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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Lower East SideDelancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z)
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I came, ate, and saw Wyle Dufresnes....
it was ok...
the tasting menu and a bottle of wine (50% off) came out to about $200 a person... i was so full by the time i had the cold buttermilk chicken (DELISH!), that I couldn't really enjoy the remaining dishes .. especially the lamb which i was so looking forward to..
but thats actually a good thing - a tasting menu where I can actually be full?
The biggest reason why i only give it 3-stars is not bc of its amazing service, and my full stomach.. but the food was just too rich.. and perhaps thats why i was so full... everything was infused with something or another... and it ruined the flavors of the food at times... for example, foi gras with passion fruit inside - i think just foi gras would have been fine.
i also hated the time in between each dish.. frankly - that could have moved a lot faster...
but it was a once in a lifetime experience that i don't necessarily regret.
I really struggled to assign a star rating to this one. My brother and I ended up here because we were able to get reservations, and they don't require jackets. We did the tasting menu with wine pairings, which, with tax and tip, ended up just a bit under $300. Per person.
First, be advised that unless you are a very fast eater, the tasting menu will take a good two-and-a-half or three hours. We started at 10:00 and didn't get out of the restaurant until after 1:00.
The food. Things didn't get off to a great start with a white anchovy and red pepper. This combo seemed uninspired, both visually and gastronomically. The anchovy tasted like bad fish and the pepper didn't really help. Things did improve after the first course, though I never uttered the adjectives "great" or "superb" at any point during the evening. Mostly, it was "good," or, more often, "interesting." And though the wine pairings were appropriate (and generous in portion), none of those wowed me either. Also, three of the wines were doubled up for two courses each. For $75, I would have preferred unique selections for each.
Service. Our reservation was for 10:00. We were greeted warmly and seated promptly. We had one guy pouring all of our wine, introducing each new selection. The food was brought out by random staff, however; I would have preferred a single server. Overall, the service was efficient and courteous, if maybe a bit perfunctory. At the end of the evening, when almost everyone else had left, WD himself stopped by to ask if we needed anything else.
Bottom line. I can really only recommend wd-50 if at least one of the following is true: you know you enjoy molecular gastronomy or you have so much money that $300 per person for dinner isn't a significant expenditure. To be on the safe side, you should probably make sure both of these are true.
And dont tell me my taste buds arent refined. What's not refined is this sad excuse for cuisine. Last week I was @ Craft. LOVED IT. paid twice is much as i paid at wd50, but that was because i kept eating and eating the food was so good. but not at wd50. it sucked.
the lubricating agent for doors and rusty crap, on the other hand, prob'ly tastes better
It's hard to pick a score. I feel like giving them a 3 for uniqueness but ultimately I can't recommend them.
Basically I heard about this on NPR. Using food science they make all kinds of crazy dishes. We tried the 9 course sampler. Neither of us are drinkers so with tip the total was $380 for 2. I know this is New York but this was the most expensive dinner I've personally had. I don't mind paying and I'm still happy I went but unfortunately, while interesting, none of the dishes I was served were actually tasty. Most were very bland. I suppose the subtleness of the flavors was lost on me or something.
Oh well. NYC is big, there are plenty of other places to go.
Wyle you have pleasantly proved me wrong! My bf is a fan of Wyle Dufresnes's technique of cooking (aka anything that uses blow torches and nitrogen tanks has got to be good!) Because of all the hype, I didnt expect much.
The first person u see in the restaurant is the Chef Dufresne scanning his dining room. He keeps a watchful eye of everyone that comes to the restaurant. Since I had just eaten McDonald's french fries few hrs prior, we didn't opt for the tasting menu, which was not bad in price.
For appetizers, we shared the corned duck on toast. I'm very picky about duck, but this was to die for! I have never tasted a better combination of duck, mustard, horseradish. For the entree I ordered the wagyu beef steak with sesame noodles. The wagyu beef was amazing, perfectly cooked with just the right amount of fat/marbling in the meat. The bf ordered the pork loin. It was also very tender and favorfully without that yucky pork taste (can you tell I dont eat much pork?).
On a side note, we were seated very close to a young couple on their first date. The young girl asked the waiter "we get all this?" refering to the tasting menu while checking her blackberry. While the young man sitting across from her was trying to impress her with his little knowledge of wine. Very cute couple....Dinner came with entertainment that night!!
Next time I definitely want to try the tasting menu. This is a restaurant that I want to return to.
My girlfriend and I were in the city and decided to eat at WD-50 at the last second. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very attentive and knowledgeable. We ordered the chef's tasting and was pleased with the food. The tasting was about 3 hours long but was worth it because of the casual atmosphere and amazing food. The manager and bartender kept referring me to as "Chef" every time they cleared the plates or brought new plates so it was very personable as well. Turns out the manager is from my neck of the woods so he took good care of us and at the end of our tasting he asked me if I wanted to meet Chef Wylie Dufresne. I got to meet one of my culinary heroes and got to shake his hand so the whole experience was a plus for me.
molecular gastronomy... nerds in the kitchen in the most flattering way possible. All my senses had a play date. WD rocks!
For more reviews visit my blog.
I came to wd~50 with a bunch of friends and we couldn't decide whether we all wanted to get the tasting menu or not, and since it's all or none we opted to get different dishes and try each other's.
we got the corned duck, hanger tartare, and the aerated foie. The corned duck had amazing flavors that burst in your mouth. I didn't try the hanger tartare but my friend said that the banana definitely made the dish good (one couldn't even taste the banana) and omg, the aerated foie...!!!! I usually don't like foie gras after a bite or two because it's too heavy and thick and ruins my appetite (yea, i realize i'm the oddball here) but the aerated foie was so LIGHT and so AIRY and the brioche was very crispy and light and they complemented each other so well.
For the entree we got the scallops, the skate, and the wagyu skirt steak. We all agreed the wagyu was good but we've had better. They use a special process (forgot what it was called) and that makes the meat juicier but it was also a little too raw for me and too chewy. I like my meat to be tender. The peanut butter 'pasta' is another name for thai pad thai. It was better but that's what I thought of the first thing I tasted it. The scallops got too sour and we stopped eating it. The skate was WONDERFUL. It was cooked to perfection and the cumin, cardamom and cinnamon all complemented each other with the skate. I highly recommend this entree.
The cheesecake had to be the best dessert. It was in small balls of cheesecake gelatin and was citrusy in flavor and was paired with saffron threads, raisins, a passionfruit (?) sorbet. I let them all fuse in my mouth and it was SO DELICIOUS. I got the soft chocolate and peppermint icecream and I was a bit ambvialent. The toffee was too much and the peppermint was supposed to help but it distracted the flavors and the taste.
