NYC — Autumn 2012: Per Se

I made plans to meet up with my brother for dinner on Monday evening, and when he asked what type of cuisine we'd be interested in, the girls and I agreed on French (since we knew we would already be having Italian, Japanese, and American on this trip). So he surprised me and made us reservations at Per Se, 'cause I'd been asking him to take me there for over a year. For dinner, they offer two nine-course menus that change daily, one of which is vegetarian (Tasting of Vegetables) and one that is non-vegetarian (Chef's Tasting Menu). All five of us indulged in the nine-course Chef's Tasting Menu:

Amuse-bouche: Gruyère Gougeres

Amuse-bouche: Salmon Tartar Cornette Canapé with Crème Fraîche and Chives

"Oysters and Pearls" — "Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Sterling White Sturgeon Caviar

Per Se offers the best amuse-bouches I have ever had the pleasure of sampling. First, a Gruyère gougere, one per person. A single little nugget of pure joy. I don't know how they make it, but it's like a super-fancy baked biscuit filled with gooey Gruyère cheese. You eat one and you seriously want 800 more. Next up is their famous cornet canapés, again one per person. A little cone filled with red onion crème fraîche, topped with a scoop of silky salmon belly tartar and topped with chives. Gone in three bites, I seriously wish it was a giant cone instead of a little teaser. Then came the first course of the evening. "Oysters and Pearls" is the signature dish at Per Se and is offered in the Chef's Tasting Menu every day. A serious indulgence, if there ever was one, and was also the unanimous favourite course of the evening. A generous dollop of caviar and delicate little oysters in a custard of tapioca that is whipped until velvety smooth. Exquisite.

Parker House Roll with Cow's Milk and Goat's Milk Butters

Salts!

Even the bread service is fancy at Per Se. They start you off with a single, delectable, freshly baked Parker House roll, still warm from the oven. Once devoured (in approximately 30 seconds — this is the kind of bread that you do not leave on your side plate), a server will walk by with a huge basket tray of more bread; pretzel rolls, sour dough buns, mini baguettes, potato bread, ciabattas. A carb lovers' dream! And they offer not one, but two types of butter, made fresh and formed in different shapes. The one that looks like a beehive is made from cow's milk from a local farm and the one that looks like a teardrop is made from goat's milk from a local farm. Then a fancy-looking bowl with six compartments is presented, one for a different type of salt from six different locations. What to do with these salts? Sprinkle them on top of the buttered bread. Oh, yeah, this is eating bread on a whole other level.

Salad of Black Mission Figs — Belgian Endive, Young Fennel, Toasted Almonds, Red Amaranth, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Sautéed Fillet of Atlantic Cod — "Ragoût" of Summer Pole Beans, Tomato "Concassé," Garlic Melba, and Garden Thyme

Butter Poached Nova Scotia Lobster — "Ris de Veau," Pearl Onions, Petite Turnips, Fines Herbes, and "Sauce Blanquette"

The salad course featured fresh black mission figs, Belgian endive, young fennel, toasted almonds, red amaranth, and aged balsamic vinegar. (Looks almost too delicate to stick a fork into, really.) A symphony of flavours: sweet, tart, sour, and slightly bitter. It's got everything covered, and somehow balances each other out. Fresh and light, readying your appetite for heavier courses to come. Next up was the sautéed fillet of Atlantic cod, a most perfectly cooked piece of fish, tender but still flaky with a lovely golden crust on top. It sat atop a pool of hearty pole beans in a most addictively flavourful creamy sauce. A piece of garlicky "melba" finished off the whole thing with a most satisfying crunch. Still on the theme of seafood came the lobster. Really, it had me at "butter poached." I like that they kept the lobster itself whole and simply cooked (or "poached," really). Soft, tender, and slightly sweet. Just beautiful.

