www.chefsclub.com
275 Mulberry Street (at Jersey St.)
212-941-1100
American. Chefs Club is born of a concept. And a brilliantly delicious one at that. Each year, Food and Wine Magazine anoints a number of Best New Chefs, then ingeniously deploys some here.
Their innovative offerings, along with those of the chefs in residence, guarantee an evening of dining heaven. How can you lose when every course is masterminded by genius?
I began with the special – crabmeat tartine with avocado and grapefruit. The combination was not just unique but ideal, something I found myself thinking dish after dish. I can only imagine the amount of effort that must go into each, not just in terms of creation, but balance. The charred octopus is supreme, reigning in the company of chickpea panisse, pistachio, and preserved lemon.
Both the sea bream (vadouvan cauliflower, cilantro lettuce emulsion) and Berkshire pork chop (burnt cabbage, crispy potatoes, lovage, apple mustard) were roasted perfection, the burning of the cabbage an especially inspired act, transporting the flavor far beyond expectation.
Speaking of, please keep yours in the stratosphere when ordering dessert. Their profiteroles (gianduja mousse, vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate sauce) are palate perfection. And the “Crema Catalina” mousse deserves at least a page of its own. With berries and crispy caramel, it’s like nothing I have ever tasted but want every day for eternity. Which, coincidentally, is about how long it could take to get over your meal at Chefs Club.