Overall, it was an enjoyable experience but it wasn't the best food. Molecular gastronomy is a innovative field and is definitely on the rise. The service was great and the presentation was impeccable. It was also exciting to see Wiley D. in the kitchen working!
This is my toughest review yet! You must take everything you know about food and service and aptly put it up on the shelf for this one! Then you must remember that your in NYC one of the few places in the world that you are supposed to be grateful to get in, sit, pay massive prices and eat at a restaurant. If name dropping and who you know play a big role in your life then, you will want to use these tools during your experience. So it is with this in mind that I attempt to write this review.
I LOVED IT! Yes! I Know, it was great! It pains me to admit this and I'm struggling to keep this review relevant!
Atmosphere, not much to speak of!, Seems like things were unfinished as it relates to the decor! Could be by design, remember I've got most my expectations still sitting on the shelf.
Service was excellent a good attempt at timing and choreography not enough communication amongst the 5 or 6 people to pull it off smoothly.
Server was very interesting Jake, Travis or Colt he answered to all three or any other name we would give him, because the meal was about us not him! He had a very strong opinion and made many attempts not to share it. Of course little nuggets came out during our meal which gave us insight into the complexities of the art of molecular deconstruction of food! He was extremely knowledgeable and has a passion for what he does!
The wine suggestions were great, we opted to order our own and not the wine pairing, with our servers help it all turned out great and complimentary.
The food Tasting menu, plenty of food for everyone, you will not leave hungry. In fact you will have a had an amazing food experience, it's as if you were at an amusement park and each ride takes to a new high and low but leaves you wanting more and wondering if you should get in line again.
I'm struggling with telling you every course, I'll highlight the one's that kept me wanting more.
Fried Chicken, Pork, Eggs Benny, Hazelnut tart, Lamb, Ice cream bagel.
It all worked and tasted great! Substitutions were approved! Thank You so much.
The overall experience was amazing.The group of friends were perfect for this restaurant they have as much of an appreciation for food as I do plus they love to drink um, ah like I do! What I walked away with the most was that when you have a passion and dream for what you do, you want to share that with the world and you put all your efforts and focus, with sheer determination and belief. You become an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. Wylie has done this well, he has also surrounded himself with other committed and passionate believers who seek and search for a leader to follow in his footsteps. You must RISE to the occasion.
Sorry I don't know what happened to me while writing this, I think I became a believer in his cause. Good Stuff!
A solid candidate for 4.5 stars but I tend to be a 5 star prude anyways...so 4 stars it is. Unbelievable service. Good stuff. Nice decor, funky cool bathroom. True story.
We had the 9 course tasting and wine pairings. Wine pairings were great, I don't recall a bad one in there at all. Food ranged from OK/Good to Great. Great being the cold fried chicken. Everything else was good but nothing really stood out. I will say there were a lot of crumbled [insert something here] in the dishes. Scrambled Egg Ravioli was my number 2 favorite course. Try it cause he steps out of the norm.
This is an outstanding restaurant. Everyone who appreciates food (particularly those with an open mind) need to make the trip to WD50... probably more than once.
I've been there several times so far, and I am impressed on each visit. The food is incomparable. It is ambitious, whimsical and a lot of fun... but most of all it is delicious. The chef should be commended on taking such a huge risk with his cuisine and coming out so successful. Just fantastic.
I have to say though, that where this place really shines is the service. The staff is brilliant. Thoroughly educated on every dish and its ingredients, they are enthusiastic about the food and a delight to speak to. Completely approachable when asking for suggestions or just a general question about preparation. Not many places can compare in this regard.
This would be a 5-star review, save for the post-industrial decor. Although I understand what they're going for (especially being on the LES), and appreciate it for what it is. The food probably would come off as haughty and pretentious (or even ridiculous) if served in too formal an environment... however the execution here could have been better.
I had an unmemorable meal at Per Se the night before and wasn't expecting much. If you're a foodie who has been to several top-notch restaurants and feeling jaded and like you've seen everything before, then this is the place for you.
I had new flavor combinations, new textures, my tastebuds were ecstatic at tasting something novel and exciting. It's been a long time since I've been wowed , and there were plenty of dishes that wowed me on the tasting menu.
Wowzers
Everything ice cream bagel, foie gras with passionfruit jelly inside, scramble egg ravioli (could have a whole brunch on this dish), lamb, vanilla ice cream with balsamic insde, cocoa packets
Meh's
duck leg with some really bitter vegetable in it
As you can see more wowzer's than meh's. The dining room is casual, and it's a pretty pricey experimental meal. But it delivered well above my expectations.
Also, I saw Wylie Dufresne in the kitchen. It was pretty awesome because you see him prepare your food. He's not like most chefs that watch over sous chefs, he's right in there touching your food and dressing it up. That's awesome. I'm a manager and I rarely do the work that my reports do, but when I do, they work harder. It's cool to see that work ethic in a chef.
After a long day at work in our NY office I decided to treat myself and hit up the one place my friends in SF had insisted I go: WD50.
It's a little tricky to find with no obvious signage and plenty of yummy looking places on the same block of Clinton.
I arrived relatively late for dinner and was able to get a seat at the bar where they serve the full menu. After striking up a convo with the friendly Swedish gent next to me, and trying to educate him on Top Chef, I opted to try one of their cocktails. The bartender (Jafrul) was super friendly and provided me with the yummiest of framboise cocktails.
For my meal, I marveled at the magnificent pairings, not all of which were very intuitive and settled on the Turbot, which came with barbecued lentils, cauliflower, and dried apricot. It was truly perfection. The fish was so delicious and not fishy at all which is a huge fear of mine. The tanginess of the bbq lentils was offset by the crispy cauliflower and the sweet apricot. Not wanting to miss out I decided to completely stuff myself and order dessert, so I selected the soft chocolates. This dish was very rich and crumbly toffee and cardamom only added to it. But it was all cooled off with a small scoop of peppermint ice cream. These things, you see, just do not sound like they go together but they do, AMAZINGLY so.
The waitress then heard me explaining how the chef, Wylie Dufresne, is famous in the world of molecular gastronomy, and appeared on what my Swedish friend now calls "The Top Chefs" and she asked me whether I could see him back in the kitchen. I had no idea he actually cooks there! I figured he opened the place and moved on to other things, letting a staff cook his recipes. Not true. He cooks there.
Now I woulda been content to end the night with a delicious meal and a Wylie sighting if it weren't for the host who asked me whether i'd like to meet him. Um yeah! In 5 minutes I was kickin' it with Wylie and getting a tour of the kitchen. I learned all sorts of things like how the main stove/burners is actually one giant piece of machinery they had to knock down the wall to get in, and that they love having a sun roof in the kitchen. Wylie also mocked me when I said I came all the way from SF for Turbot, but he was very gracious when I told him how much I enjoyed the meal.
