Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

Both very good. Le Bernardin was better.


The maitre'd and ownwer of Le Bernardin, Maguey Lacoze, was wearing what appeared to be the poofy shirt from Seinfeld, and I almost cracked up. The fish, while outstanding, should be served hot, not warm, like it was. I'm pretty sure this is deliberately done and that fish is not supposed to be served at the same temperature as meat or poultry, but I would've preffered the cooked food to be hotter.

The lobster entreeat Le Bernardin (Baked Lobster; Braised Endives, Enoki and Black Trumpets; Bourbon-Black Pepper Sauce) was far superior to the equivalent poached lobster dish at Cru, the latter had a consistency of being a tad rubbery, as if undercooked, although the color of the flesh suggested it was cooked fine.

While I don't usually go for halibut, it was the best fish item I tasted on the menu (Tasted about 4 or 5) (Poached Halibut "Salsa Verde": Clam Juice, Roasted Garlic, Herb Purée and Lemon Juice; Warm Crab and Raw Matsutake Mushroom Salad)

Cru had better freebies from the chef. Serving a canape, and then a plate of 3 amuse bouches. Le Bernardin won in the petits fors battle with an awesome dark chocolate doohicky and tiny lemon custard thingy which was just awesome.

If I had to assign Zagat ratings for the experience, I'd give LB a 27 or 28 and Cru a 25 for food. If I were the NYT, I'd give Cru 2 stars and LB 3.

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

what city?

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

[img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

NYC the realist!

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

i've noticed a really sort of depressing trend amongst high end restaurants to serve food "not hot." when speaking to chefs about it, they inform me that many of the subtler flavors would be lost (both by denaturing and by overpowered by heat) and that the appreciation of textures/other would be more difficult if the food were served "hot." so they prefer that you have your food at "the right" temperature, so you can "enjoy" it more.

me, sometimes i want my food not to be room temperature.

f u mr trotter, i blame you.

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

Lobster is slightly rubbery when cooked appropriately and very rubbery when overcooked. It tends to be stringy when undercooked.

I look forward to trying Le Bernadin.

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

I personally think lobster is at its best when simply steamed. Often, when its served poached, I notice it has this different consistency. Still delicious, but nothing beats lobster at a wooden picnic table on some dock with a plstic bib and drawn butter, IMO.

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

[ QUOTE ]
I personally think lobster is at its best when simply steamed. Often, when its served poached, I notice it has this different consistency. Still delicious, but nothing beats lobster at a wooden picnic table on some dock with a plstic bib and drawn butter, IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a very good lobster dish a couple of weeks ago where the tail, and claws were placed on a bed of tagliatelle and surrounded with a mint foam. I almost always prefer claw meat to tail meat.

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

possibly the best lobster dish i've ever had was lobster with pineapple. simply amazing.

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I personally think lobster is at its best when simply steamed. Often, when its served poached, I notice it has this different consistency. Still delicious, but nothing beats lobster at a wooden picnic table on some dock with a plstic bib and drawn butter, IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a very good lobster dish a couple of weeks ago where the tail, and claws were placed on a bed of tagliatelle and surrounded with a mint foam. I almost always prefer claw meat to tail meat.

[/ QUOTE ]

As I'm sure you're aware preffering the claw to the tail is a tad unusual. Interestingly (or not) when I was younger and first started eating lobster I had the same preference. At some point I switched preffs, but both are very good. I won't eat the little chalky rubbery finger parts of the claw though. <font color="pink"> </font>

Re: Cru and Le Bernardin review
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I personally think lobster is at its best when simply steamed. Often, when its served poached, I notice it has this different consistency. Still delicious, but nothing beats lobster at a wooden picnic table on some dock with a plstic bib and drawn butter, IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a very good lobster dish a couple of weeks ago where the tail, and claws were placed on a bed of tagliatelle and surrounded with a mint foam. I almost always prefer claw meat to tail meat.

[/ QUOTE ]

As I'm sure you're aware preffering the claw to the tail is a tad unusual. Interestingly (or not) when I was younger and first started eating lobster I had the same preference. At some point I switched preffs, but both are very good. I won't eat the little chalky rubbery finger parts of the claw though. <font color="pink"> </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

The knuckle of the large claw has the best flavor (not including the green stuff in the center) IMO. It also has by far the best texture.