In late 2014, a month apart, my dear friend and long-time dining companion Al and I both got married. Rather than exchange wedding gifts, we decided to do a "recently wed" celebration with our new wives at Eleven Madison Park.
This was our second time dining at EMP (our first being our annual dinner the previous year). As of this writing (on 3/3/19), I've been back to the restaurant for dinner twice, but this magical evening was undoubtedly the best of all the visits (in no small part due to the company, I'm sure)!
Cheddar
Savory Black & White Cookie with Apple
Our first tidbit, the EMP classic Black & White Cookie (or as my wife Leah, a central NY native, insists on calling it, a "Half Moon Cookie").
Cocktails
Of course someone had to get the Manhattan Cart, so I volunteered. I chose the Arthur Avenue, a blend of Bourbon, Cynar, Carpano Punt e Mes Vermouth, and Mezcal. We were delighted to see our friend from last time, still pouring drinks from behind the rolling bar. In the bottom photo you can see Al and Megan's orders.
Widow's Hole Oysters
Hot and Cold with Apple and Chestnuts
This side-by-side presentation was a lot of fun, and showcased the versatility of oysters. The cold presentation sat on ice, and was topped with apple "snow", while the warm side was served on hot stones with finely grated chestnut.
Professor Fritz-Briem, Grodzkie, Bavaria, Germany
Our server and acting sommelier, a charismatic guy named Jon Ross, came to us early on asking us what we were thinking about drink-wise. Since Leah didn't enjoy wine much back then, we suggested incorporating a variety of beverages, with a focus on beer. Jon did not disappoint.
This first offering was described as a "proto-beer" from old times - it was eye-opening; slightly smokey with a nice sourness.
We noticed at this point that Jon was taking notes about our meal order on a Spider-Man notepad. Interesting...
Smoked Sturgeon
Pickled Cucumbers with Black Rye and Salmon
Whitefish Potato Salad
Beets with Apple and Trout Roe
Rye Crisps
Caviar with Cream Cheese
Pickled Mackerel, Fennel, and Dill
This immediately looked familiar to Al and I, though the accompaniments were not the same as when we had the dish a year before. The spread was substantially expanded, offering further plays on Jewish deli classics, and remaining perhaps the best large format dish I've had at EMP.
Turnip
Variations in its Own Broth
A complex preparation served deceptively simply, the contrasts of temperature, texture, and flavor were wonderful.
This was served with a delicious dry Normandy Cider: Etienne Dupont, Cidre Triple, Pays d'Auge, Normandy, France 2009.
EMP's outstanding bread service: flaky croissant-like rolls, served with two butters: one is standard (but delicious). The other is the same butter, but mixed with the fat of the animal you're eating for the main course, in our case pork. Served with flaky sea salt. We devoured the first round and they replenished it. AMAZING.
Hudson Valley Foie Gras
Top: Seared with Brussels Sprouts and Smoked Eel
Bottom: Cold Mousse with Red Cabbage
I ordered the hot foie gras course and found it to be perfectly seared, pairing nicely with the fried and raw brussels sprouts and luscious smoked eel. However, the brilliant cold preparation, both paired with and shaped to look like red cabbage, was truly extraordinary - the best foie gras dish I've ever tasted.
Our drink pairing was a really nice Riesling: Weingut Hexamer, Spätburgunder, Weissherbst, Nahe, Germany 2013.
Lobster Newberg
With Baby Mushrooms and Lettuce
Another of EMP's updated takes on classic NYC dishes, this was a fun version of Lobster Newberg, prepared table side. The rich lobster sauce was made à la minute using the ingredients on the cart.
A complex and barnyard-y Belgian Saison paired well with this course: Vapeur, Saison de Pipaix, Wallonia, Belgium.
Celery Root
Braised with Black Truffle
This is the dish that Daniel Humm credited with changing the direction of the food at EMP after this date to a simpler, more focused approach. Though on subsequent visits I would decide that the overall no-frills concept was not as good, this dish does stand out as one of the great creations in the restaurant's history, easily taking the top spot of the night.
The celery root was braised in a pig's bladder, which was basted and presented to us table side before being cut open. The plated celery root was then doused with a thick, rich black truffle sauce, and served with smooth celery root purée. Truly an incredible experience, where the vegetable was the star.
This was accompanied by a pouring of Rochefort, Trappistes 8, a special beer for Leah, as she had visited that very monastery/brewery on a seminal trip to Belgium years earlier. We've since enjoyed Trappistes 6 and 10 at other locations, and always keep an eye out for this line of ales.
