Tapas 24 is one of Michelin-starred Chef Carles Abellan’s five “Projectes 24” in Barcelona.  Abellan, formerly of El Bulli, spent a decade working with Ferran Adrià before returning to Barcelona to build his own empire.  Tapas 24 does not take reservations (hence the line), and although it has a number of international customers (i.e. tourists), there were plenty of locals in the queue as well.

As we slowly but steadily descended the staircase, we peered to the restaurant below and excitedly pointed to all the mouthwatering dishes coming out of the open kitchen, like this Stewed Bull’s Tail.

We were eventually escorted to the bar waiting area where we happily ordered our first round of cava – off to a good start.  After a couple more glasses, our table was ready. 

The restaurant is made up of high tables and long counters with stools.  Our two-top was in a prime location right in front of the bar and kitchen entrance.  We ordered a couple of glasses of house red and eagerly listened to our waiter describe the specials of the day.  We knew not to miss a couple of the dishes (the Bikini Commerç 24 and the McFoie Burger), but we took our waiter’s suggestions on a couple of other dishes (a very, very good idea).   

• Pa Amb Tomàquet (Tomato Bread):  This is a Catalan classic of toasted bread rubbed with a giant ripe tomato and seasoned with olive oil and salt.  We had tasted our first tomato bread earlier in the day, but this toast was without question superior.  The tomato was so sweet and fresh and was balanced nicely with the salt.  The toast was crusty and not too bready, but the standout was the earthy, fragrant olive oil that was generously poured on top.

• Fig, Anchovy, Goat Cheese, Foie Gras, Honey:  I am not the biggest anchovy fan, but even I appreciated the combination of the salty fish with the sweet fig, decadent foie gras and creamy goat cheese.  It was light (unlike anything else we ordered) but packed a punch of flavor.  Andy was a bigger fan of this dish than I was, but I appreciated the balance of flavors and textures.

• The Bikini Commerç 24:  This was my favorite tapas of the night (and possibly of the trip!).  It is really astonishingly simple.  It’s basically a crustless grilled cheese sandwich cut in triangular wedges with jamon ibérico and black truffle.  It was absolutely divine.  The fine white melted cheese and flavorful ham with the shavings of black truffle make this easily the best grilled cheese sandwich on the planet.  I would return to the restaurant (and even to Barcelona) for another bite of the bikini.

• Assorted Wild Mushrooms with Egg Yolk:  Wow.  Boy, were we lucky our waiter had told us about this dish.  The earthy rich mushrooms were decadent on their own, but then you pierce the perfectly placed yolk at the center of the plate and the silky yolk runs through the weave of mushrooms creating a truly memorable dish.  We both LOVED the unami flavor of the wild mushrooms with the velvety layering of egg yolk.

• McFoie Burger:  This was another dish we had read about.  The beef and foie gras patty was gamey and rich and the bread was grilled thin – like a mini burger panini.  It came with a mayo-based foie gras creamy dipping sauce which only added to the indulgent nature of the already rich, meaty sandwich.  I did love this burger (but would later be wowed by another foie gras burger at Hotel 1898 which would take first place in my Barcelona burger book). 

• Chicken Wings:  Our waiter suggested our last two savory courses.  He said we must try the chicken wings.  Chicken wings?  Really?  He said they were boneless and not to be missed.  Boneless chicken wings?  Okay.  And they arrived… They looked very much like standard chicken wings (bones and all), but when we took our first bite, we knew they were no ordinary wings.  They had a delicious Asian-soy based glaze, perfectly crisped skin and they were in fact boneless.  You could pop one of these bad boys in your mouth like a chicken tender.  It was a fun, different, and delicious take on the traditional chicken wing.  Move over Bon Chon.

• Lamb Skewer:  When our last dish arrived it really didn’t look special – a skewer of meat – but it did taste extraordinary.  It wasn’t my top dish of the night, but the lamb was cooked perfectly and the seasoning was excellent.  There was a salty, spicy, minty drizzle of some sort over the skewered meat which took it to another level.  After everything else I had tasted, I should have known better than to be disappointed at first glance.

• Xocolata Pa, Oli I Sal (Chocolate Mousse):  And for the birthday dessert (accompanied by a candle and festive Spanish waiters singing a Spanish ‘happy birthday’ song) was the signature Abellan dessert which we would also taste at Commerç 24 the following day.  Three amazingly rich scoops of chocolate mousse in a fragrant olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and accompanied by savory crostini.  This is my kind of dessert, and I rarely have a sweet tooth.  The sea salt and olive oil mixed with the sweet chocolate was absolutely divine.  This dish alone could make me a dessert person, well… a dessert, olive oil, sea salt type of person.  It was a fine end to a truly exceptional meal.

