Simply the Best. Eleven Madison Park.
3 Michelin Stars · New York City, USA
Unbelievable unique gastronomic experience. World class restaurants that offer meals of your lifetime. Worth flying across the globe to enjoy the restaurant.
Michelin Guide — 3 stars (2006–2013)
S. Pellegrino World’s Top 50–6th (2012, 2009, 2008), 10th (2011, 2010)
New York Times — 4 stars (2012)
ZAGAT NYC — 2nd (2013)
Gayot Top 40
James Beard Foundation Best Chef (Daniel Humm) (2012)
James Beard Foundation Best Restaurant (2011)
James Beard Foundation Best Pastry Chef (Angela Pinkerton) (2011)
James Beard Foundation Best NYC Chef (2010)
James Beard Foundation Best Wine Service (2008)
James Beard Foundation Best Service (2004)
Amuse Bouché
Black and White
Black Truffle · Parmesan
This cookie was simply amazing. Extremely soft and delicate. It is hard to imagine a small cookie capture so much attention. It is the single most remarkable savory cookie I ever had.
Cocktail
Manhattan Island Cart
Mini-Bar Table Side Preparation
The bartender asked about my taste and made me a Manhanttan Island. Table side preparation is always fun, but the cocktail was really a straight up Manhattan Island.
Appertizer
Cranberry
Gelee with Smoked Curds · Agretti
This was a slightly sour dish which really helps to open up my appetite for the rest of the course. The sea salt was a great touch to bring out the flavors.
Appertizer
Cucumber
Snow with Lepsang Souchong · Grape
The cucumber snow cumcumber flakes was icy. The order of the courses so far was perfect.
Appertizer
Eel
Roasted with Foie Gras · Swiss Chard
This was a one-bite appetizer. Another specular dish. It was almost like foie gras cracker. I really loved the charcoal smell and taste.
Amuse Bouché
Smoked Sturgeon Sabayon
Smoked Sturgeon Sabayon with Chive Oil in Egg Shells
EMP’s famous smoked sturgeon sabayon with chive oil lived up to its name. I was amazed by how clean the egg shell was cut. At one point I was trying to figure out whether it was a real egg shell because it was just so perfectly sliced. The pieces of smoked fish and the creamy sabayon was a heaven match.
Main
Surgeon
Smoked with Everything Bagel Crumble, Pickles, Caviar
Amazingly fun, exciting, and delicious dish.
Kitchen
I was invited for a private tour of the kitchen. I was also presented to a mini bar in the kitchen where a special cocktail was made for me. (More on that cocktail below) I was also invited to sign their first cookbook — full of signatures from foodies and chefs.
Special Cocktail
This was an amazing cocktail. Icy.
Bread
Main
Carrot
Tartare with Rye Bread and Condiments
Carrots were grated table-side for me. It was recommended that I mix everything together, and spread it on the rye bread to eat it. I am not a super big fan of carrot. Overall, even after I mixed everything together, the carrot taste was still quite strong.
Main
Lobster
Poached with Escarole and Almond
This was a very simply prepared lobster dish but it was simply spectacular. I am always a big fan of great lobster and I had fair share of lobsters in NYC. That said, this was probably the freshest lobster I ever had. It was prepared in a way that the freshness and the texture of the lobster was the main highlight.
Main
Squab
Roasted with Plum, Kale and Bone Marrow
The bone marrow was a really nice touch. I love the crispy kale. It really paired with with the squab. I am torn between a 3.5 and a 4 for this dish. However, I think the squab was still slightly too tough.
Main
Picnic Basket
Roasted with Plum, Kale and Bone Marrow
Really fun dish. It is like unpacking your mini pinic, mixing things together, and eat.
Beer — The pale wheat ale was specially brewed by Jthaca Beer Co for EMP. It am no beer connoisseur although I do now what beer I like when I taste one. I think this beer was pretty light. No real exciting from me for this beer.
Housemade Warm Pretzel — Not a big fan of pretzel usually. This was ok.
Grapes — The grapes were standard. I did not particularly find them exceptional.
Cheese — The cheese were disappointing. Not so much because they were bad, but because they were light and really normal. I prefer strong and slightly more mushy cheese. I also wished it came with maybe 3 different choices in smaller blocks.
Plum Jam — The plum jam was nice.
Dessert
Egg Cream
Whole Milk · Olive Oil
This was EMP’s own interpretation of egg cream. From wikipedia: “Egg cream is a beverage consisting of chocolate syrup, milk, and soda water, probably dating from the late 19th century, and is especially associated with Brooklyn, home of its alleged inventor, candy store owner Louis Auster.” This was actually really refreshing. Overall, a pleasant surprise.
Dessert
Chocolate
Lavender Sorbet · Orange · Madison Salt
Dessert
Huckleberry
Coat Cheese Cheesecake · Lime
This was not actually a cheesecake. It consisted of cheesecake ingredients but no cheesecake.
Dessert
Magic Trick
Hazelnut Chocolate
The waitress came over to fan out a deck of cards. Each card has a unique ingredient printed on it, such as rose, mint, ginger, etc. The cards were then fanned face down. I was to choose a card and open it. My card was hazlenut and there was already a hazelnut chocolate under my plate all this time! It was slightly gimmicky but absolutely fun!
Dessert
Pretzel
Chocolate Covered with Sea Salt
I am usually not a big fan of pretzel, but this chocolate covered pretzel makes it really nice. The sea salt was great on the cookie.
Eau-de-vie
Apple Brandy
Distilled and bottled by St. George Spirits for EMP
This brandy was exceptionally sweet and smooth. I totally fell in love with it. A perfect conclusion to my meal. I wished I could bring it home!
Take Home Gift
House-made Granola · EMP Playing Cards · Menu
The in-house made granola was great for my breakfast. They also gave me a deck of Monarchs cards made exclusively for Eleven Madison Park.
I left Eleven Madison Park thinking that it was the best restaurant experience I ever had, both in terms of their food, and also their service and attention to details. EMP definitely deserved my utmost recommendation to all foodies. I cannot wait to be back in NYC just for EMP. The next time, I would choose different main ingredients (from their menu) and be surprised again.
I left Eleven Madison Park thinking that it was the best restaurant experience I ever had, both in terms of their food, and also their service and attention to details. EMP definitely deserved my utmost recommendation to all foodies. I cannot wait to be back in NYC just for EMP. The next time, I would choose different main ingredients (from their menu) and be surprised again.