Wylie is an amazing chef and an all-around great guy. Hit up WD50, you won't be disappointed. Who knew I'd get such a rad yelp-worthy experience on a business trip?
7, October 2009
After a long debate between ordering from the regular menu or tasting menu, my girlfriend and I decided to order the tasting menu on our servers recommendation that the tasting menu was the chef's more innovative and cutting edge items: sounds good I'm sold.
First on the table, easily the star of the evening, was the paper thin crisp sesame flatbread. I wish they would package this stuff and sell it in the store.
Course one was introduced as an amuse: raw cobia, dried lychee, celery root (ribbons of celery root assumably blanched to give them more of a pasta-like feel, great touch) a few other little touches that worked well with the dish-except for the tasteless Vaseline schmoo on the bottom of the bowl. Could have used some pazzaz to start the dinner, but not a loss.
Course two was one of the favorites of the evening: everything bagel
ice cream (bagel shaped), over salmon threads (dried shredded salmon), crispy cream cheese and pickled onions-this dish is the reason we came to WD.
Course three foie gras- excited and almost pleased. A perfect buttery cylinder of foie gras on a bed of shaved crispy celery product and chinese celery. Then a surprise, eyebrows raise to the passion fruit in the middle but raise even higher as the fruit is too tart and overpowering; sad, but not all is lost.
Course three- My scrambled eggs were not only perfectly cooked, but also in the shape of a f!@#ing cube-wow. Referred to on the menu as scrambled egg ravioli that sat next to a log of charred avocado. Cannot forget about the amazing little potato crisp pearls that rounded this dish off as a perfect breakfast. Oh and there was also a raw slice of kampachi on the plate that really did not seem to hold any relevance to the dish.
Course four: I was really looking forward to this one- cold fried chicken. Overall not bad, a little warm ricotta, some caviar, tabasco- kind of like hangover leftovers. Big problem with the dish was the texture of the chicken breading was uneventful and not good.
Course five: Perch, Kohlrabi, "Dirty" Grape, Cocoa Nib. Unlisted was a ver jus that had the Vaseline texture. This problem with this dish is that all of the different elements did not mesh well. Some things on the
dish worked well, but not all together.
Course six: looked like a large ravioli, only if the pasta was made from a duck leg terrine. under the "pouch" part was popcorn pudding, some kale, and a single bite of something that had such a strong celery flavor I could taste it through the next course. Oh and there was something else under the meat blanket, I only remember that it did not compliment the other things on the plate.
Course six: Lamb loin, black garlic romesco, pickled ramp, and dried
soybean. The loin was good , but the excessive silver skin left the loin chewier than need be. Better of the last few courses, but the sadness had already set in.
Course Seven: Vanilla Ice cream cylinder with freeze dried raspberry. Nice, but the surprise balsamic inside the ice cream was a bit on the tart side- yes I know it is vinegar, but i have had had winners in this category before and there are ways to bring the two together and this was not it.
Course Eight: Hazelnut Tart, Coconut, Chocolate, Chicory. Overall not bad, nice gooey tart in the middle and the crust-like items on the outside to bring to the party as needed. There was a tasty crumble thing, some various crumbles and two altered hazelnuts that I did not like.
Course Nine: Caramelized Brioche, Apricot, Buttercream, Lemon Thyme. This one didn't work for me, the brioche did not have a texture of bread, and nothing really jumped enough to bring us out of the silence that grew between my date and I over the course of the meal.
Last thing to hit the table: Chocolate Pouches-sounds great, looked fun, but hard to eat. Fuillantine and cocoa nibs(mind you both dry and crispy) wrapped in a chocolate (rolled out tootsie-roll) pouch, not easy to get through. Along with the pouches a chocolate shortbread with milk ice cream. Almost like an oreo, but in ball form, with a filling that did not stand up to the cookie.
Overall if I am spending $400.00 on two people, I think that every thing should be spot on and unfortunately WD-50 was not. Both Chef Dufresne and Stupak were in the kitchen that night and I just don't understand what happened. I sadly will not return in spite of the star studded menu.
The more notorious the chef, the higher my expectations are. And after seeing Wylie D on various food shows (Top Chef), I knew I had to check out his restaurant. Wylie's claim to fame is molecular gastronomy where he re-invents how food (and cooking) is defined.
The venue is minimal and VERY casual. It's very low key in contrary to the menu's price point (which I get). I ordered the pumperknickel soup and eggs benedict. I was offered an amuse bouche which consisted of something asian inspired and thin slices of fish sausage, vegetables, broth and cream. It was really horrible and I didn't finish it. Extreme disappointment. Their bread plate was paper thin seasame crackers which reminded of ak-mak. The soup was presented in separate components which I had to mix. At first I wasn't sure if I liked it but as soon as the flavors fused it was very good. What was best about the soup was the puffed gruyere and when it was mixed it did the "snap crackle pop" LOL I enjoyed the added bonus of audio sensory. I didn't care for the smoked sable in the soup. It could have been much better with another protein. The classic eggs benedict, I was told, is one of the items that has consistently stayed on the menu. Served as a concentrated gelled yolk, fried hollandaise (YES) and crispy proscuttio chips - this lived up to the hype.
If you are a foodie you can appreciate wd-50's concept atleast once. For my personal taste, I think the food is too rich and articial - almost trying to hard. If I come back it's only for the dessert menu and drinks (which looked amazing)!
I only came here because my company was paying for the occasion, because I seriously wouldn't be a regular with what I make. I would come back again though, you know if I won the lottery or on a special occasion. We dined in their private wine cellar room, which was really awesome. We got to try tons of stuff, which were all delicious but the one thing I remember standing out was their wagyu steak. Very flavorful, super tender, yummers. At the end of the meal, the chef Wylie came out and asked us how everything was. He was a real nice guy.
We ate here for my birthday and really loved the place. The food was a little pricey but worth it.
5 stars for the dessert
4 stars for the main menu
3 stars for atmosphere
It's a lot more casual than I expected, and the seating is pretty tight... I was sitting so close to the neighboring table that I could pretty much reach over and start eating their food. I barely had any room to place my purse and coat next to me.
Service is ok, but not really what you might expect for high prices like this. But I wasn't expecting exceptional service. I came here for molecular gastronomy. I came here to experience Wylie Dufresne's culinary creativity.
So on to the food. Started off with some yummy sesame chips. To be honest, I was more excited about the dessert menu. But I'd rather eat dessert than savory foods any day :P We really wanted to try the chef's tasting, but I don't like it as much when both people have to get the exact same thing throughout the entire meal. Plus I pretty much had my heart set on the 5-course dessert, so we decided to go a-la-carte on the main menu.