At the touch of midnight, as the waiters were in full song and as the flickering candle in the chocolate mousse sat in front of Andy, we raised our glasses.  A toast of cava to birthday number thirty-five and to a meal that we will never forget.

The Place:

Blue Hill at Stone Barns opened in the spring of 2004 within the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a working four season farm and education center where most of the ingredients used in creating the multi-course tastings at BHSB are grown.  Driving up the winding driveway to BHSB through the rolling pastures and past the animal pens, you know you are in for a real farm-to-table experience.  Although these words (farm-to-table, market-driven, locavore, etc.) have become trendy catch phrases dropped lightly in restaurant press releases, BHSB is the real deal.

The Experience:

Gary and Jacquie picked us up at the train station and we arrived at BHSB just in time for our 6:30 pm reservation.  We were seated immediately in the beautiful dining room – an old dairy barn that has been renovated with elegant dark wood floors, soft ivory walls, and high metal beams- modern design juxtaposed with images of the field and farm and with beautiful views of the countryside (if it’s not dark out yet, that is).

The first thing to note is that the service is truly exceptional.  Impeccable may even be a better word for it. Our team of servers did not miss a beat during the entire evening (and it was quite a long one- 4+ hours). Each dish is explained by the lead server with incredible detail and enthusiasm.  Prior to our soft fried egg with locally foraged mushrooms course, our lead server Will brought out a plate of fresh eggs and described how the chickens that produced these eggs roam freely around the farm and escape to their special chicken mobiles in the evening to keep warm.  He told us about their diet and about how their pasture is rotated to achieve the best use of the land.  Prior to our forono beet salad course, Will showed us a plate of beets, and we learned about how the sugar concentration in each root increased during the cold winter weather on the farm- optimal for the beets served in our salad.

I could go on and on about the provenance of every ingredient (if I remembered it all) and Stone Barns’ four-season and pastured livestock farm, but even without all of this knowledge, the food really did take center stage.  We were blown away. Learning about the activities on the farm and the ecological dynamics in bringing the field to the plate enriched the overall dining experience that is Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

For the menu, you receive a list of over 100 ingredients that are part of that day’s harvest and that could be served throughout the course of your meal.  Check out our harvest menu from Saturday, December 12th.  You then choose whether you would like the 8-course or the 5-course Farmer’s Feast.  We all opted for the 8-course Farmer’s Feast ($135 per person) instead of the 5-course tasting ($105 per person).  The idea is that you have more diversity and variety with the 8 courses (rather than more food), so the plates tend to be a bit smaller than those you would get with the 5-course option.

Not including the six amuse bouche, our 8 courses included 6 savories and 2 sweet.  We added on a cheese course as well (because we just couldn’t help ourselves).  There is a wine pairing option for $105 per person, but we started out with some seasonal cocktails and decided to choose our wines ourselves (with the help of the fantastic sommelier who really did the choosing).   I do recommend trying a flight of the infused artisanal vodkas. We were asked if we had any food allergies or particular aversions, but thankfully our group had none and we were up for trying anything, so we put ourselves in the hands of the chef…and we were off.

The Food:

The first thing to note about the amuse at BHSB is the fun and creative ways in which they are served. Each of our amuse really showcased all the chefs’ particular talents and unique approaches to food.

Amuse 1: Mokum Carrots & Vegetables On the Fence. These vegetables were served beautifully, hovering on silver pins atop a wooden plank.  I especially loved the sweetness to the fresh mokum carrot and the complexity of the edamame.

Amuse 2: Forono Beet Sliders.  Little sesame topped, sweet fluffy buns with a sweet and savory beet burger topped with creamy goat cheese.  The sweet beat worked nicely with the tangy cheese.

Amuse 3: Dehydrated Vegetable Chips.  Served in a veggie chip tower of some sort, so that each delicate chip resembles a tree branch- a very tasty tree branch that is.  Andy remarked that these are what Terra Chips strive to be.

Amuse 4: Amazingly Rich, Paper Thin Ham.  Beautifully presented on black slate.

Amuse 5: Salsify wrapped in Pancetta & Buckwheat.  Served on top of long wooden sticks that are inserted into a dark wood base (think porcupine).  Once again, inventive presentation and a hearty, savory bite of all that is good about winter.

