I’m living a longtime dream at Le Bernardin, a dream I couldn’t afford until now. So here I am at this long-living legend that spans the middle of the World 50 best list year after year.
Some dreams should stay dreams because Le Bernardin massacred the magic before I even got there. They emailed to confirm the reservation less than two hours in advance…someone else’s reservation. I believe it was a Korean name so #wrongAsian, I guess. A sloppy start for 3 Michelin stars, and even the most hostile restaurants in China never made me feel so unimportant so quickly.
They did give us a nice table in the back, and the interior is breathtaking wood paneling with a vaulted-crossbeam ceiling.
Wow, I’m not accustomed to this much attention, and it’s overwhelming. The every-two-minute check-ins are disruptive to serious conversation and maybe that email biased me, but the politeness is so detached and rehearsed that it’s off-putting.
But then there’s the food, and this chef’s starter of smoked salmon rillette is a delicious preview of what’s to come.
Olive focaccia is soft and warm, as is all their bread.
And a mocktail lemonade goes well with all the fish.
The Tasmanian Sea Trout is this sweet and gooey gravlax, with cute little carrots and tomato on the side. It’s absolute perfection, but it’s a bit too similar to the smoked salmon so I wish I’d ordered something else just to try more of the menu.
Oh but then there’s the Shrimp that makes it impossible to appreciate any other shrimp. It’s halfway cooked in French style so it’s still a little see-through, and it retains that semi-raw tender texture which is just divine. Throw on some truffle mousseline and with this dish you can believe they’re among the World 50 best.
Snapper was subbed for their Striped Bass, a decision I can’t understand. It is by no means equivalent as the ocean-fish flavor is very much missing, and despite the delectable squash blossoms stuffed with chanterelles, it is by far the blandest dish I’ve had this week.
Merluza is a new one, a Spanish cod I had never tried. And sunchoke purée? Say no more! This fish is more meaty so it does stand up swimmingly to the bolder notes of red wine bourguignonn, a surprising sauce I’m used to seeing on steak, not seafood.
Wow, I know inflation is surging, but I didn’t know it was 9-dollar decaf surging.
The Corn is a no-brainer, and delicate notes of sweetness encased in pastry perfection is one of few desserts I consider unforgettable.
Peruvian Dark Chocolate is a beautifully rich and silky, though the ice cream melts too fast.
The Raspberry Financier wraps it up.
I really wanted to love Le Bernardin, but I found it rather boring. Perfectly cooked slabs of fish drizzled with sauce are nothing I haven’t seen, and there are just so many other, arguably better options at this price point.
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