Starters:
Corned duck, rye crisp, purple mustard, horseradish cream - Pretty tasty. I wasn't as impressed with the presentation on this one. Seemed like it coul have been more interesting.
Aerated foie, pickled beet, tamarillo-molasses, brioche - woah, aerated foie gras! Now that is cool. Foie gras is always so heavy and rich, but this was light and airy...and delicious! Definitely my favorite appetizer and the beets went well with it.
Lamb belly, eggplant, date, smoked feta - This is basically lamb bacon. And it was very yummy. But one piece was more than enough for me!
Octopus, pistachio, saffron, pickled ginger - I don't even like octopus that much, but this was pretty good. And the presentation was so crazy! That must take forever to make!
Entree:
Mediterannean bass, artichokes, bamboo rice, halva, chicory - My entree was probably the biggest disappointment of the evening. The bass was cooked perfectly and tasted very good, but I felt like I could've ordered this at any fine restaurant. I was expecting some crazy presentation and exciting flavors, but it was a little boring.
Pork loin, charred leeks, caraway mashed, coconut-mustard - Now this is what I was expecting for some crazy presentation! Pork loin cubes. Very tasty, very unique, loved it.
5-Course Dessert:
Vanilla ice cream, balsamic, raspberry - a little dessert amuse bouche? Loved it!! Vanilla ice cream with a balsamic center and rasberry shavings.
Cheesecake, pineapple, raisin, saffron, lime - those mini cheesecake bites were heavenly and what a great combination of flavors. It was pretty interesting how the cheesecake had a thin pineapple covering.
Jasmine custard, black tea, banana - loved the jasmine custard! I wish I could have more of it.
Hazelnut tart, coconut, chocolate, chicory - if you love chocolate and hazelnut, then this is the dessert for you!
Cornbread pudding, lemon grass, prune - probably my least favorite dessert, but definitely unique in presentation and flavors
Soft chocolate, peppermint ice cream, black cardamom, toffee - crazy chocolate sculpture makes you not want to eat any of it. the presentation was impressive but the taste was average
So our molecular gastronomy experience finally comes to an end. Overall I was pleased with the unique presentation and combination of flavors. There were a couple of dishes that were not quite as exciting, but still cooked perfectly and tasted good. I'd have to say the dessert was the highlight for me. Where else am I going to have 5 dessert courses?! I would highly highly recommend coming here for dessert. Definitely my favorite part of the evening.
And don't forget the finishing sweets that they give you at the end when you get the check! Chocolate truffles w/condensed milk and cocoa packets! The cocoa packets were so cool. I don't even understand how they can make chocolate into these plastic-y looking non-sticky packets. So crazy Wylie!
Despite all the raves, I did not like the tasting menu when we went there for Valentine's Day this year. I guess I just prefer more organic rustic traditional cooking, so a lot of the new-fangly molecular gastro stuff did not appeal to me.
And my, what a trial of endurance going through that 3 hour long meal was. By the end, I was about to pass out not from overeating, but just from the exhaustion of sitting in that seat for that long...Talk about over-indulgence...I actually felt mildly silly partaking in this whole expeirence. Thoughts like "Kids are hungry in Africa while I try to pick apart and appreciate this teeny little bagel made of ice cream..." could not help but come through my head... The most ridiculous was the abstract looking omelette dish that's supposed to remind me of wholesome Sunday mornings in grandma's kitchen. Is it really that cool that I am eating...drips of egg yolk and dried up bacon bits...? Not...really.
There is skill to the dishes, no doubt. But the philosophy of molecular gastro is lost on me. The dessert is good at least!
A dessert tasting menu?! Yes, yes indeed. And one that you really should go for. As for the full tasting menu, it had its moments but where wd-50 shines is not, it seems, on the main courses. The apps were great -- a reflection of Dufresne's experimenting with the types of food found at Fat Duck and El Bulli. Highlight was the everything bagel which was made in part with ice cream. But the mains really missed the mark (cold fried chicken may be trendy, but not necessarily good). But the desserts...hazelnut tart standing out among them, are worth a trip in and of themselves. And with a (I believe) 5 course dessert tasting, I'll be back:)
This was the best meal I have had. The man is a genius. We did the Tasting Menu (the price of which is not for the faint of heart nor the sensibly minded) and it was truly a display of everything Wylie Dufresne exemplifies in cutting edge cooking. The dishes were wonderfully thought through and with a couple of exceptions were home runs with everyone at the table.
The Chef was actually there when we came in, and took time out of cooking to meet with guests. Sadly, he had to leave before we had a chance to meet him, but the experience was stellar. The Waitstaff was friendly, engaging, and even entertaining. Our waiter even took the time to take us back into the kitchen and explain the various components where the magic happens.
With the exception of meeting Wylie Dufresne, I cannot describe how this experience could have been better.
WD-50..oh where to start. Well, if you're going here, you know what you're in for. Wylie never ceases to amaze with what he's thinking of, and then creating.
So, I had the tasting menu, and frankly, I don't know why anybody would do otherwise except for the price, or if you've already had it before. To say it's an adventure is an understatement. This is the second of the "molecular gastronomy" type places I've been to, as I've also been to Grant Achatz's Alinea in Chicago.
Now down to the review. Fantastic from start to finish. Highlights include the famous foie knot, and an eggs benedict creation that blew my mind. Somehow Wylie has figured a way to encapsulate warm egg yolk and also hold a cube form of hollandaise sauce that when put together and bit into created the best eggs benedict flavor I've ever had. In all honesty, the experience and taste were indescribable and made you think about food as a vehicle to your senses and not just a way to get you "full".
The service was 5 stars, and the only reason I almost held off on the full 5 star rating is just because I don't remember leaving there feeling 100% satiated. Then I realized that that's not the point.
Final word: You have to go here...once
What is there to say about WD-50 that hasn't been said before? You know what you're in for - if you're an adventurous foodie, you'll love it. The "wow" factor is off the charts. If you just want some meat and potatoes... go elsewhere.
Wylie Dufresne's food is, simply, a revelation. And the real revelation is that for all the bells and whistles, the wacky presentation, the bizarre / advanced preperation methods, the odd flavor combinations, Wylie Dufresne's food is... delicious. First and foremost.
Are there occasional misses? Sure. But they're not BAD. I'd pass on an entree of turbot and barbecued lentils - not because it's not good, but because it's fairly safe compared with other menu items. This is a place to eat food you'd never even imagine - scallops with spice bread consomme? Who'd think to pair scallops with the flavor of spice bread, let alone present that spice bread not as bread, but a delicious broth? And then topping it with... a ribbon of cranberry fruit roll-up? Really? Yet it's perfect - one of the best, most memorable, single dishes I've ever had.