Amuse 6: Homemade Chacuterie from the Farm’s Berkshire Pigs.  A bologna and salami like I’ve never had.  These meats were made from Berkshire pigs on site at the farm.  We asked our server for some bread to go with the chacuterie, and quickly received some of their ridiculously delicious crusty rustic bread served with homemade, creamy butter and a fresh cottage cheese spread and with a small bowl of some sort of granulated beet salt.

Wine #1 for Courses 1-2: After perusing the wine list, Andy spotted a bottle of 2008 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc. We love their pinot’s and had heard great things about the SB, so we decided to give it a shot. The 2007 Merry Edwards SB was recently awarded #9 on Wine Specatator’s Top 100 Wines of 2009.

Course 1:  Local Bluefish with Caviar and Apple.  I never knew rare bluefish could taste so good.  The sweetness of the sauce and apple worked perfectly with the saltiness of the caviar.  The texture of the raw fish also worked nicely with the crunchy apple and caviar. Not to mention the mouthwatering acidity of the wine was a perfect match for the richness of the bluefish.

Course 2:  Mache with Forono Beet Salad, Pinenut Butter and Yogurt.  These are the gorgeous sweet beets that Will brought to our table moments before, and this dish really surprised me.  It was light yet hearty at the same time and I loved the pinenut butter and yogurt foam element.

Wine #2 for Courses 3-5: The sommelier recommended a 1999 Trinchero ‘Vigna Del Noce’ Barbera d’Asti from Piedmont. Once this biodynamically-produced wine opened up, we enjoyed a firmly structured wine with some dried red berries and cherries on the nose.

Course 3:  Maine Shellfish with Potato and Spinach Soup. It was amazing how the flavor of each piece of scallop, mussel and lobster kept its distinct and delicate taste even though it was an element of a larger dish.  I loved the creativity of the layering of the soup and the diversity of seafood flavors.

Course 4: Soft Fried Egg with Locally Foraged Mushrooms. This was a true standout for me.  I went nuts over the earthly mushroom and the inventively prepared fried egg with its bright orange running farm fresh yolk and crispy exterior.  Brilliant.

Course 5: Broad Breasted White Turkey with White Shelly Beans and Cardoons. Now, not to go overboard or anything, but I can confidently say that this is the best turkey I have had.  I thought it must have been cooked sous-vide to achieve the perfect degree of moisture and tenderness consistent through each slice.  The savory beans and beautiful sauce worked perfectly.  I have never had turkey like this before.  After tasting this, we had to ask whether BHSB is open on Thanksgiving, and we were sad to find out that they are not.

Wine #3 for Courses 6-8 and the Cheese Plate: For our third (and final) bottle of wine, the sommelier brought out an off-the-wine list 1994 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Though we can’t recall the producer, we were surprised to discover that this bottle fit in our $65-$100 price range that we had given earlier in the evening.

Course 6:  Hudson Valley Red Deer Venison with Squash Purée with Flash Fried Bloomsdale Spinach . The meat was perfectly medium rare and so rich and gamey.  I was getting quite full by this point, but I managed to savor every last bite.

Cheese Course: We snuck this one in.  We were served two types of cheese from Consider Bardwell Farm in Vermont.  The server explained how the dorset and manchester cheeses were produced differently to create two very different products.  They were served with a baguette and two types of preserves.

Course 7:  Sweet Potato Cake with Apples and White Cinnamon Ice Cream.

Course 8:  Prune Armagnac Ice Cream with Chocolate and Graham Souffle.

Bonus Birthday Surprise Course:  As if we hadn’t had enough, the folks at BHSB surprised us with one more course of ice cream and fruit in honor of Jacquie’s birthday.

Overall:

Our BHSB experience was incredible on all levels: the service — impeccable, the presentation — unique and inventive, the food & wine — exquisitely prepared and perfectly matched. This was our fourth visit, and I have to say BHSB keeps getting better each time. We were impressed by our lead server’s in-depth knowledge of the ingredients and BHSB’s philosophy on the food preparation.  A dinner at BHSB is much more than a meal.  From end-to-end, it’s a complete culinary experience and an education in local, community-based food production.  We are already looking into making reservations for the Spring Harvest!

