I was a big fan of Chef Hansung Lee on Culinary Class Wars so was very excited to try it out. I was lucky enough to grab a reservation off sevenrooms when it first opened though it was a really strange buggy system compared to Resy or OpenTable.
It starts off in the basement area. Feels like a speakeasy or chill bar vibe. This is where the opening snacks and small courses are served
Embers of Earth: Root Vegetable Consommé (6/10)
Very layered soup. Honestly was a bit heavy for the start but objectively a good soup
First Growth of Kohlrabi (4/10)
No offense but it’s just a kohlrabi. Albeit very fresh and crisp. But it’s just a raw veggie with some sauce on the side. Probably would’ve made more sense if it was in a farm setting rather than a area with zero sunlight
"Moo" Tarte Tatin (8.5/10)
Really tasty. It’s by far the best tasting and most savory dish. It’s a really strong snack. The pastry is so buttery.
Fermented Carrot "Donut" (6.5/10)
Super concentrated carrot dish. Almost too carroty. There was also Jonah crab at the bottom which complimented it well. Though the flavors weaned off after the first couple of bites and just tasted monotone at the end.
Preserved Seasonality (4.5/10)
Don’t remember much about it to be honest. Pretty but pretty unmemorable
Cured Meats: House Selection (8/10)
A great selection of bites. The tempura one was so crispy. One of the best bites of tempura I’ve had in a while. And the rolled up duck was awesome
Cucumber & Kaviari Kristal Caviar (9/10)
This was one of the 2 enhancements. 45$. It’s a really good dish. It all worked well together. And the caviar is just perfect with each bite
I will say a couple of things on the downstairs area. We were probably the closest seats to the kitchen. There was quite a bit of shouting and banging from the kitchen. Enough so that at least a couple of tables heard it. Genuinely got jump scared from some of it. It made it a really awkward atmosphere because everyone was aware but didn’t say anything. All the servers were noticeably nervous from it.
Unrelated but one of the servers that was refilling our water also spilled a bunch near us and just left. Another server came back around and apologized and cleaned it up.
And the pacing was very inconsistent. There was at least a 20min gap between the first and second course. Again very strange pacing considering the rest came out in a normal pace
At this point we were moved upstairs for the second portion which was bright and sunny. Big open windows and a more formal fine dining area.
We were given options on some of the items and between my partner and myself we got all 4 options available.
Massachusetts Scallop (9/10)
Maybe it’s just me but the plating looks amateurish. It doesn’t look nearly as refined as what I would expect. But wow the taste is so good. The seafood is just perfection and buttery. So good
Nova Scotia Halibut (7/10)
One of the pick between 2 options. Pretty standard fish dish. Good but nothing too different from any other Michelin fish dish on a tasting menu. The mussel was better than the halibut though that’s more on mussel being really good than anything
Spring Green Porridge (9/10)
The other of the pick them option. This was a 40$ upcharge. It’s a dish famous for being served on culinary class wars. It just works. It’s comforting, the flavor pops, and there’s a a lot of surprising texture to plain old porridge.
Elysian Field Farm Lamb (7.5/10)
The second batch of pick them options. Decent dish. A slab of lamb, medallion and lamb bacon. Just overall a tasty dish
Wolfe Ranch Quail (8/10)
The alternative pick them option. The plating is a bit funny. It’s a fun dish. Surprisingly spicy which was a suprise and the smoky aroma made it a sensory experience. This was definitely the best smelling dish.
Bread & Butter (6/10)
It’s pretty standard to be honest. A bit sour for my preference but it does the job
Mugwort Ice Cream (9.5/10)
The desserts like everyone else has said is the strong point. I’m of the same opinion. What a fun dish. Fresh green veggies in an ice cream worked surprisingly. It was bright and citrusy. It worked as both a palate cleanser and dessert
Preserved Cara Cara Orange (9/10)
So good. I’m usually not a fan of marshmallow but it worked very well here.
Mignardises (8.5/10)
Comes in a cool contraption. A lot of small bites and nibbles to end things. A mix of all types of textures and flavor combos. Loved it
Overall for 210$ per person it matches up against any of the 1 star places in NYC. Service aside it’s definitely not at the 2 star level. Though again it’s the first month of service so I’m sure they’ll work the kinks out and find their groove. I love the idea of using both floors. It makes it almost like 2 different restaurants which is what they’re aiming for.
Now even though the service was questionable downstairs. The service upstairs was perfect. Warm and friendly.
Closing thoughts: it’s 3 hours so plan for that. It’s more than worth it at this price point but I don’t know if I’d pay much more when there’s equally good options all around nyc at a similar price point. The enhancements are also a scummy concept but everyone does it.
I’d love to go back during a different season a year from now but it’s nowhere near the top of my want to go back list.
by OptimusPrime23