WD seems to play best with meats and shellfish, maybe because the bold flavors allow him play a little more boldly with the accompaniment. Sometimes, there are playful takes on classic dishes - a recent entree of Wagyu skirt steak came with long beans, tamarind, and noodles made of peanut butter. The flavors - peanut, tamarind, long beans - are classic Southeast Asian, but presented in a way one would never expect. Or his perennial appetizer of duck "pastrami" with purple mustard on rye crisps. A nod of the hat to Katz's Deli, a few blocks away, perhaps? Some time ago there was a (sorely missed) entree of perfectly braised pork belly served in a swiss cheese consomme. A ham and cheese sandwich, if you will.
But the key word, once again: delicious. Give yourself over to Wylie's - and to no less of an extent, pastry chef Alex Stupak's - creativity. There's a great wine list, but explore the cocktail menu, too - the drinks are just as fun and tasty as the food.
Really, at this point does WD-50 even need to be reviewed? You know what it is, you know if you want to try it - and if you do, you know if you'll like it. Whether you go tasting menu or a la carte (completely different menus for each) you're in for an adventure.
Such a fun place to eat! The night I ate here there was an ambulance and a worried/agitated Wylie Dufresne outside when I arrived. Apparently someone had just had a seizure or had fallen, either way there was an air of uneasiness in the dining room. However, the mood lifted quickly as dinner service began. The restaurant is situated on an unassuming street with an interior decor to match. But this place is all about food, fun and the unexpected.
Here's what we ordered:
-foie gras, fennel, malt sherry vinegar jam
-bone marrow, chestnut tonduri
-popcorn soup, shrimp, jicama, tamarind
-duck, spaghetti squash, almond polenta-pomelo molasses
-pork belly, sunchoke, ancho chile pineapple caper emulsion
-cherry covered chocolate
-toasted coconut cake
Everything was delicious. I couldn't choose my favorite because everything was prepared to perfection. I will say that between the two desserts I prefer the toasted coconut cake.
We were able to get a tour of the kitchen, which had an entire wall of chemistry set reagents. And we also got to meet Wylie Dufresne! He was very nice and courteous, and put up with my mom's weird questions.
Did the tasting menu with wine pairing last week, and it was certainly one of the best meals of my life. 12 unbelieveable courses with exceptional, knoweldgable service. Highlights include: cold fried chicken/buttermilk ricotta/tabasco/caviar (inspired by eating cold fried chicken the morning after a drunk night), foie gras/passionfruit/chinese celery (AMAZING), and a perfect perfect duck leg. the wine was amazing too. just an original and delicious and varied meal through and through.
pictures of all 12 courses: http://www.flickr.com/...
When I went to NY in April, this was one place I did not want to miss on my list of places to eat and I made sure I didn't. I was so excited to be eating at Chef Wylie's world famous restaurant.
I was able to get reservations for my friend and I without any problem. We showed up to the restaurant almost 30 minutes early because we had been walking around Manhattan for the day and we were getting tired but they were able to seat us with no problem.
We were going to do the 9 course prix fix but decided not to. Instead we each ordered a started, an entree and then we had the 3 course dessert tasting menu. Everything was perfect. I don't think I would have changed anything about that night. The food was one of the best meals I've had, the service was fantastic, and just overall a great experience.
For anyone who's a foodie, this is one place in NY you don't want to miss.
4.5 stars. Here's the thing...as long as you have an adventurous palate, I'm confident WD-50 will blow you away.
The deconsrtucted eggs benedict was one of the best appetizers I've ever had and if they could mass produce it at a street cart, Wylie Dufresene would be retired in a year (even though I'm sure he could have comfortable retired years ago). Also had the corned duck rolls with purple mustard and rye chips which were amazing.
Wagyu skirt steak with long beans, tamarind sauce and peanut butter noodles....off the charts! The peanut butter noodles are made with no flour and were one of the best things I've ever eaten. And, oh yeah....it had micro greens from the Himalayas...no big deal, right? I'm sure you can find those at Food Emporium.
The only reason it's 4.5 stars and not 5 is that the mediterranean bass with halva and chicory was good but not completely amazing.
Mandarin orange ice cream with candied rhubarb, orange blossom and olive oil. Pistachio cake with honeydew ice cream, chartreuse foam and some kind of green verbena gel. Just your everyday kind of stuff...NOT.
Combine all that with a very casual but extremely knowledgeable staff, and the fact that Wylie Dufresne stands at the opening to the kitchen making sure everyone looks happy, and you absolutely have yourself an amazing dining experience. Half the tables got to go back and meet him after their meals. He's a true pioneer and this place is simply a must for all foodies.
Stay classy San Diego.
Purists, beware.
This is food reinvented, molecular gastronomy style. I practically failed chemistry in high school but Wylie Dufresne has showed me that foreign chemicals that end in -ase and -oid combined with culinary expertise can yield innovative and groundbreaking food.
Under his artful mastery, I embarked on the most unique culinary experience of my life, thus far (just edging out eating live baby octopi). My boyfriend and I dropped in on a Wednesday night in celebration for our 5 month anniversary and opted for the tasting menu with a half off bottle of wine.
The $140/pp price tag is steep but the precision and preparation of each dish assures me that this price is justified.
Instead of going into great detail about each of the 12 courses (4 which were dessert), I'll just highlight my favorites and leave the rest up to your imagination.
Everything bagel, smoked salmon threads, crispy cream cheese: Wow. The plate is absolutely stunning, beautifully plated. The waiter informs me that this is not a traditional bagel, but in fact...ICE CREAM. So my brain is anticipating a soft, doughy texture but instead, I use my spoon to tuck in bagel flavored ice cream. Amazing. This twist on a classic bagel lox was certainly interesting to say the least. The smoked salmon was dried and shredded and the cream cheese was a slightly crisped square that broke into small pieces in your mouth.
Foie gras, passionfruit, Chinese celery: As soon as you cut into the decadent foie gras, passionfruit syrup oozed out. The combination of textures and flavors was...indescribable? The foie gras was too rich for my boyfriend but perfect for my palate. Rich and sinful, yet sweet. Perfect.
Cold fried chicken, buttermilk-ricotta, tabasco, caviar: Despite my undying devotion to foie gras, this dish was my favorite. My boyfriend claimed that the cold fried chicken tasted like "cold KFC" but he's ignorant. The tabasco was jellified into small balls dropped about my plate. The chicken was cooked tender and slightly chilled, delicious breading. Caviar lay delicately atop the buttermilk ricotta, resembling a strange but satisfying "mashed potatoes".
