I’ve been patiently waiting for the right time to try Eleven Madison. When better than during Restaurant Week? We went for lunch enduring the harsh winds of another cold winter’s day. Maybe it was the day, the hour, my mood but something didn’t feel right. I’ve been known to be a little picky when it comes to where I dine especially nowadays when I’m completely in debt and cannot afford to pay top dollar for low grade, impersonating food.
We started with the Big Eye Tuna Tartar Niçoise and Poached Organic Egg with Wild Mushrooms and Parmesan Cream. The tuna wasn’t fresh because I can taste a bit of fishy-ness even through the goblets of bland dressing I dipped it in. The poached quail egg and anchovy wrapped olive stick added a level of cuteness and creativity that was insufficient to devoid a diner from realizing they might have made the wrong choice in appetizer. Taste rules over all other senses when it comes to food. The poached organic egg was at the other end of the taste spectrum. Every spoonful was packed with flavor but also cholesterol. One of the reasons I like fine dining is the feeling that I’m eating healthy though I may not be. With this dish, I knew I was in for a heart attack. The egg needed to be poached for a little longer because it fell apart and leaked out uncontrollably after I punctured the outer layer. I like my whites 50% cooked and my yolks dripping. With a little less butter and a bit more time, this dish could be a great one. All in all the best part of this egg dish was the assortment of wild mushrooms.
Peevishly I waited for our entrées. We had the Roasted Chicken with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Jerusalem Artichokes and the Boudin Blanc with Glazed Shallots, Apples and Potatoes. I’m no newbie when it comes to having undercooked chicken living in a house of six with a mother who barely had time to breathe. But this is unexpected and unacceptable from a four star restaurant. The chicken fillet was stuffed with mushrooms and chopped artichoke hearts, then shaped in and steamed/boiled in a cylindrical mold. Undercooked, it is then thrown into a hot pan to sear and crisp the outter skin or torched. Whichever way, this was the only plus to the dish. The crispy skin added texture and flavor. Had this been missing, the dish would’ve been a total disaster. Just to be clear, undercooked chicken has a fishy and iron taste to it. Oh and now to the Boudin Blanc (pork sausage). What can I say about a dish that I could not find anything to reminisce about? When I choose a meat dish whether it be chicken, beef, pork, etc., I anticipate a certain texture to the dish. In other words, I like my meat to taste like meat and not something processed. The pork sausage was the latter. Barely any flavor at all. The tangy sauce was pungent and did not compliment the dish very well. I don’t recall the rest of the ingredients, which means they were probably neither bad enough to mention nor good enough to remember. Maybe it’s my preferences that withheld me from truly understanding and knowing how to appreciate this dish. I welcome anyone that could help me in this regard.
Three strikes you’re out they say in baseball. Following this attitude, I reluctantly awaited my dessert. We chose the Chocolate Symphony with Caramel and Maldon Sea Salt and the Pineapple Clafouti with Lemon Thyme Ice Cream. The presentation of the chocolate symphony was pretty. The caramel bar and light, crispy chocolate wave sitting on top was good but nothing to write home about. The Pineapple Clafouti (tart/cake) was moist but lacked in flavor of the source ingredient: pineapples. It was paired with a dollop of lemon thyme ice cream, which I must say was the highlight of my entire meal. The combination of lemon and thyme gave the ice cream a taste reminiscent of passion fruit. It was divine.
Overall rating 2.5 out of 5. Service was very accommodating. Atmosphere was spacious and great for good conversation. Will I return? Yes, because a wise lady once said you can’t knock a place until you’ve had something off the regular menu. Will it be soon? Probably not. I think I can wait another 10 years before dining here again.
