Vichyssoise

I've just returned from lunch at Eleven Madison Park. Restaurant week continues until Friday, and my friend Amy and I decided to take advantage of the $20.14 prix fixe menu. The best part of the meal was the vichyssoise. Anthony Bourdain writes about his first experience with the potato-based soup. Travelling as a child on a transatlantic ship with his mother, he was startled to find the soup was cold. The flavors then opened up a whole new world of food to him.

After reading his book, I had my first vichyssoise at Le Zinc. White wine over-powered the rest of the soup and the butter or cream wasn't properly melted or mixed into the broth. The Eleven Madison Park Vichyssoise was another thing altogether. The soup was refreshing and refined. Small cubes of house-smoked char dotted the broth, the meat offering a new texture and a complementary flavor.

Rounding out the meal, I had a halibut entree, which was good if not as great as the soup. The fish was tender, and well-prepared. Midway through the meal, executive chef Kerry Heffernan appeared in the dining room. He came to check on the table beside us, but stopped at ours and asked how we were enjoying the meal. We assured him it was excellent, whereupon he said, "Just wait for the dessert; that's why I come here." I chose the lemon tart, topped with merengue. Raspberries and blueberries were piled beside the cake, raspberry sorbet sat to one side.

With the check, our waiter brought us $20.04 coupons for our next visit and a chocolate bar in the shape of a leaf (their logo). "For later," he remarked. Amy had asked how much the regular menu differed, and the waiter told us the difference was significant. They would be unable to serve the same food at the restaurant week prices, he told us, and also noted that the price of most entrees was greater than our lunch. For restaurant week meals, they barely make cost. I checked the coupon and made a note to return before the end of August. Posted by eku at June 29, 2004 4:36 PM