Snails, red lentils, juniper, orange: This was the only dish I did not care for as the orange was overpowering in this dish. I love snails and vow to eat anything once, but the combination of al dente lentils mixed in with chewy snails did not do it for me.
Lamb loin, black garlic romesco, pickled ramps, dried soybean: Everyone loves ramps because they're the trendy inseason food, a favorite amongst locavores. Having them pickled alongside an Asian inspired dried soybean was extremely bold. The lamb was perfectly slow roasted, juicy, a beautiful mellow pink.
3 hours later, we're finished.
The art of eating Wylie Dufresne's food is that he puts together so many nontraditional components in a way that is so unorthodox that is just...makes sense! This is food reimagined, my friends. A drop of this, a drizzle of that, a jellified and sous-vide this. The combination of flavor profiles and textures gives you a sensation that this is probably the most unusual meal you will ever eat. But I guarantee you will leave, stomach content.
----
Props for giving us a tour of the kitchen and introducing us to the chefs. Did you know that the chemicals they use are made largely from algae? They also have one of 50 specialty ovens produced in this world, most belonging in France. Trivia, kids.
Easily the most expensive meal I've ever had, but also one of the most pleasurable, from start to finish. We had the 12 course tasting menu with wine pairings and, while each course was not a home run for me, the new flavors and textures in each course we so much fun to experience. Our waitress was terrific and even managed to get us into the kitchen, where we met Wylie Dufresne. Amazing.
I do want to add, if you are a picky eater or have food restrictions, wd-50 is going to offer a very different experience than the one I had. If you're willing to go along for the gastronomic ride, then wd-50 should be on your "Try Before I Die" list.
Maybe my mistake was not ordering the tasting menu? Based on my one dining experience here I have no idea how WD~50 has a Michelin star. Below is a list of each dish sampled and why I was unimpressed.
Smoked eel, spice bread, black radish, campari: boring and the smoked eel, which I expected, overpowered any other flavors on the plate.
The flavors in the octopus appetizer were far from interesting.
Duck breast, worcestershire spaetzle, parsley root, mustard greens: the duck breast was perfectly cooked but the rest of the components left me underwhelmed.
Lamb shoulder, pine nut 'baked beans,' baby romaine, brown bread: overdone and dry.
Wagyu skirt steak, long bean, tamarind, peanut butter 'pasta': best dish of the night but the peanut butter pasta overwhelmed the wagyu.
Hazelnut tart, coconut, chocolate, chicory: this was very good but not Michelin worthy.
I love the concept of fine dining in a casual atmosphere but I have no idea what happened with my meal. I wish I left WD~50 blown away.
THIS REVIEW WILL BE VERY BIASED... i mean who wouldn't be after the waitress offered to give you a kitchen tour and meet wylie dufrense in person!
So, we came from LA to try the mr wylie dufrense whom you would have seen on top chef or iron chef, he's the scientist looking guy who is obsessed with perfect eggs (side burns, molecular gastronomy, yes?). We only stayed in NY for 2 nights before going to new orleans, so my friend decided that we should try joel robuchon's restaurant no matter what that night- my wd~50 plan was moved to "Just desserts" which i didn't mind since yelpers have mentioned that its desserts are the most memorable part of the whole meal in wd~50.
Sorry wylie didn't get to try your sunny side up or eggs benedict but the hazelnut chocolate tart we tried was SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOD, my friend who is a dessertolic/ chocoholic said it was the most memorable sweet thang she has ever tried and trust me, she ventures out a lot for food. the caramelized brioche was a-ok, i didn't like ti that much at all. BUT! the fact that we got a kitchen tour, even though i made a complete fool of myself in front of wylie, that makes this experience 5 stars. it was memorable :)
The only reason I even knew that wd-50 existed is because of Wylie Dufresne's guest judge stint on "Top Chef," I admit it. And judging by his reputation -as alluded to by the "Top Chef" cheftestants -as a renowned and innovative chemist (i.e., hydrocolloid), I expected much more than what I experienced.
The most exciting component of our menu was the bottle of Malbec, and the subtle but complimentary flavours in the Lamb Belly, featuring a thin layer of eggplant, date, fried smoked feta.* The boyfriend and I also ordered Wylie's deconstructed Eggs Benedict, which based on the presentation hinted at a luscious and tasty appetizer, though it lacked any impact, and was more whimsical and witty than it was tasty; the consistency of the jellied-like yolk was entirely off-putting.
Our "Mains" included the highly anticipated and acclaimed Wagyu skirt steak and the Duck Breast. In both cases, the respective sides missed the mark, and fell short. Though the sides sounded good on paper, sadly, I think Wylie's ambition got the better of him. The Wagyu side included a "peanut butter pasta," which had a really bland flavour profile, as did the Duck Breast side which was "Worcestershire spaetzle" that tasted like lukewarm apples, and the tapioca texture was entirely unappetizing. Gross even.
And now the Wagyu review: Boring. For a restaurant whose Executive Chef has a knack for the imaginative, I don't think the $35 ticket-price for this protein merited the price. Though Wylie clearly has access to some top-shelf ingredients, the cooking is not up to par. I'll daresay that the showmanship and even reputation all seem superficial and invented, as opposed to earned and merited. The typos on the wd-50 menu online further prove this point; (*) eggplant has an "l" in it.
We had two appetizers, two main courses, a bottle of wine, two cocktails and shared dessert, resulting in a $250 bill. Tip not included. We paid for the Wylie Dufresne name, but the food didn't rise to the occasion. For my Wylie Dufresne experience, I'm going to stick to "Top Chef" while gnawing on something with more flavour on my couch.
I went with a guest from out of town on his suggestion, and I didn't do my homework ahead of time, so I'm willing to take some blame for not having the great experience I was expecting. We didn't do the tasting menu. Instead, we had 2 appetizers, one split main, and then a main apiece: the eggs benedict and the aerated foie gras, followed by the scallops, followed by the lamb shoulder and the Wagyu skirt steak.
The highlight of the night was the eggs benedict, which won us over with its fried hollandaise sauce (anything that unhealthy has to taste amazing, right?). The foie was interesting, but ultimately a little disappointing, while the lamb shoulder was just not very enjoyable. The skirt steak and the scallops both rated solid B's.
The overarching theme of the meal was great presentation and interesting ideas that just didn't connect with my joy center. If you want a meal that's targeted more at your cerebrum than your limbic system, I recommend it, but I personally eat for the endorphins.
holy hell. eat here. don't check the prices, but do check your bank account. then come here anyway. come here.
i usually write my reviews immediately after eating at a place, and somehow here I've let a week and a half slide by, and I'll be damned if i can recollect everything that was on the tasting men -but i do recollect that everything was excellent - the service, the decor, the wine (which was on a half priced special for bottles - woohoo), and mostly the food.
every plate was beautiful, and delicious, some extremely whimsical others quite elegant, every one a revelation.
delighted. that's what i was was, in the truest sense of the word.