The Scene: The Brooklyn Brewery dinner was hosted in Per Se’s private room on Friday, September 18th. As soon as we walked through the doors, we were greeted with a glass of The Manhattan Project, “a strong rye-based beer that is aged in Rittenhouse Rye barrels” and that is infused with spices to mirror the flavors and scents of a true Manhattan cocktail. With first taste, we knew that Brooklyn Brewery was not playing around.  This was going to be an evening where the beer could take center stage.  If Brooklyn Brewery could pull off a Per Se pairing dinner without being overshadowed by Per Se’s perfectly executed courses, then we could be certain we have a true beer revolution on our hands.

We walked around and chatted with some of the other guests as we were served passed hors d’oeuvres.  The salmon cornets (salmon tartar above a black sesame cone filled with crème fraiche) that melted in my mouth as an amuse bouche at my first Per Se dinner were back… and there were lots of them. We also enjoyed gruyere filled cheese puffs, miniature pork belly BLT sandwiches with truffle and a couple other signature canapes.

We met the host of the evening, renowned brewmaster Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery.  He was to eloquently lead the diners in a discussion of each course’s beer pairing while Per Se sommelier, Roxane Shafaee-Moghadam, would describe each food course.  After making some new friends and chatting with Garrett Oliver about craft beer week and about what’s on tap for Brooklyn Brewery, it was time for dinner.

The Menu and Our Reactions:

I. White Truffle Oil-Infused Custard, “Ragoût” of Black Winter Truffles, paired with Brooklyn Brewery’s Local 2.  An unbelievably rich and decadent custard bursting with black truffle that was served beautifully in an egg shell.  Brewmaster Oliver, who was sitting at our table, exclaimed how perfect life would be to wake up to this each morning for breakfast.  We can dream, can’t we?

II. Salvatore Brooklyn Ricotta “Agnolotti,” Caramelized Squash, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Petite Basil with Castello di Ama Extra Virgin Olive Oil Emulsion, paired with Brooklyn Brewery’s “Sorachi Ace.” A delicate collection of colorful basil, squash, and heirloom tomatoes that worked perfectly with the locally made ricotta stuffed in the luscious agnolotti.  The light olive oil emulsion allowed for the flavors of the fresh vegetables, the cheese, the pasta (and the beer!) to really shine.

III. Butter Poached Nova Scotia Lobster, Compressed Fennel Bulb, Rainbow Swiss Chard and Niçoise Olive Tapenade with “Mousseline au Citron,” paired with Brooklyn Brewery’s “Brooklyn-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse.”  Oh baby, the bold niçoise olive tapenade and sharp Swiss chard created such an interesting contrast to the creamy, buttery and plump lobster with mousseline au citron.  Lobster glory.

IV. All Day Braised Hobbs Shore’s Port Belly, “Choucroute Garnie,” paired with Brooklyn Brewery’s “Local 1.”  My favorite of the evening… classic hearty root vegetables and crisp pork belly so fatty and meaty on the inside- comfort food at its finest.  The Local 1 really took me by surprise with this pairing, because I had it before but had not noticed its complexity.  Pork belly brings out the best in all of us, I guess.

V. Herb Roasted Rib-Eye of Snake River Farms’ Beef, Smoked Bone Marrow “Pain Perdu,” Creamed Arugula and Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms with “Sauce Bordelaise,” paired with Brooklyn Brewer’s “Reinschweinsgebot” (Bacon Beer, baby!).  Ahh, thinking back to this triumph, I really remember the outstanding beer (described below), but the rib-eye was (of course) cooked perfectly, the bone marrow pain perdu (come on, now) savory and decadent, the creamed arugula bright and bold, the hen-of-the-woods mushrooms earthy and buttery, and the sauce bordelaise, classic. But the beer…

VI. Meadow Creek Dairy’s “Grayson,” Marinated Celeriac, Compressed Granny Smith Apple and Mustard Cress with Green Apple Mustard, paired with Brooklyn Brewery’s “Wild 1.”  Now, I love cheese and this rich, potent “Grayson” coupled with the tart and sweet elements on the plate really put a smile on my face.  And, who could forget the bread (served throughout the evening): fresh, warm, crusty French baguettes, rye loaves made with duck fat, fresh soft pretzel mini-loaves, warm sourdough, fruity, nutty, hearty, rustic slices with crispy crusts… I could go on.

VII. “Mud Pie,” Dark Chocolate Mud Cake, Liquid Caramel, Chocolate “Crémeux” and Caramel Parfait with Sassafras Ice Cream, paired with Brooklyn Brewery’s “Black Ops.”  I have never had much of a sweet tooth, but the presentation alone was outstanding, and sassafras ice cream?!?!  A lovely end to the evening with the smooth, robust Black Ops.

