ABC Kitchen - New York

With Jean-Georges

Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s ABC Kitchen was named the Best New Restaurant in 2011 by the James Beard Foundation.  Focusing on local organic food that is non-GMO makes the simplicity of the food that much more of a standout.  The wizardry of Jean-Georges is that most dishes have less than five ingredients.  What he does with those ingredients is totally transforming.

Apple Salad

The Shaved Apple Salad is wonderfully refreshing, with a wonderful crunch from the pecans and the sharpness of the blue cheese.  The radicchio adds a nice bitterness.  Simply and lightly dressed, the combination almost makes for an aperitif.

Roasted Beet Salad

The Roasted Beets with Housemade Yogurt ($10) is a lighter version of most beet salads which include pecans and blue cheese.  The beets are wonderfully sweet and tender, almost to the point of being like candy.  The yogurt adds a nice contrasting tang that brightens up the dish.

Arctic Char

The Seared Arctic Char ($28) comes with roasted turnips and carrots.  The char is cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the fattiness of the char is cut through by the earthiness and sweetness of the turnips and carrots.

Wood Roasted Lobster

The Wood Roasted Lobster, Oregano and Chili-Lemon Vinaigrette ($39) is an absolute steal for the price.  By roasting the lobster, it remains juicy and succulent.  The sweetness of the lobster is contrasted by the acidity and spice from the vinaigrette.

Brussels Sprouts

The Brussels Sprouts were a little overdone for my liking.  Although charring them does add a bit of sweetness because of caramelization, having them too well done adds a bitterness because of the burnt edges.  The brussels sprouts were very tender and sweet, with just a hint of that sulfur funk. 

 

Mashed Potatoes

 The Mashed Potatoes with Sea Salt ($6) also comes with a load of fattening and tasty butter.  The potatoes are silky smooth, and light as a cloud.  For any potato lover, this side dish is a must.

Fig and Cheesecake Tart

The Fig and Cheesecake Tart ($11) is subtly sweet and refreshing.  The slight tang of the cheesecake and sorbet, is offset by the slight sweetness of the dessert and tang of the sorbet.

Apple Pie

The Apple Pie ($11) comes adorned with cinnamon ice cream.  The ice cream adds another level of spice to the juicy apples.  The crust is nice and flaky with the richness of butter running throughout. 

Somewhat surprising, service was a little lackadaisical.  For instance, when refilling water glasses the server accidentally spilled a few drops of water into the olive oil used to dip the bread.  He knew that it did not go unnoticed as eye contact was made, however he made no gesture to get a new plate of olive oil.  Servers and other wait staff would be absent for long periods of time.  I noticed this with several other tables as well.

ABC Kitchen marvels at the simplicity of the ingredients.  Jean-Georges knows how to make each ingredient shine without being fussy.  Service could use some improvement based on this visit.