AHA - i just found a copy of the tasting menu - so here we go"
1) surf clams, celery, barberry, and jerk consume. -- the jerk was light, not overpowering at all, allowing the clams to SHINE.
2) everything bagel, smoked salmon threads, crispy cream cheese, and pickled shallot - this was AMAZING - whimsical and wonderful. the "bagel", about an inch and half in diameter, looked exactly like a toasted sesame bagel, only it was made of some sort of savory ice cream, that tasted like bread. (!!!!!) the salmon threads were dried ( i suspect liquid nitrogen was involved), the cream cheese WAS cream cheese - but somehow transformed into a crisp wafer. Funny and yummy
3)foie gras, passion fruit, chinese celery (i seem to recall the celery was freeze-dried or something) -- this was a small cylindrical piece of foie gras, when you bit into it passion-fruit oozed out like the yolk of a soft-boiled egg, cutting through the fattiness of the foie with a clean sour fruit flow. mmm mmm mmm
4)scrambled egg ravioli, charred avocado, hamachi -- the word ravioli shouldn't give you any ideas. imagine the softest creamiest scrambled eggs ever in the history of the world, encased in a firmer shell of egg, like the platonic ideal of a french omelette. yeah - that's what I'm talking about. not put a "log" of avocado puree, charred, and draped with some raw hamachi, next to eat. now imagine how good that tastes. well it tastes even better than that.
5) Cold fried chicken, buttermilk-ricotta, tabasco, caviar -- the waiter said this was their homage to leftovers. i can only say leftovers in my house were never this good - and when the food is this good the 1st time around, there would be no leftovers to homage to....
6) red mullet, kohlrabi, "dirty" grape, cocoa nib -- very straightforward - if you think a grape infused with olive brine, and then set off w/ the bitterness of cocoa nibs is straightforward.
7) duck leg, popcorn pudding, kalamansi, lovage -- i honestly could not believe this was duck leg. the meat looked more like an extremely thin veal cutlet, ready to be schnitzled, or maybe some black forest ham. how you slice the meat off a duck's leg, and end up with this tender large bit of meat is beyond me. amazing. seriously, and popcorn pudding - how can you not love this guy????
8) Lamb loin, black garlic romesco, pickled ramp, dried soybeans -- this dish sounds amazing right? again - tastes even better!!!! perfectly cooked, and i would happily rub a loved one with that romesco, so i could eat it off them.
then desserts - (yes plural)
9) vanilla ice cream, balsamic, raspberry - inside a cylinder of ice cream with crunchy raspberry somethings outside - inside is a gel of balsamic that perfectly accents the flavor. KUDOS
10) caramelized brioche, apricot butter cream, lemon thyme - hell yes!!!
11) hazelnut tart, coconut, chocolate, chicory. has the foodgasm stopped yet ? no - special bonus :
12) cocoa packets: chocolate shortbread & milk ice cream. yuminess wrapped in the most perfectly textured chocolate ever.
( i found someone else's photo set on flickr - only they had a snail dish, where we had the mullet - here : http://www.flickr.com/...)
After dinner i stood up, and looked into the kitchen space. As the Maitre d' asked if i wanted a tour of the kitchen, Wylie Dusfrene himself saw me standing there, stopped what he was doing, and came over to shake my hand, have a conversation about their food, and just generally be friendly. you never know if people like this are going to act like arrogant jerks, self important pricks, or seriously nice people. WD is clearly the latter. It seemed he would have given me as much time or attention as i wanted, so i chose not to abuse it, spoke for a few minutes, thanked him (he thanked me 1st, but i told him not to be ridiculous - i was eating, he was working) and went on my way.
Now can i afford to eat in a place where i spent more money than my 1st apartment in college cost for a month, often? No, no i cannot. Do i regret this? not in the least. Will i be back. Oh whatever deity is in charge of culinary delights, i hope so, i really hope so.
It is all about the food at WD-50. Very simple decor, with private booths on one side and tables on the other. All of the dishes were interesting, some were mind blowing, others were okay. Having done some research on WD-50 prior to our dinner, we decided to order the tasting menu with wine pairing. It is worth mentioning, that bottles are half off when you order the tasting menu as well.
1. Cobia, brown butter, raisin, israeli cous cous
2. Everything bagel, smoked salmon threads, crispy cream cheese
3. Scallops, tendon, endive, parsley, hazelnut oil
4. Foie gras, passionfruit, chinese celery
5. Cold fried chicken, buttermilk-ricotta, tabasco, caviar
6. Snails, red lentils, juniper, orange
7. Rabbit, wild rice polenta, cassis, kale, black olive
8. Squab, butternut noodles, cream soda, carob
9. Vanilla ice cream, balsamic, raspberry
10. Hazelnut tart, coconut, chocolate, chicory
11. Carmelized brioche, apricot, buttercream, lemon thyme
12. Cocoa packets. Chocolate shortbread, milk ice cream
All of the dishes were fantastic in my humble opinion, with only two exceptions. The rabbit and the squab dishes were not quite as good as the rest. The texture in both dishes were not quite as smooth as I would have liked.
The foie gras is a must try course. It is hollow on the inside and the passion fruit sauce oozes out with each bite. Wonderful combination of flavors, tart, sweet, creamy, absolutely wonderful.
The chicken was also surprisingly delicious, especially given what a simple dish it is. Full of flavor, and a favorite all around the table. The everything bagel dish was the most unique of all, and we were all quite amused as we ate each bite. The bagel is ice cream shaped as a bagel. The snails and the scallops were simply fabulous as both dishes were incredibly smooth. Chef Dufresne perfects the art of creating bold dishes out of simple concepts.
The pastry chef was equally as inventive and talented. The hazelnut tart was one of the best dishes of the night, and the cocoa packets were also fun to eat. We all agreed the desert tasting menu would have been appealing had we all not been so incredibly satisfied already.
Very friendly and efficient service, when we asked to peek in the kitchen they were nice enough to give us a tour and answer any questions we had on their cooking process. It was delightful to experience a high end restaurant with no frills or coldness. WD-50 exudes a positive energy as the waitstaff was quick on their feet and were more than happy to assist. Unfortunately, Mr. Dufresne was not in the night we came, perhaps next time we will be lucky enough to see him in action.
