135 replies to this topic

[pixelchef]

Can't see them. Egullet doesn't allow hotlinking to images hosted on their servers.

[Daniel]

Thanks for the help.. I had to get a yahoo account and then a Flickr account.. It went easily after that..


original post with photos.

[nuxvomica]

those photos look great! and making me want to go back, Daniel. my first experience there was ok and very much along the lines of Orik's - not enough to tempt me back.

may have to put it back on the list for the lamb belly alone... and i'm always a sucker for an oozing egg (except when it's brunch, he heh)

[Daniel]

I've broken the no Lambs rule twice now. My impression - some of the dishes work very well (the slow poached egg, obviously, the lamb belly, squid a little less so, but nice) and some are barely ok - langoustines (previously frozen? or just not great samples), shrimps overcooked on the grill, lamb loin with cauliflower puree, sweetbreads in very spicy breading.

Service managed to be bad the first time (probably because the owners were present), better on a second visit (although really, if you take the trouble to replace silverware between dishes, please don't forget the knife, twice)

Not bad, but I prefer Ssam bar for this sort of dining.

I too was surprised that they would serve those frozen 10 or 14 dollar langoustine type guys.. I was also surprised they were so quick to admit that they were frozen.. I can only think of freezing fish for a couple of hours to slice better.. Besides conch or octopus, squid if I had to. I have a hard time eating frozen seafood..Is alligator seafood? Definitely not crustaceans.. They get waterlogged. Maybe crawfish.

The sweetbreads they make are below their potential.. I would prefer they grill them.

[Wilfrid1]

I really liked the langoustine. Great flavor. Maybe I'm a fool, or maybe the supply is variable.

Thanks for the pictures, Daniel.

[TaliesinNYC]

Those lentils? I'd settle for a bowlful and some rice.

The squid w/short ribs is just gravy.

[Daniel]

I just recreated the dish last night.. I agree, it was worth making at home..

[Rebecca]

I have a hard time eating frozen seafood..Is alligator seafood? Definitely not crustaceans.. They get waterlogged. Maybe crawfish.

Great photos, Daniel. Interesting ideas.

As for eating frozen seafood, MFers discussed this a while ago (most often known as wallago). Seafood is eaten fresh within 2-3 days otherwise frozen. Unless you live in a coastal village, you will be eating frozen seafood. From water to boat to dock to truck to store is how many hours/days? If it tastes waterlogged, this is due to improper flash freezing or improper preparation/cooking. Yes, to the experienced palate, frozen anything will have been "cut" by frozen ice crystals and therefore mushier than fresh.

[Daniel]

Firstly, I love MFers.. I have seen that expression a lot around here. You guys are some really funny MFers or MoFos works too.. Yeh, I must say, I dont eat a ton of seafood because of this. Diver scallops, shrimp, lobsers, clams, crabs, oysters, mussles.. I need my seafood fresh.. No bags of frozen shrimp from Costco for me.. As much as I want to like it and would love to have a bag of frozen shrimp at my disposal, I dont enjoy it.. Is it in my mind, I dont know, but I dont think..

The place where Degustation gets there frozen shrimp is a place called Sunrise.. They only sell wholesale I believe..

[pierre]

Four of us had dinner last time and ordered the tasting menu cosisting of the dishes mentionned by others.i,e poached egg,scallops,asparagus plus some new entrees such as soft shell crab and suckling pig.
Overall the whole meal was rather DISAPOINTING.There was not much flavor or distinctiveness.quite bland in general.
Interesting concept ,but mediocre execution.Its as if some one lacked conviction or lacked the understanding as to what the dish is supposed to be.Perhaps it was an off day for the kitchen

[Sneakeater]

I always find it hard to know what to say about this place. It's good, but it's not fantastic. Is it worth going to? Yes. Repeatedly? Yes. But at least to me, it just isn't exciting the way Ssam Bar is.

OTOH, it's not like there are enough good Spanish restaurants in New York that we can afford to be blase about one.

The menu has changed significantly since the last time I ate here several months ago.

I started with an asparagus crepinette with soranno bread crumbs and (if I'm remembering right) an egg foam. I always find crepinettes disappointing. I think I get so excited about the fat's being there that I get let down by how subtle it is. Anyway, this is a good enough variation on the asparagus-egg-and-salty-thing dish, but not an outstanding one.

The charred squid with tomatoes and ricotta/chive emulsion was beautiful, though. Great fragrance when it's set down in front of you, nice interplay of flavors, beautifully clean execution.

Speaking of fragrance, when the saddle of lamb in a Laphroig reduction is placed before you, before you look you think there's a snifter of scotch there instead of a plate of food. It's sort of like a whole meal at Keen's in one dish. I'd have liked the lamb to be a bit lambier here (a common problem with lamb, but one that told especially in this dish). But I wouldn't warn anyone off this.

I always find the service at Degustation to be a bit weird. Anyway, the last time I was meant to eat there, they were unable to seat me (at a late seating) despite my reservation. (Don't tell them, but I find this completely understandable -- if extremely annoying -- at a place that consists of nothing more than 16 bar seats). So this time, to make up for it, Jack L. practically started fellating me the minute I walked in, and things continued on from there. No real complaints last night.

[ulterior epicure]

...soranno bread crumbs...

What type of bread is "soranno?" Do you mean "serrano?" If so, what makes this bread (crumbs) "serrano?"

[Sneakeater]

I mean serrano, and I mean that there were little pieces of toasted dry-cured ham mixed in with them.

(And I KNEW someone was going to ask that.)

[Wilfrid1]

The menu has changed significantly since the last time I ate here several months ago.

I have been waiting to hear that. Time to go back.

[ulterior epicure]

I mean serrano, and I mean that there were little pieces of toasted dry-cured ham mixed in with them.

(And I KNEW someone was going to ask that.)

... and I guess I was the sucker who bit the line.