The Beer: The beer list that was provided to us really details the elements of these beers much more eloquently and accurately than I could hope to, so I defer to the menu, and include its descriptions below (with some of my own thoughts here and there).

I. Brooklyn Brewery, “The Manhattan Project,” New York. This is a collaborative effort between Brooklyn Brewery and top cocktail expert David Wondrich.  “The Manhattan Project” is a strong rye-based beer that is aged in Rittenhouse Rye barrels.  It is then infused with herbs and spices that mirror the flavors of red vermouth and bitters.  A dash of tart cherry finishes the brew.  It is a tasty beer that echoes New York’s most famous cocktail, “The Manhattan.”  We really loved it.  You smell Manhattan as soon as you lift the glass to your nose, and there is nothing like a new take on an old New York classic, especially one that it is done by a New York brewery.

II. Brooklyn Brewery, “Local 2,” New York. Belgian dark sugar syrup, sweet orange peel and raw wildflower honey from Tremblay Apiaries in upstate New York are combined to craft this beer.  A special Belgian yeast adds a hint of spice to the preexisting raisin, caramel and chocolate flavors.  Following re-fermentation in bottle, the beer reveals a dry, austere complexity beguiles its 9% alcohol strength.  Woo hoo!  A beer that can stand up to rich custard and black truffle = success.

III. Brooklyn Brewery, “Sorachi Ace,” New York. The very rare hop variety “Sorachi Ace” was developed by the Sapporo brewery in Japan many years ago, yet rejected because of its unusual flavor.  While the character of the hop does not suit Japanese light lager beers, it finds an application in this beer.  This is a dry Belgian-style farmhouse ale made with 100% Sorachi Ace hops.  Its aromatics are redolent of lemon, lemongrass and lemon verbena.  This is one of those different, exciting choices… not like anything I’ve ever had.  I loved the “unusual” Sorachi flavor and the light, bright, lemongrass notes.

IV. Brooklyn Brewery, “Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse,” New York. Brooklyn Brewery worked with the famous 400-yr old Schneider Weissbier brewery in Bavaria to prepare this brew.  It is a strong wheat beer with an extraordinary hop character.  The hoppy quality sets it apart from traditional German wheat beers.  It has a deep orange color and aromatics of banana and clove.  The effects from the Schneider yeast contrast the mango and citrus qualities yielded from domestic hops.  There is a robust yet balanced bitterness and a clean, hoppy finish.  I LOVE hops, so this beer was also a winner in my book.  I loved hearing the story of Brewmaster Oliver running into his counterpart at the Schneider Weissbier brewery in the Mediterranean and popping open a bottle as they sat with their families and gazed out onto the sea (true story).  Well, if I couldn’t have tried this stuff lounging on the coast of the Mediterranean, then the next best thing certainly is sipping it in Per Se with some butter poached Nova Scotia lobster!

V. Brooklyn Brewer, “Local 1,” New York. In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Brewery forges German barley malt and hops, aromatic raw sugar from Mauritius and Belgian yeast to create “Brooklyn Local 1.”  Behind the full golden color are complex aromatics and flavors that characterize Belgian flair and Brooklyn fortitude.  The beer possesses strength in its alcoholic concentration yet is very dry and highly aromatic with characteristics of honey, earth and sweet spices.  I do have to say, my mind is a bit blurred with pork belly memory overload to pinpoint what it was that I liked about Local 1.  I have had it on a number of occasions and do enjoy its Belgian/Brooklyn strength, but it is also a really good pairing beer for pork, particularly the ridiculous pork belly at Per Se.

VI. Brooklyn Brewery, “Reinschweinsgebot,” New York. This is a brown ale aged for nine months in “Woodford Reserve,” bourbon barrels.  This beer has then been fat-washed with fat rendered from bacon from Benton’s Country Smokehouse.  Allan Benton also produced a smoked malt for the creation and a special strong beer was brewer from it.  The beer is re-fermented in bottle and will be ready just prior to the event.  Only 20 cases are being made and it will not be publically available.  BACON BEER!!!!!  FAT-WASHED!!!!!!!  BOURBON BARRELS!!!!!!!  SMOKED MALT!!!!!!!!  AWESOMENESS!!!!!!!!!  Really the star of the evening- not as forward of a bacon flavor as  I imagined, but when that smokiness and rich fattiness comes together, you do think bacon… sizzling… precious… juicy… crispy… fatty… bacon… beer.