Most of the reviews of WD-50 play up the "experience" element, but the food gets short shrift. I think, with such an ambitious and eclectic tasting menu, there are bound to be things you don't love. But several of Wylie's creations straight-up blew my mind. Our waiter, and every other waiter I saw, seemed genuinely enthusiastic, truly passionate, nay, PSYCHED about the food he was serving -- and I was, too.
The "Truffled Carbonara" was the best dish of the night; maybe the best thing I've ever eaten in a restaurant. Delicately poached egg yolk in a beautiful geometric pattern on the plate. Bacon to the left, black truffle to the right. Black pepper sorbet. Crisps of parmesan and garlic, and some puffed pasta balls. If I had been at home, I would have licked the plate clean (I seriously considered it).
The "everything bagel" was made of ice cream coated with sesame and poppy, served with salmon threads (smoked with mirin and soy). Above, edible cream cheese paper and soft, tiny circles of red onion. I could not get over how cute this dish was. I think I laughed out loud.
Over the slow-poached scallops was a foamy crisp of beef tendon -- almost like a pork rind. The beef rind was explosively beefy; I wish beef rinds were sold in family-size bags. The scallops tasted almost raw but had a cooked texture. Or maybe the texture was raw and they tasted cooked. Anyway, it was strange and wonderful.
The lobster legs (mixed with lily bulb and topped with cashew shavings and brussel sprouts) were served with a banana kimchee sauce. Absolutely incredible.
The very rare sous-vide breast of squab was paired perfectly with carob and amaranth crunchies, and a cream soda gel.
A most inventive (and yet, somehow simple) cheese course: roicotta with capers, frozen smashed shards of honey (smoking slightly from the liquid nitrogen), and a caper foam.
All the desserts were on point, but I will crave the hazelnut-coconut flan thing for the rest of my life. Topped with chocolate, chicory foam, and chunks of brown and white sugar. Oh. My. God.
I've had dreams about that night.
My wife and I hit WD-50 on a recent swing to Manhattan. We were visiting family in NJ. I have eaten at many great restaurants across the country and have eaten at most if not all the great ones in San Francisco. We decided to visit WD-50 simply because Wylie had been featured on Top Chef so we thought that stamp of approval was good reason enough.
We both got the tasting menu and ordered a great bottle of wine.
My most memorable food experiences have been the first bite of dish that makes me moan with ecstasy. The only dish that did that for me at WD-50 was the Foie. Otherwise most of the food tasted nasty. The squab with cream soda gelee had so many mismatched flavors that I ended up sending it back. Most of the dishes have a very forgettable taste. Every dish was memorable to the eyes. However, the food should taste good. WD-50's does not.
The wait staff was under-whelming at best. They had to go ask someone else when I had question regarding the food. When I spend $400 plus dollars on a meal the staff should know the dish inside and out. I would give the staff one star.
Wouldn't go back again for a full meal. I should have asked for my money back.
In my Coupledom, I'm the foodie. The love of my life is a scientist nerd whose idea of a gourmet meal is two hot pockets and a haagan daz bar.
So, imagine my surprise one day when he asked me if I had ever heard of WD~50
Well, yes, I had: LET'S GO!
Turns out that NPR's Science Friday had done a show on WD-50 and molecular gastronomy. SO was intrigued and actually wanted to go see what all this fuss was about.
I was thrilled. Finally, the blossoming of food interest in my Dear Heart!
Off we go, last Thursday night, for a late resy.
I was early, so waited at the bar while my sweetie finished work at his lab and trekked down to a land to which we rarely ventured. the LES.
I was rather surprised to see that Chef Dufresne was actually there. This last week of Summer, I would have expected him to be off somewhere being served lemon curd by young virgins on a yacht, but there he was!
I realized that just like my own darling scientist in the lab, Chef is happiest when he is working in his kitchen and THAT is the GENIUS, my friends.
DH arrived. There's the Chef, I said. He already knew it~he had studied the video interview, studied the menu, studied every detail of the restaurant website and was ready to order.
I won't rehash the details of how incredible the food looked and tasted, but we had: fois gras, hanger tartar, eggs bene, mediterranean bass, lamb shoulder, pistachio cake and mandarin ice cream. It was all perfect and wonderful.
Interestingly, the website photos might lend one to believe the portions are a bit small and nouvelle-like. But not at all! Each dish was really satisfying and perfectly portioned.
The most gratifying part was that I saw THAT look in my DH eyes-That look of pure bliss, lust and gratitude.
Unfortunately, he was looking at our waiter that way and not me, but I was still so very happy that my dearest had experienced food that he loved more than Oreos.
I loved wd-50. The lower east side is one of my favorite places in NYC to explore and, being obsessed with loads of veggies and unique uses of ingredients and presentation, a dinner at wd-50 was one of the best ways I could have spent one of my last nights in NYC.
I had had wd-50 on my places to dine list for essentially the entire time I lived in NYC. I went with my mom, the service was great, the decor is really very cool (the bathroom has a neat mosaic and secretive doors). The wine list is reasonable, the cocktails are lovely, but lets get real this is about the food.
We had the miso soup, creamy yet chewy (the fish), light, citric- so many tastes and temperatures, I loved it. We also had a deconstructed shrimp dish, the shrimp were transformed into gel cubes, the dish was pretty smokey, did not taste like shrimp, and really was nothing to write home about.
Wylie was cooking the night of my dinner, and was cooking the monk fish, so that is what I had to have. Really AMAZING. I would say the highlight wasn't even the fish, but the black olive mochi. wow. I also savored every bite of the red pepper oatmeal.
My mom had the bass, which was a lighter dish and was also really lovely. A cool presentation and I adored the bamboo rice. Our dessert was delicate, we had the mandarin orange ice cream with candied rhubarb, little orange blossom clouds, and the ice cream was rolled in a sweet transparent shell. It was small, I could have had more, but it was a creative clean finish to a great meal.
BEST PART! at the end I was able to go into the back and get Wylie's autograph! He was very polite and the kitchen was so clean, all the fresh ingredients were neatly stacked and meticulously labeled. A night to remember for the service, presentation, food and overwhelming cool factor.
Dishes are all cooked at a low temperature and took some time to come out. It gave my friends and I some time to catch up with old times and to chat about each other's lives.
When the dishes came, we ordered:
Skirt steak (medium rare): Nothing too spectacular, but the steak had a slight peanut flavor and was also accompanied with peanut sauce noodles
Duck Breast: Absolutely delicious. Extremely tender, no fatty tissue, and very juicy despite beating duck breast.
Lamb shoulder, pine nut "baked beans": The meat was tender, but really salty. The baked beans was pretty interesting since it was made with pine nuts packed with a slightly sweet baked bean flavor.
For dessert, we had everything!!!! Yes, we ordered all seven. My favorite was the jasmine flavored custard with banana ice cream.
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