Mangalitsa Pork
Braised with Onion and Pork Jus
This delectable cut of pork cheek from the shaggy Mangalitsa breed of pig was an incredible main course, the best I've had at any visit. The perfectly tender onion draped over the pork was dusted with charred onion powder, giving the whole dish a balancing, slightly bitter component that cut through the incredible richness. On the side was an airy potato mousse with sticky sweet pork neck meet underneath (just like the duck presentation Al and I had a year back).
Our last savory beer pairing, which was, interestingly, decanted. This Swiss Bière de Garde was matured in oak barrels, giving it an almost bourbon-like flavor: BFM, L'Abbaye de St. Bon Chien, Jura, Switzerland, 2007.
Cato Corner Cheese
With Roasted Carnival Squash, Pretzel, Mustard, Quince Jam, and Bitter Green Salad
As both an avid cheese and squash lover, Leah's jaw almost hit the floor when this arrived. It was great fun dipping the pretzels in the molten cheese, and spooning out the roasted squash. The bitter greens and condiments added a needed refreshing element.
Paired with an earthy, dry grape-apple cider: Aaron Burr Cidery, Appinette, Wurtsboro, NY.
Botrytis
Hermann J. Wiemer, Riesling Noble Select, Josef Vineyard, Seneca Lake, NY 2009
Sorbet with Bitter Almond and Ginger Crumble
Our server (and now-good friend) Jon Ross described this novel course, which he created along with his roommate, one of the pastry chefs, as a tribute to botrytis, the "noble rot" that occasionally appears in some wine grapes. If controlled, the rot is actually beneficial and produces especially fine sweet wine, as was the case here.
The concept was for the wine to be the star, while the sorbet served as the "pairing". Jon served the wine using a long glass syringe, and we sipped it out of clear spoons, chasing with tastes of the sorbet. I loved this idea, and the experience was as delicious as it was creative.
"What Not to Eat"
Partway through the meal, we randomly had a funny conversation with Jon about Olive Garden, specifically their Fettuccine Alfredo. We all started joking about things that would not go well with creamy pasta, such as sardines.
Later, Jon came out and said he had a gift. He placed this printed digital illustration of Fettuccine Alfredo with Sardines, calling it, "What Not to Eat".
Our minds blown, he said that the restaurant has a pair of creatives in the back who invent such gifts on the fly, and they specifically created this for me in a "graphic novel" style. I responded by telling him I work at Marvel, to which Jon said, "I know - didn't you see my Spider-Man notepad?" He then strode off without another word, leaving us all speechless!
Buckwheat
Ice Cream with Honey and Prunes
This lovely dessert was reminiscent of the Milk & Honey dessert from EMP's sister restaurant, the NoMad.
It was paired with a tart wild ale: Loverbeer, Beerbera, Piedmont, Italy 2011.
One of our party inquired about EMP's beautiful plates, and we received this info on their contributing artist, Jono Pandolfi.
Pretzel
Chocolate Covered with Sea Salt
EMP's signature dessert in which they pulverize the pretzel to a powder, combine it with white chocolate, shape it back into a pretzel form, and finally cover it in dark chocolate and flecks of sea salt.
As is tradition at EMP, we were then given an entire bottle of apple brandy (in this case Laird's Applejack), and instructed to simply help ourselves. This time though, the treat came with another awesome item from the staff:
By this point, we realized that Jon had researched me online when I made the reservation, noting my employment at Marvel and related interest in comics and graphic art. He dropped off a copy of The Drops of God Vol 1, a manga by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto, which he sourced from EMP's library. We thoroughly enjoyed flipping through the pages and taking in the melodramatic story about wine tasting.
Chocolate
Sweet Black and White Cookie with Apple Molasses
The final bookend, a sweet version of the same cookie from the beginning of the meal.
Kitchen Tour
I truly don't know if everybody gets the kitchen tour at EMP, but I've been grateful to receive it each of the four times I've been (as of this writing). It's a true pleasure to get a backstage view of their intricate mechanics. On this visit, one of the head chefs briefly stopped by to say hello and shook our hands, which was highly appreciated.
Our kitchen treat was a refreshing dessert cocktail made with liquid nitrogen.
Take-Home Package
Homemade Granola
EMP Chocolate Bar
I love these take-home treats - the granola is wonderful the next day eaten like cereal with some cold milk.
Final Menu
On its best days, Eleven Madison Park is truly a culinary experience like no other. Yes it's incredibly expensive, but unlike some other similarly priced restaurants (ahem, Per Se), the experience is all-inclusive. You have FUN at EMP. Between the incredible food, playful and mind-bending service, and all around joy, this evening stands as one of my fondest food-related memories ever - I couldn't have asked for better company to share it with.
Thank you Jon Ross and all the EMP staff who made our night so awesome.
