Yellow roses were peppered throughout the restaurant
Among New York City's must visit establishments is Eleven Madison Park, and after my visit I would argue it is a contender one of the nation's finest restaurants. Elegant, exquisite and tantalizing, the dishes invite you to bring all of your senses to the table and engage in taste, touch, smell, hear and most dramatically your visual abilities.
Buttery cheese gougère and creamy sabayon with a bright grassy chive oil
This was a special meal for me, one of the last fine dining experiences before my sweet baby arrives. While I don't see them often enough, I was happy to be surrounded by some of the most passionate foodies in my life: Andrea from High/Low Food/Drink, Jen and Bryan from Tiny Urban Kitchen and Talida of Talida Bakes. I suspect this baby will have plenty of epicurean influences in his life.
Foie gras bruleed with fruit gelée
Creamy, custardy and mousse-like, the caramelized foie gras was the most memorable dish of the four course meal. A magnificent amalgamation of contrasts: glistening delicate burnt sugar against smooth airy textures, and sweet fruity flavors against a base of salty savory terrine. The flavors were so unique and well combined that each bite was akin to taking in wisps of an elusive mousse, an experience that left me wishing for more.
Oysters in a creamy white sauce complemented by a gelatinous leek sauce
Andrea enjoyed her oysters in a creamy white sauce that was contrasted subtly by a gelatinous leek sauce, a pleasant inspiration of the Spring season.
Mackerel with lemon and gem lettuce
Lobster poached in butter with a braised green onion, root vegetables and breaded soft cheese.
Veal loin with smoked bone marrow accompanied by a creamy blanquette de veau with winter root vegetables
The veal loin was my second favorite dish as the chunks of braised daikon served as a surprisingly brilliant complement to the veal and bone marrow, punctuating the smoky nuances of the meat.
Roasted pork shoulder
Citrus ice cream topped with tangerine crumbles. A refreshing and gentle interlude before dessert.
Dense chocolate disks accompanied by a salted caramel and chocolate ice cream and an assortment of cookies. The dense chocolate was a bold ending to an already decadent meal. I enjoyed the contrast of the salted caramel, and buttery delicate curls of short bread the lightened up the plate a bit.
Carrot macarons and lace caramel cookies
The combination of beautiful, exquisite food, gracious service and good company has made for a very memorable experience for me at Eleven Madison Park.
11 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010
212.889.0905
As of March, 2011
Lunch- Three courses for $56, Four Courses for $74
Dinner- Four Courses for $125, Tasting Menu for $195
Other New York restaurant recommendations
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Del Posto
Ippudo's
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Posts
43 comments:
That looks like an unbelievable meal. Eleven Madison Park might have to go on my must-eat list. I can't believe you took such beautiful photos in a restaurant!
What cool photos and gorgeous plating. Totally fab restaurant!
What an amazing last "before baby' meal... wow! It looks like art, I would be almost afraid to eat it, Not!
Jenn is right, the photos are beautiful.
Velva
gorgeous photos!! it's awesome that the menu changes so frequently, we can only recognize only a few items that we also had.
a perfect pre baby meal, with friends and great eats, lovely pics, your descriptions always leave me drooling!!
sweetlife
What an amazing meal! We can't wait to eat there!
I haven't been there in years... what I've missed!! Looks like a great meal and what incredible pictures... really like art and the price for lunch was a veritable steal!! Your baby will be quite an epicurean with this happening just before birth.. bravo!!
Lovely yellow rose! The meal looks fantabulous! I would surely love to visit this restaurant.
Thanks for sharing :)
Wow - what a fabulous post! Your photos are just gorgeous and what a delicious tasting menu. Perfect for just before baby comes:) Hope all is well!!!
Wow. It looks like you had an incredible meal. I love the macaron presentation. I'm so glad to hear you were able to get out and have some fun before the baby arrives. Such great dinner companions too.
A wonderful dining experience and such fun and stimulating company!
This is the best way to count down the days until your son arrives :)
---so excited for you. You look fantastic!
Such beautiful photos of such beautiful food...
