Eleven Madison Park

11 Madison Ave,

New York, NY 10010

Tel: (212) 889-0905

This delicious Friday lunch at Eleven Madison Park was a great way to kick off a summer weekend. As always, the food, service and ambience were first class. I was hardly surprised when, a few weeks later, The New York Times awarded Eleven Madison Park a very highly deserved fourth star. What I love most about Chef Daniel Humm’s food is the way each ingredient speaks with eloquence and clarity, like a world-class orchestra in a concert hall where all of the nuances are incredibly vivid. The $28 prix-fixe lunch (for an appetizer and main course) is easily one of the best deals in New York.

We began with André Clouet’s MV Brut Un Jour de 1911, an exceptional Champagne that has become virtually impossible to find. The Fall 2008 disgorgement is 50% 1996, 25% 1995 and 25% 1997 juice from grand cru Pinot Noir vineyards in Bouzy. This was a phenomenal wine for so many reasons, but what stood out most was its incredibly silky mousse and extraordinary balance.

The Sweet Corn Chowder with Nova Scotia Lobster and Bacon was divine. I could have easily devoured another portion of this delectable homage to an American classic. The 2005 Hofgut Falkenstein Riesling Spätlese Trocken Niedermenniger Herrenberg was all minerals, smoke and ash on a delicate, mid-weight frame. The flavors took a decided turn towards the bold with a brilliant composition of tomatoes. Domaine Tempier’s 2008 Bandol Rosé revealed a rich, gorgeous personality bursting with the fruit in a style that paired eloquently with the tomatoes.

The Ravioli with Ricotta, Baby Zucchini and Mint captured the essence of summer. The 2007 Blanc des Raisins Blancs from Mas de Gaussac was layered with pretty notes of honeysuckle, jasmine and pears. This perfumed, rich wine was terrific with the Ravioli.

The Organic Chicken “Basquaise” with Chorizo, Basil and Taggiasca Olives was a hearty and full of Mediterranean flavors. I had mixed emotions about Talenti’s 2000 Brunello di Montalcino Pian di Conte. The wine was undoubtedly beautiful and it paired very nicely with the chicken. Still, something was missing. Or rather something may have been there that perhaps shouldn’t have been. The wine was impossibly dark and concentrated for a Sangiovese of nearly ten years of age. As pretty as the wine was, there was little true Sangiovese character. Still, in this setting I chose to concentrate on the wine’s positive attributes, of which there were many. Domaine François Gaunoux’s 1995 Volnay Le Clos des Chênes (paired with my wife’s Roasted Suckling Pig) was fairly forward in its dried cherries, underbrush, spices and worn-in leather, all of framed by a very classic Volnayian sense of structure.

A selection of artisan cheeses from Vermont was divine and showed the very high level the state’s most ambitious farmers are capable of reaching. The 2000 Quarts de Chaume from Château de Suronde offered up an array of spices, cinnamon, honey and flowers in a pretty, mid-weight style that paired beautifully with the cheeses.

Food:

Sweet Corn Chowder with Nova Scotia Lobster and Bacon

Greenmarket Heirloom Tomatoes; Composition with Terre Bormane Olive Oil and Fino Verde Basil

Ravioli with Ricotta, Baby Zucchini and Mint

Organic Chicken “Basquaise” with Chorizo, Basil and Taggiasca Olives

Vermont Artisan Cheeses

Wine:

MV	André Clouet Brut Un Jour de 1911	94
2005	Hofgut Falkenstein Riesling Spätlese Trocken Niedermenniger Herrenberg	91
2008	Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé	91
2007	Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc des Raisins Blancs	90
1995	Domaine François Gaunoux Volnay Le Clos des Chênes	90
2000	Talenti Brunello di Montalcino Pian di Conte	89
2000	Château de Suronde Quarts de Chaume	89

 --Antonio Galloni