New York November 27th - Thanksgiving
Another one ticked off and another event that has completely overshadowed my list!
November 27th saw myself and Mark ticking off the 'Eat at a Michelin Star Restaurant' in New York. We went to Saxon + Parole on our first night in New York (316 Bowery at Bleecker, New York, NY 10012) which just so happened to be Thanksgiving and therefore a Set Menu where there was a small choice of starters and mains, along with a selection of side dishes (of which you could choose up to 3).
We chose the following dishes:
Mark Starter - Carrot ginger soup, toasted marshmallow, cilantro oil
Anna Starter - Olive oil poached Scottish Salmon, grilled leeks, roasted beet, horseradish yoghurt
Mark Main - Ashely Farms slow roaster turkey, charred lemon fennel, Armagnac gravy, cranberry-kumquat sauce.
Anna Main - Whole grilled & stuffed branzino, smoked paprika crust, charred Meyer lemon.
Sides - Chorizo cornbread stuffing, Mustard mashed potatoes, Crispy Brussels sprouts, chili caramel.
Dessert tasting board - pear pate de fruits, key lime meringue tart, cranberry orange financiers, pumpkin cheesecake bites, chocolate brownie squares, lemon miso sugar cookies, gingersnap cookies, autumn spice marshmallows, chocolate peanut butter tarts
Now the starter was delicious. Both of us very much enjoyed our choices (and each others choices). The salmon was absolutely cooked to perfection and completely melted in your mouth with every bite. I've never tasted anything like it, so for that very reason I feel like that dish alone has ticked this quest off the list!
Onto the main... this was disappointing unfortunately. It could well have been the choice I made (I didn't entirely know that Branzino was a fish... Fish followed by Fish is not something I would normally go for off a menu, however I was a little bit inebriated from drinking one too many glasses of bubbly seeing as Mark had proposed to me earlier in the evening........)
Oh! Did I forget to mention that? And so reveals the wonderful event that overshadowed my list ticking. Anyway, I shall reveal all in a separate blog but i feel I had to mention it because I don't know if I fully appreciated the Michelin Star Meal based on me having a little bit too much to drink beforehand and being super excited about getting engaged. The restaurant did very kindly give us a complimentary glass of wine each to celebrate - I'm not sure it helped my taste buds at all as kind as they were trying to be!
So back to meal... The main was disappointing. The fish was nice - a white fish and very well cooked again - but was hugely overpowered by it's stuffing which mainly seemed to be raw onion (I think?!). Mark liked his main but was underwhelmed by it also. Such a shame when the starter was so good. The side dishes were really good but there was just too much food and we had drank too much wine/fizz.
Pudding was unfortunately even more underwhelming, especially considering how many different options there were. It all tasted a bit the same. And again there was far too much of it! We ended up taking a big doggy bag back to the hotel and storing it in the hotel mini bar. I had a bit for breakfast the next day but due to lack of cutlery, it was difficult to try and eat mustard mash without it, so I gave up quite quickly. Again, I don't think the hangover would have done it any justice anyway!
So, I've ticked another one off... albeit not very well. Not entirely sure if this was genuinely down to the food or too much excitement/alcohol but I'm glad we did it anyway and to be honest nothing could have spoilt my mood that evening!
However, we managed to double tick this one off the list. Whilst in New York we also went to the Spotted Pig which is also a Michelin Star Restaurant, but with a completely different vibe - less fine dining and more comfort food done very very well. I definitely had the best burger I've ever had in my life - again melt in the mouth deliciousness. I didn't even have to chew the meat - it just melted on my tongue along with beautiful blue cheese and teamed with the skinniest shaved fries I've ever seen - beautiful.
However, I'm being particularly fussy about this one being ticked off the list. I still don't feel like it's done! Whilst the burger at the spotted pig was the most delicious burger I've ever eaten... it was a burger! And whilst the salmon at Saxon + Parole was the most exquisite fish I've ever tasted, the main was really disappointing.
So.... I had a cheeky look at the table availability for Tom Kerridges restaurant, The Hand and Flowers, and the next available table just happens to be on my birthday next year. So we've booked in. Update to follow next year.
Half ticked I would say...