Looks like you ate a delicious work of art. How nice! I never heard of this restaurant but will keep it in mind for the next date night with the hubs. Glad you had a nice fancy schmancy dinner before the baby.
So exciting that your baby is almost due! I went to this restaurant years ago and remember it being amazing.
Your photos are delicious!
Best wishes on your new baby boy!
My first born (son) is almost 28 years old and he'll always be my baby :)
Everything looks sooo exquisite! I especially like the lobster and pork shoulder dish, and of course, the desserts! Your pictures are spectacular. My 6-year wedding anniversary is coming up at the end of April. I'll have to ask my hubby to treat me out to lunch here. :)
The meal looks fantabulous and the pictures are wonderful Christine!
Christine everything is so stunning and so outside anything I make at home. Beautiful photographs too.
Laura
I missed it! =( looks amazing!
Eleven Madison Park has been on my list for ages!! I am hoping to try it out soon, everything looks fantastic!
The food is simply exquisite! I'm glad you were able to enjoy a wonderful meal with friends. I hope you are feeling well.
Gorgeous photos! This restaurant looks fantastic! Maybe next time I'm in New York I'll check it out.
Christine all look absolutely delicious and nice,. Love the pictures, xx gloria
Christine, your photos and prose capture the elegance and sophistication of this meal. Eleven Madison Park has long been on my list to visit---Someday. So happy that you got to share this dining experience with friends before your precious boy arrives! and, thanks for sharing it with us. breathtaking!
Elegant is certainly the word I would choose. Gorgeous photos and the dishes look sublime.
Gorgeous pictures and great review! I read a review of this restaurant earlier this week as well. This is definitely on my to-visit list!
Mesmerized. And sending the link to my husband as we have some NYC plans for late summer/early autumn. Keep returning to the lobster. Yes, it's real - and that veal. And (shhh) have never had foie gras...
What a wonderful meal and so beautifully photographed, Christine!
That looks like a sensational meal. I'll put this on my list to visit when in New York!
Be still my culinary heart! It all is so beautifully delicious. Quite fitting for your last special meal before the baby arrives. Once you're at the mercy of baby sitters, it's harder to elegantly dine for awhile. When our firstborn was an infant, we started actively improving our skills in the kitchen and frequently treated ourselves to fine dining--interrupted at times to feed the baby before proceeding to the next course.
Best,
Bonnie
It was great seeing you before the baby arrives! What an amazing meal that was.. I couldn't eat anything for dinner after that lunch ;)
Dear Christine
Oh my goodness what a fantastic post with incredible photography of the mots amazing food! I wish I could taste it all...but I think I will pick the Lobster poached in butter with a braised green onion....and the dense chocolate disk with the caramel and chocolate ice cream for dessert!
All of the best with the new baby almost there! Enjoy every moment...it is such a special time...!
Love
Ixx
What an incredible meal and your photos are stunning--I am drooling over each of them. ;-)
It's post like these that really make me miss home NYC... in fact, after Wednesdays earthquake (AGAIN), I miss it more than ever.
Fab photos BTW.
beautiful plating! i can only imagine how it tasted
I've been there Christine and completely agree!
What a lovely way to celebrate the coming birth of your baby!
Wonderful to read a post from another part of the world.
The food looks delectable especially the dessert with chocolate discs and salted caramel. The carrot macarons superbe!
Hi Christine - one of our favorites too. Your photos are absolutely exquisite. Have they called you for marketing yet?
LL
You add a new way of representing meals into my knowledge ,all the pics looks awesome and nice
Wow, what a treat just to read your descriptions and stare at your pictures. Loved it and the post certainly made me want to jump on a plane and head to NYC.
Thanks so much for coming out to enjoy such a fabulous meal together!! I always love getting together with you guys when I am in town. :) You pictures are stunning! :)
When I was young and knew nothing about food I was temping in NYC and ended up at a job taking notes at a brainstorming session held at Eleven Madison Park.
I was so lucky to have lunch there with them. I almost died of happiness. And it was so simple, nothing as amazing as this.
Seeing this makes me want to jump on a plane this second!
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