Visited in August 2025 Lunch Rating: Three Michelin Macarons
With a late afternoon flight back to Europe, this time we tried a walk-in to the lounge at exactly noon. We were offered a place in the dining room, which had become available shortly before due to a cancellation, but we decided to stay with our original plan to go to the lounge. However, we were offered the dining room menu. After five lunches or dinners in New York, we wanted to take it a little easier. Since the city harvest menu had a selection that was attractive to us, we had this.
Bread and butter
From the fantastic bread basket, I had the brioche and the rosemary/olive bread.
A well-prepared tatar including capers, drops of the vinaigrette with a high content of red peppers, frisee lettuce and sweet potato chips on top.
Shrimp Sautéed Shrimp; Baby Greens White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Three sautéed shrimps on a bed of lamb’s lettuce, oyster mushrooms, and thinly shaved button mushrooms.
Skate Poached Skate; Endive Salad, Potato Foam Brown Butter Sauce
This is the second time that I have eaten skate at Le Bernadin. This time it was completely different. To the perfectly prepared wing with endive stripes and leaves, a brown butter sauce was added at the table. In a side bowl, potato foam that exhibited some acidity was served. This, I found a little strange. I had preferred a standard Joel Robuchon-style potato preparation.
Salmon Barely Cooked Salmon; English Pea-Wasabi Purée Yuzu Beurre Blanc
My dinner companion had the always fantastic salmon. Every time, the side and the liquid preparation are a little different. The beurre blanc was quite acidic.
Pistachio Pistachio Praliné, Grand Marnier Bavarois
The first time that I ate a dessert the second time at Le Bernadin. But it is so good that it is worthwhile.
Peruvian Dark Chocolate Warm Peruvian Chocolate Tarte Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream
This dessert was a choice from the separate dinner menu and not listed on the City Harvest menu. My dinner companion liked it very much.
Carrot
And we even got a third dessert that was not listed on any of the menus. This was a very nice treat from my favorite waiter and the kitchen.
Summary
This time I saw the very first time Eric Ripert in the restaurant, who had a chat in French with a friend in the corner of the lounge. Also, the head sommelier Aldo Sohm was present. If one is looking for high-quality fish and seafood in New York, Le Bernadin is always a first choice.
Visited in August 2025 Lunch Rating: Two Michelin Macarons
After a visit to the great Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side, we had lunch at Jean-Georges, which is located in a side tract of the Hilton Hotel at Columbus Circle. You enter it through a separate entrance. They publish relatively strict attire rules on their website, but taking a look at the other guests, I had the impression that it is not taken so seriously. We had a nice table with an overlook of the dining room. Jean-George is one of the few highly rated New York restaurants that does not require that you pay in advance. The restaurant was not booked out this noon. At lunch, they offer a six-course or a four-course lunch with a choice of three savory dishes and cheese or dessert. We decided on four courses and selected our choices out of three starters, three intermediate course, main course, and dessert/cheese.
Bread and butter
Delicious bread and Bordier butter. Remarkably, the dark full-seed bread.
The sea trout of good quality was placed on a crispy rectangular piece of potato pancake. This was relatively dry. Additionally, the falafel-type second amuse was quite dry and not my favorite.
The akami tuna was of high quality. Itachi cucumber is a white Asian cucumber with an intense taste. Poblano is a mild chili pepper which made the escabeche spicy. This was reinforced by the ancho pepper which is the dried version of the poblano.
Heirloom Tomato summer fruit, myoga ginger and gazpacho consommé
My starter consisted of a potpourri of summer vegetables and fruits. To mention a few, I found watermelon, four different sorts of tomatoes, beans, nuts, onions, and chili. The different tomatoes were of best quality. Again, the use of chili and shoots of myoga ginger in the consomée made the serving slightly spicy. This was a very fresh seasonal course.
