My in-laws are food-lovers as well, and we always enjoy taking them someplace new when they visit us in NYC. On this occasion, they said that they wanted to go somewhere "weird". We put our heads together and once again came up with WD~50, which by this point we had learned would be closing later in the year.
The Yellow King
Rye, Clarified Pineapple, Date
I remember that my mother in-law ordered a martini, which was mixed in a centrifuge - she stated that it was the best martini she had ever had. Who knew that centrifugal mixing was the key?
Sesame Crisps
Oyster in its "Shell"
Preserved Lemon, Snow Pea, Hazelnut
A wonderfully playful start. The brininess of the oyster still came through the numerous other elements, including the edible "shell".
Ravioli
Egg Yolk / Mashed Potato Ravioli, Cucumber, Caviar
The ravioli skin was made of egg yolk and contained smooth mashed potatoes. It was great, though I felt it was a bit under-salted, and the caviar was insufficient to provide enough salinity.
Avocado/Pea Soup
Smoked Crab, Pistachio
The crab was smokey and sweet - a wonderful foil to the refreshing chilled soup.
Cuttlefish
Carrot, Chamomile, Schmaltz
I didn't expect this dish to be especially exciting, but it was one of the evening's standouts. The cuttlefish was unbelievably tender, and paired perfectly with the sweet and slightly sour elements on the plate. The accompanying orange wine was a splendid pairing.
Charred Chicken Liver
Szechuan, Injera, Melon
The rich liver purée worked very well with the cool melon, though I would have preferred the liver be served in a less spread-out presentation, as I found it difficult to scrape up for each bite.
Shrimp Grits
Pickled Jalapeño, Scallion
Possibly the best dish of the evening. This little three-bite course was exploding with rich, sweet corn and shrimp flavor.
Black Bass
Parsnip Jerky, Pickled Ginger, Nori Mustard, Nasturtium
Another standout, this reminded me of the squab dish I had previously that utilized freeze-dried mustard. The parsnip jerky was especially delicious, with a perfectly soft but still slightly chewy mouth-feel.
Pork Collar
Poppy Seed, Red Bell Pepper, Turnip, Tamarind
This course contained some very unique flavors, with bell pepper and tamarind taking on an almost salsa-like flavor.
Cured Duck Breast
Curds-N-Whey, Pickled Sweet Potato, Rice Noodle
Another contender for best dish, this was an absolutely perfect balancing act of flavor and texture.
Oat Meringue
Banana, Strawberry, Yeast
WD~50's desserts continued to impress, standing up against any and all savory courses, unlike the lackluster filler desserts at Per Se. The cracker, when combined with the other elements below, took on an almost foie-gras-like flavor.
Verbena Mousse
Rhubarb, Buckwheat, Camelina Oil
A deceptively simple presentation that hid startling complexity. Beneath the pristine red rhubarb shell was a multi-layer composition of mousse and buckwheat. Spectacular.
Ovaltine Cake
Marcona Almonds, Cardamom Ice Cream, Sheep's Milk Cheese
Another perfect combination of flavor and texture. Who knew Ovaltine could make such an amazing cake? Also, it comes in a round container, not oval - why don't they call it Roundtine?
Cookie Dough Ice Cream, Root Beer Chews
The best post-meal treat I've had served at WD~50. Each ice cream ball was actually a thin shell holding a liquid center. The root beer chews were fun and very satisfying (root beer being the king of sodas in my opinion).
