Le Bernardin

Le Bernardin Dinner Menu

When you get the chance to go to one of the best restaurants in the country or the world even, you don't say no. You find the money, find the time, and make it happen. I got the chance last weekend. Yay!!!

So, first off, let me just say that my biggest hope in going to Le Bernardin was that I would get the chance to meet Eric Ripert. I knew my chances were low, but what can I say, I like the guy! Well, spoiler alert--I didn't get to meet him. I still had a great time.

I'm sure I won't remember all the details here as I try to explain all the food we ate--we ate a LOT. There were 4 people, 4 courses, an amuse bouche and petit fours. How could I possible remember it all? Also, it was so dark in there, and so fancy, I didn't dare to use my flash so my photos aren't great. I'll try to explain what we had.

1st course, amuse bouche

From left to right: sauteed bok choi with a ginger soy sauce, salmon with horseradish, watermelon soup with feta and langoustine. I thought the bok choi was just so-so. There was nothing bad about it. The salmon was delicious--fresh and the horseradish was a great compliment. The watermelon soup was NOT for me. I do not understand how watermelon and feta together do not taste like vomit to people. Everyone at the table (except me) liked it though.

It was served with a spork.

Appetizers

Oysters on the half shell from ME, OR, and Canada.

Tuna tartare

Seared Albacore Tuna Confit "En Salade", Bibb Lettuce, Deviled Quail Egg, Liquid Black olive, Preserved Tomato and Pepper

Cured Wild Salmon; Pickled Sunchoke and Heart of Palm, Cardamom – Ginger Vinaigrette

All of these things were absolutely delicious. I wish I could find fault with any of them but it's not possible. Around this time, men started floating around the room carrying big baskets of bread--sourdough, pretzel rolls, parker house rolls, rosemary breadsticks, raisin walnut bread...with fresh butter, of course. I had several parker house rolls and they were wonderful, every one of them!

Time for finger washing!

Second appetizer:

 Flash Marinated Sea Scallop; Sweet and Sour Grapes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil-Yuzu Vinaigrette

  Charred Octopus "a la plancha"; Green Olive and Black Garlic Emulsion, Sundried Tomato Sauce Vierge

 Grilled Baby Sepia; Sweet Pepper Jam, Red Wine-Squid Ink Sauce

Warm Lobster Carpaccio; Ruby Red Grapefruit and Heart of Palm, Verjus Sabayon

Again, everything was so good, fresh, flavorful. Am I full yet? Oh, of course not.

Main Courses:

 “Ultra-Rare” Arctic Char; Truffled Peas and Favas Butter Lettuce-Tarragon Emulsion

 Baked Lobster; Stuffed Zucchini Flower, Sake-Miso Sauce

Roasted Monkfish; Wilted Mustard Greens-Daikon “Sandwich”, Adobo Sauce

 Steamed Halibut "Borscht" Style, Golden Beets and Horseradish Crème Frâiche


We pretty much all agreed that this was the best fish/seafood we have ever had, and that we'd never be able to recreate the perfected cooking methods, the flavorful sauces, or anything like them at home. Happy but we're not done yet!


Desserts

 Banana bread, Caramel Sauce, Chocolate Mousse, Vietnamese Cinnamon Ice Cream

Light Chocolate Ganache, Vanilla Marshmallow, Hazelnut Ice Cream

Ice cream: Vanilla, hazelnut, earl grey tea, chocolate

Madagascan Chocolate Ganache, Peanut Mousse, Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Ok, ok, delicious. And yes, we're full. Cocktails, 5 courses, countless rolls, 2 bottles of wine, then they bring this:

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Chocolate& mystery fruit truffle, lemon poppy seed cake/gelee, raspberry macaron, and I simply cannot remember the last bite.  It was a cake, obviously, and I feel like it was fruit flavored. If it comes back to me, I'll add it as a comment.

This, as you can see, was an amazing meal. Worth every single penny. I didn't get to meet Eric but it was so much fun, so delicious, and such a great experience. Even the bad photos speak for themselves!!!