VII. Brooklyn Brewery, “Wild 1,” New York. This is a version of Brooklyn Brewer’s “Local 1.”  It is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale that has been aged for nine months in bourbons barrels and then re-fermented in the bottle with the wild yeast Brettanomyces.  Not at 16 months old, the beer shows fruit, honey, bourbon notes and a strong backdrop of the “funky” Brettanomyces character often seen in rustic French wines.  There are fewer than 80 cases of this beer and it is not commercially available.  This beer might have come into existence from some wild mistake, but it has certainly developed into something special.  I do have to say, I am a big fan of most things “funky” in good French wines, so no wonder I like wild funky yeast made beer.

VIII. Brooklyn Brewery, “Black Ops,” New York. This rare beer originally brewed by the Brooklyn brewing team in secret.  Only five people knew of its existence during production.  “Black Ops” was then ages for four months in bourbon barrels, bottled flat, and re-fermented with Champagne yeast.  It is a very robust beer with 11% alcohol.  Chocolate and coffee flavors are underpinned by rich notes of vanilla-scented bourbon.  A+  This is what it is all about… top secret brews being re-fermented with champagne yeast in bottle and coming out with smooth, dark, coffee and chocolate tones.  I would have this as my after dinner drink or dessert any day.  Well done.

The Verdict: Oh, what a night.  I was shocked at all the tricks Brewmaster Oliver had up his sleeve.  I did expect the culinary excellence that Per Se seemed to so effortlessly deliver, but the beer really lived up to the challenge.  I tried some exciting, cutting edge, classic, and even comical brews.  I only wish I could buy myself some “Reinschweinsgebot” or some “Manhattan Project” to sip and savor at home while I am writing this.  Cheers to Brooklyn Brewery for pulling it off… and then some.  The craft beer revolution has come and has conquered.

AMUSE BOUCHE AND ASSORTED APPETIZERS:
Biscuit with black pepper butter with a hint of crunchy sugar topping  / Fried fresh pork skin w/ spicy salt (Chicharrones) / Crayfish in a bright pea sprout soup

WINE PAIRING: Christian Etienne, NV Brut Champagne

FIRST COURSE: Fresh Long Island fluke sashimi style in sweetened buttermilk yuzu sauce with poppy and chives

WINE PAIRING: Trait d’Union 2007, Chenin Blanc, Montlouis sur Loire

SECOND COURSE:  Fresh Santa Barbara uni in chilled dashi vegetable broth with assortment of greens and English peas

SAKE PAIRING: Masumi “Okuden” Junmai Sake

THIRD COURSE: Lightly smoked soft yoked egg with caviar, fried fingerling potato chips, and white onions with sweet potato vinegar — this was one of my favorites — egg was split to let some yolk pour out, there was a generous amount of caviar on top, onion coated the bottom of the dish, and housemade potato chips on the side for a nice crunch. Check out a pic here

WINE PAIRING: Bonard 2005, “Les Chassagnes” Savagnin, Cotes du Jura

FOURTH COURSE:  Diver scallops served w/ asparagus, porcinis, broccoli rabe, yuba, and toasted rice
 – this was Jill’s favorite course — scallops were perfectly tender w/ a crisp and delicious savory sear

WINE PAIRING: Scholium Project 2007, “Prince in his Caves” Sauvignon Blanc — this was the most unique and intuitive pairing of the evening. Christina explained that this is an unfiltered sauvignon blanc which gave it an exotic fruit on the nose w/ a delicious citrusy, minerally flavor. Would have never guessed it was a sauvignon blanc.

FIFTH COURSE:  Soft shell crab over celery noodles and hearts of palm in an old bay butter sauce

SAKE PAIRING: Masumi “Arabashiri” Nama Junmai Ginjo Sake

SIXTH COURSE:  Shaved frozen Husdon Valley Foie Gras over lychee, peanut brittle, and Riesling gelée — this is an “are you kidding me” course and should be on the list of 100 things to try before you die — check out a pic here

WINE PAIRING: Schloss Muhlenhof 1999, Beerenauslese Siegerrebe & Ortega, Rheinheggen (sweet dessert wine)

SEVENTH COURSE:  Deep fried short rib with onion medley (sous vided for 2 days and then frozen before deep frying)

WINE PAIRING: Turley 2007 “Juvenile” Zinfandel, California — I wonder what Christina was thinking when she came by to pour the namesake wine and Jill and I were saying how much we love Turley Zins — Zinfandel lots from the youngest vines (around 25 years) are put into the Juvenile blend.

