I can’t believe it’s been a month since I wrote, but the meals I’ve had since then were well worth the wait. I recently dined at Le Bernardin in New York. Ethereal is a good word to describe the experience. By the end of my meal, I was in a state of ecstasy, exactly what I want from a fine dining experience. The service was flawless and refined. When I dine at fine restaurants, I do not want to feel like I am being watched. At Le Bernardin, my needs were taken care of without that stare that a lot of waitstaff often have. I read a thread on Chowhound that compared the decor of Le Bernardin to the lobby of a hotel or office building, but I would refer to it as understated. The restaurant is French and seafood. The menu reads horizontally and offers selections that are either “simply raw,” “barely touched,” or “lightly cooked.” Indeed, as each course arrived, it was evident that a meticulous hand had created it.
A starter–a salmon spread with bread:
The first course–tuna carpaccio with truffle oil and foie gras:
Truthfully, my picture doesn’t do the tuna justice. This dish was incredible, so melt-in-your-mouth wonderful. The flavors were truly heavenly and smooth.
The second course–baked wild striped bass with corn cannelloni and a light Perigord sauce:
Before dessert, I was served this lovely treat–a chocolate mousse with caramel froth and fleur de sel, served in an egg shell:
I was instructed to insert the spoon far down to make sure that I got all the layers as the flavors were to be tasted in unison. It was absolutely divine.
As if that weren’t dessert enough, dessert–hazelnut, gianduja cream, Oregon hazelnuts, honey, banana and brown butter ice cream:
Nothing was left on my plate, and I ordered tea to bask in my wonderful meal. Some charming cookies were presented to me in a folded napkin. They were almond and pistachio and delicious:
This restaurant was probably the best in which I’ve ever had the pleasure of dining. I was also pleasantly surprised as Eric Ripert came out to take compliments.








































