Degustation

My friend, Wodka, got us a gift certificate to Degustation for a wedding gift. He had eaten there one night and thought we would absolutely love it. How sweet! The place only has 20 seats and so it’s small. There is an open kitchen so everything you eat, you pretty much see prepared before your very eyes.  We decided to go with the 10-course chef’s tasting. Why not go all out right? I’ll do my best to remember everything we ate….

We were started with a cold carrot soup. I didn’t take a photo.  It was just ok.

From left to right:  a fried ball of something, buttered crostini with pickled vegetables and anchovy filet and proscuitto wrapped asparagus.

The below was like a deconstructed bagel with lox.  Thinly sliced bagel which has been toasted, smeared with miso infused paste and topped with salmon roe, capers and cucumber. I have to say I love all those things separately but combined it was very salty and everything got lost unfortunately.

I believe there was polenta at the bottom of all that foam.  It was topped with a tiny delicate sliver of uni on top.

The vegetarian course. Seaweed paste with sliced carrots, tomatoes and tempura’d sea beans. I actually really really liked this. The seaweed paste added a nice rich dark element to the vegetables. Cookie Monster found the paste to be too strong, too fishy.

Fried shrimp with the heads that could be eaten. I love shrimp heads.  And kudos to Cookie Monster for eating his!! I was very impressed with his adventurousness. (But he did not like)  Shrimp was perfectly cooked.

This vegetarian pasta course was so tasty. The pasta was so silky and delicate.  My greedy self wanted a larger bowl of it.

I believe this was a cold pea soup with creme fraiche.  Pleasing to the eye, a little bland in the mouth.

Pork belly with carrot puree and diced cucumbers.

Lamb with a mint risotto.  Honestly? The lamb was tough and bland. Not our favorite course.

Palate cleanser of grapefruit gelee.

Bread pudding. It was DA BOMB! It was sticky and gooey and delicious!

Little cornbread-like pastry to finish off the meal.

We’ve had tasting menus before but unlike previous ones, this one did not leave us feeling disgusting and heavy.  The portions are small so you literally just get a taste of everything.  I could very much appreciate the beauty of each and every dish and the creativity and thought that went into every course.

Degustation, 239 East 5th Street, New York, NY