EIGHTH COURSE:  Cantaloupe sorbet served over savory and salty green, crystallized “stuff”

WINE PAIRING: Reymos, NV, Moscatel, Valencia (sweet dessert wine)

NINTH COURSE:  Black sesame seed ice cream, coconut cream sauce and lemon custard served with a slice of funnel cake

WINE PAIRING: Alvear “Asuncion” Oloroso (sherry)

The Blue Hill at Stone Barn’s menu is more like a list of seasonal ingredients.  The “multi-course farm feasts” are “inspired by the day’s harvest.”  We read what was in season… Maine sea scallops, Stone Barn Berkshire pigs, Red Russian kale, Brown African goose, Hudson Valley venison, Jerusalem artichokes… it goes on and on.  We have been to the restaurant on a number of occasions but we try to go in different seasons for totally different menus and experiences.  You have the option of a 5-course tasting for $95 or a Farmer’s Feast for $125.

We knew we were in for a treat with the 5-course V-Day tasting menu. We also opted for the wine pairings, and the wines were ideally matched with each course.  It would be impossible to properly describe each dish, each flavor, and each small touch that made the evening so memorable, so instead we will highlight our most memorable dishes below.  Although we are all in a recession conscious mindset, if you are splurging on a special occasion, we urge you to splurge here and make a weekend or at least an overnight trip out if.  We promise you won’t be disappointed. 

Our Favorites:

Amuse Bouche: They kicked off the meal with an unreal amuse bouche trio. First there was the fresh oyster with cranberries. Next, was the fried potato chip. They saved the best amuse bouche for last. The server came by with 2 tall shot glasses of hot artichoke soup and what looked like a medicine dropper. He asked that we each make a fist. He put a drop of some sort of blood red sauce on our fist and instructed us to lick the red sauce and then quickly follow it up with the artichoke shooter.  It was amazing.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras Course: First, we both opted for the Hudson Valley foie gras that was served with a sweet, nutty fig bread. We actually preferred it with the bread that was on the table.  We washed it down with a ’97 Riesling.  Decadent.

Poached Lobster Course: For the second course, we both went with the poached lobster served over a perfectly executed assortment of savory winter vegetables from the Blue Hill farm. They paired it with a great Chardonnay. We both agreed that this was the best course. 

Suckling Pig (Andy) / Loin of Lamb (me): Next, Andy had suckling pig and I went with the loin of lamb. Both were perfectly cooked and delicious. We don’t even remember the dessert (we’re not huge dessert people) but they were terrific and they even brought us the one dessert we didn’t order “courtesy of the chef.” They also gave us a mini-goodie bag to take home with us.

Where to Stay Near Blue Hill at Stone Barns:

We stayed at the Tarrytown House Estate. They had a great V-Day package that included a bottle of champagne in the room and a box of chocolate truffles. We thought it was going to be a bottle of Cava or an inexpensive Prosecco. We were surprised, however, when a bottle of 2005 Wolffer Estate Blanc de Blancs was delivered to our room. This wine sells for $35 on the Wolffer Estate website. We also got a complimentary breakfast buffet the next morning in the beautiful castle overlooking the grounds and the Hudson River. While this hotel is massive (more of a business conference center than a small, charming hotel), we enjoyed the amenities that included an indoor heated pool, jacuzzi and sauna. Before our dinner reservation at Blue Hill, we headed over to Cellar 49 in the lower level of the castle. They were nice enough to let us bring our own bottle of wine, a 1982 Chateau Lascombes, for a small corkage fee and they even provided a decanter. The wine was amazing. We took our wine with us and headed to the nearby game room for some games of pool and shuffleboard.

Another place that we would recommend staying is Castle on the Hudson. This historic hotel is perched high atop a bluff overlooking the river valley and is quite an impressive structure that replicates the architecture of medieval Europe with a massive stone facade and towers and turrets.  While the whole point is to have dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, the Castle has an award-winning restaurant of its own, Equus, which is supposed to be excellent.  We had an amazing (and pricey) brunch there and really love the Castle on the Hudson.  If you’re going for an all out romantic splurge weekend away, this is your place.

