLLAR COOKBOOK! They told me that "Thomas thought you should have a signed copy." I left still brimming in the excitement of the experience. As soon as I walked out I paused to see what Thomas had written. Scribbled in big letters, on the title page was "It's all about finesse," and you can believe me, those words will not be easily forgotten.

Excited!

Considering this week was spring break for me, and that I was skiing with the family, I had few chances to post on my blog. That said, you can be sure that a big post will be coming up shortly. How can I make such a guarantee? Tomorrow I'm going to Per Se. Yes, the famed famed temple of Thomas Keller, where a single meal is guaranteed to set you back $275. 39 days ago I wrote this post and now the eve of my lunch at Per Se has arrived. My sleep will be scarce tonight. Anyway, I'm bringing my camera of course, and you can expect an account of the meal by Monday. The last time I got this excited was the night before my last meal at Per Se. Well Ok! Wish me luck!

Countdown to Per Se: 40 days!

If you're reading this, there's a good chance you already know this, but Thomas Keller is THE MAN. I could tell you why in a 5 page essay, but I already have one of those due for English tomorrow, and saying he's THE MAN sums it up just as well. Thomas Keller is pretty much what most cooks aspire to be. He is without question the best chef in America, and owns the best restaurant in America; The French Laundry. Per Se, the Laundry's cousin is just a Chinatown bus (and half a year's allowance) away, from my home in the Phili suburbs. So, it being so close, and me being so eager to go, I've already been there.

Though you can read this on about every New York Dining blog, it's amazing. 20 perfect courses, served with such an astute attention to detail, and such friendly service, that the $275 price tag is easily justified. After going there, I decided my next meal in New York would be Le Bernardin. So I saved up, and finally got there Thanksgiving weekend. Le Bernardin is one of the reasons that I hope I never have to eat grocery store seafood again. The food was on par with Per Se, however the detail, and phenomenal service were not as apparent (after I ordered, my waitress huddled with a few others, then pointed at me and said "the kid's ordering the tasting menu). After that I decided that Per Se was the place to go. I could eat at other four star "kingdoms" such as Jean Georges, almost twice for what it would cost me to go to Per Se, but right now at least, Per Se is the place that I know I have to go.

And so after going on that tangent, about 3 weeks ago, I realized that enough money had accumulated in my piggy bank for me to go again. And of course you have to call two months in advance, so I looked exactly 2 months and 1 day in advance and I was in luck. It was Spring Break, I had my mom call the next day at 10 in the morning and make the reservation. We got it. I'm going. Hence began the endless scouring of the internet in search of pictures, reviews, anything I could dig up. And so while 40 days may not seem important for you, I am 20 days closer than I once was, and for a kid who's idol is Thomas Keller, that is pretty exciting.

Alright, I better go work on my english essay.