Four Story Hill Farm's "Cuisse de Poularde à la Forestière" — Applewood Smoked Bacon, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Braised Collard Greens, and "Sauce Périgourdine"

Herb Roasted Elysian Fields Farm's Lamb — "Fleur de Courgette Farcie à la Ratatouille," Globe Artichokes, Golden Polenta, and Lamb Jus

Meadowcreek Dairy's "Mountaineer" — Cauliflower Gratin, Medjool Dates, Broccolini "Florettes," Crispy Red Onion Rings, and Burgundy Mustard

The first of the meat courses was "Cuisse de Poularde à la Forestière." Per Se says it's "Applewood smoked bacon," but I say it's a ridiculously delicious smoked chunk of pork with the perfect meat-to-fat ratio. Oh, glory! The mushrooms and collard greens added a nice textural difference while their earthy flavours complimented the smokiness of the meat. Then came the main course: Elysian Fields Farm's lamb. Oh, this lamb, this gorgeous piece of lamb. Cooked barely medium rare, the meat was just so soft, so tender, so juicy. I realize that the gamey taste that lamb has is not for everyone, but lamb lovers need this in their lives. It was served with a lovely zucchini blossom filled with finely minced ratatouille, pieces of artichoke hearts, and a perfectly formed polenta "cake." So delicious, and just beautifully executed. After the lovely lamb came a course called the "Mountaineer." It seemed a little underwhelming after so many epic courses, as it just seemed like cheese on cauliflower. It was tasty, mind you, and I liked how the sweetness of the little dates and the mild spiciness of the mustard complimented the cheesey cauliflower. But typically, the cheese course is much lighter, kind of like a segue into the dessert. This just seemed a little out of place and too heavy to be served after the main course.

"Rainbow Sherbet" — "Biscuit Dacquoise," Whipped Orange Cream, and Garden State Raspberry Sorbet

"Ants on a Log" — Per Se Raisins, Salted Peanuts, Lime-Celery Soda, and Concord Grape Sherbet

Time for the palate cleanser before the official dessert. In this case, a small glass with a base of dacquoise biscuit and tart raspberry sorbet with a most heavenly, airy, whipped orange cream. Seemingly simple, but oh-so lovely. And finally, the main dessert! Apparently, the chef is feeling very whimsical and nostalgic lately and has decided to base his desserts on childhood favourites. I decided to choose the lighter option, which was his rendition of "Ants on a log" (the other choice was "Junior Mint"). In place of celery, a foamy lime-celery "soda" presented in a white chocolate tube. In place of raisins, a heavenly Concord grape sherbet, fresh grapes, and a piece of dried grape "lace." In place of peanuts, soft chunks of peanut butter cookie. Eaten separately, they are not that exciting. But eaten together? An explosion of harmonious flavours! Absolutely sublime, and no regrets on my choice at all. (The Junior Mint wasn't nearly as good, in my opinion.)

An assortment of housemade chocolates — Hazelnut cream dark chocolate, hazelnut crisp milk chocolate, and coconut-curry white chocolate

"Mignardises" — Hazelnuts in caramel shells and dusted in chocolate

"Mignardises" — Mini macarons

"Mignardises" — White, milk, and dark chocolate truffles

"Mignardises" — House-made caramels

Of course, it never ends with just dessert when it comes to these fancy tasting menus. There are follow-up desserts, known as mignardises. At Per Se, a server brings around a massive chest of house-made chocolates, each row with a different kind: dark, milk, and white. You can pick as little or as many as you like. I personally chose the hazelnut cream dark chocolate, hazelnut crisp milk chocolate, and coconut-curry white chocolate. Wonderfully creamy and flavourful, though I do regret getting two with hazelnut bases (I sort of just picked them as he was listing them off). And after that, a big bowl of addictive caramel-coated hazelnuts dusted in chocolate, and a lovely assortment of mini macarons, chocolate truffles, and caramels to go with our coffees.

Take Home Gift — Chocolate-filled shortbread sandwich cookies

As if that wasn't enough, you get to take apart of Per Se home with you. In our case, four delightful shortbread sandwich cookies filled with chocolate ganache, all pretty in a little cellophane bag with a silk Per Se ribbon tied on. If you ever have the opportunity to experience Per Se, please do it. It is not so much a dinner as it is a dining experience. A four-hour, nine-course, $295 event. And I tell you, everything is impeccable (it is a three-star Michelin restaurant, after all). The service is beyond phenomenal; our servers were so polite, so courteous (they give you stools to put your handbags on!), so helpful, and so informative. And when they actually serve you the food, it's like a choreographed dance, each server setting down each plate in front of each person at exactly the same time and then simultaneously lifting the lids off each plate.

A truly spectacular experience.

Per Se

10 Columbus Circle

New York, NY 10019

(212) 823-9335