How to Get Here:

Train: We take the train from Grand Central to Tarrytown and then take a taxi from the train station (they are there waiting).  If you’re staying overnight, your hotel will call a taxi for you to get there and the restaurant will call a taxi for you to get back to your hotel (check in with them before dessert). 

Driving: Check out the Blue Hill at Stone Barns website for directions.

It’s been close to a fortnight since we ate at Babbo and I can’t stop thinking about the grilled octopus with “borlotti marinati” and spicy limoncello vinaigrette (thanks to Solo for recommending this), the mint ‘love letters’ pasta with spicy lamb sausage, the papardelle with butter, parmesan and (generously shaved) white truffles, the guinea hen special…even the complimentary amuse bouche chickpea bruschetta was amazing. We were planning to both do the pasta tasting menu, but since it was close to 11pm when we finally got seated, we went with a mini-tasting recommended by our server instead. Pics and descriptions of the meal after the jump…

Our sommelier recommended a nice under $100 Barbaresco that she said would match perfectly with our tasting items. Babbo, as Jill can attest, is one of the most difficult NYC restaurants to get a reservation at, especially if you’re using a phone. Jill called right at 10am exactly a month ahead of time and patiently waited on hold for more than an hour, and still was only able to get a 10:45pm reservation (past our bedtime). 

(Disclaimer: these are not our pics…we find it disrupting not only to others but to our own dining experience to whip out a camera and start snappin’ photos at a nice restaurant…we just don’t want to be “those people.” I have to say we even feel a bit uncomfortable and slightly annoying taking photos at bars and casual restaurants.) Here’s what Mario Batali had to say when asked by a food blog about Babbo’s photography policy: 

“Do you mean folks like bloggers? Our photo policy is that we do not allow lights or taking photos of other customers but do not stop joyous foodies clicking an occasional photo of the food on the table with a small camera. If it starts to feel like a photo shoot or they flash more than twice, we ask them to stop for the comfort of other guests. I pose with guests for hundreds of photos a year in the resto.”

Let the food porn, albeit courtesy of some other “joyous foodies”, begin:

The slightly spicy and slightly tangy chickpeas were nicely bathed with balsamic vinegar and spooned over thick toasted bread.

Had we not observed a server shaving copious amounts of truffle over this dish for a couple of people dining at the bar, we may not have know to ask about it. So, when it came our turn we were excited to see the same guy come by with the white truffle and proceed to pour shavings over wide hand-cut noodles dressed with butter and a grating of parmigiano reggiano. It was at this point that our dinner reached epic proportions. The noodles were an ideal choice, as their large size seemed to encourage the truffles to spread out nicely and served as a nice canvas to let the truffles strut their stuff. The heat of the pasta added to the aroma and decadent taste of each and every truffle shaving. They split the dish onto two plates for us and we both agreed that it seemed we each got our own full dish.

The pappardelle truffle was a hard act to follow, but this pasta recommended by our server did not disappoint. These mint, pea and sausage stuffed raviolis were served hot and proved to be small, explosively flavorful little packets of goodness. The mint filling was a refreshing breath to the pasta and it was different than any pasta dish we’ve ever encountered. He also recommended a Goose Liver Ravioli with Balsamic Vinegar and Brown Butter, but we decided

to save that for next time, though it may have to be the time after next time if we can afford Babbo’s eight-course truffle tasting menu the next time we go.

We had an amazing dinner last night at Babbo. Actually, it was friggin’ decadently delicious. Can’t do it justice right now (we’re scrambling to finish up some work so we can get out of the city and on our way to the Finger Lakes). It was the second best meal I’ve had in NYC…actually make that in my life. Ok maybe third best in my life. In fact, I’m adding a “Best Meals of Our Life” category to Wined & Dined. First – hands down was Per Se. Second – Pierre Gagnaire in Paris (#3 on World’s 50 Best Restaurants List behind El Bulli and The Fat Duck – Per Se is #6) I’ll describe Pierre Gagnaire experience in a future post. Our meals at Blue Hill at Stone Barns rank up there, too. These are the type of life-altering meals that make it hard to go anywhere else for a few weeks. It’s kind of like committing culinary suicide. I dug up an email Jill sent me a year ago to the day that sums up pretty nicely our experience at Per Se last year (she should write for Zagat). Check it out after the jump…

From: Janeczko, Jill

To: Freedman, Andrew M.

Sent: Wed 10/24/2007 10:16 AM

Subject: I can’t stop….

Incredible. Best dinner ever!