Hudson Valley Foie Gras tamarind, pineapple and black lime tajin
A nice piece of harissa-crusted, seared foie gras came with a pineapple chili purée and onion compote. The pineapple was slightly spicy. Warm Foie Gras is my favorite preparation and pleased also here.
Gulf Shrimp gold bar squash, kanzuri and 5 year soy sauce
Grilled squash slices below the perfectly seared shrimps and squash purée, creamy soy sauce. Kanzuri is a mix of togarashi chili peppers, salt, rice koji, and a hint of yuzu. It was used in the red liquid and responsible for the spiciness in this course.
—
Spiced Duck Breast shelling beans, umeboshi and lovage
The duck breast was the best of the three servings in different restaurants during our New York stay, perfect in texture, intense in taste, crispy skin and spices on the skin that provided additional umami. Umeboshi (fermented Japanese plum) was used in the red vinaigrette, and the green oil was aromatized with lovage. A mixture of red beans and greens was present as a side on this colorful plate.
Wagyu Strip Loin Calabrian chili, broccoli, mimolette jus and dill
The wagyu, which was perfectly pan-fried, came with broccoli purée and roses as a vegetable accompaniment. Dill was used for the broccoli preparations. The red-yellow garnish on the broccoli, which included Calabrian chili, added some spiciness to the course again. The jus incorporating the northern-France cheese mimolette paired well with the wagyu.
Black Forest almond, cherries, vanilla cream and devil’s food cake
This beautiful decorated bowl had a deconstructed black forest cake as topic. The eater was very pleased and refused to share. That says something…
I had this beautifully arranged berry garden, which consisted of a pastry ring on which the following components were placed: Strawberries, candied strawberry chips, strawberry sorbet, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, pistachio ganache and financier, meringue, cooled strawberry, elderflower and basil pearls. An elderflower strawberry was poured into the middle. What a fantastic summer dessert!
What followed for the finish surprised me because it is rather uncommon for a New York restaurant: The Petits Fours trolley. Five different parlinés, homemade marshmallows, soft caramel candies, and six other sweet treats were presented.
I took the cherry macaron, the sudachi blue- & raspberry tartelette, marshmallow, the raspberry jelly, two of the pralines, the taste of which I do not remember, and the gummy bear, which had the taste of a cocktail I do not remember.
Summary
Despite opinions in some reviews I read before, this lunch was pretty good. This restaurant is the flagship restaurant of Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the patron of the JG imperium, of origin from Alsace, France. The menu did not give a hint to this in difference, e.g., to Gabriel Kreuther, whom I visited in February. What stood out was the almost ubiquitous spiciness of the dishes. That’s certainly not for everyone. I would like to emphasize is the extremely friendly service. Since the price-performance ratio was also good, it is worth revisiting.
Visited in August 2025 Dinner Rating: Two Michelin Macarons
The MTA Red Line 1 brought us from mid-town to Franklin Street and a short walk to the restaurant. Through a kind of labyrinthine way in the building, we were guided to the dining room. We had a table close to a kitchen bench where three cooks prepared the first snacks. This evening was not sold out. Two tables remained empty. After the water question was clarified, I ordered half a bottle of 2021 Grgich Hills Estate Fumé Blanc for the savory courses until Lobster. Although I said that we wanted half a non-alcoholic pairing (named “Temperance”) for the other guest, the full package was served. The menu in Atera is a surprise menu, which is neither published on the internet nor handed out before the start of the serving. Temperance Pairing: Sparkling Rosé I Rose Hip, Strawberry was served before the first snack arrived at the table.
Crab I Cucumber, Coconut
A fantastic start with a tartelette, plucked peaky toe crabmeat, coconut cream, cucumber slices and lime jelly.
AEbleskiver I Truffle, Compté
Another highlight: the traditional Danish Christmas pastries, here in a warm (if not too warm), savory version filled with Comté cheese and topped with parmesan and truffle.
Kaluga Caviar I Custard, Bonito
Smoked custard in a bonito broth with Kaluga caviar formed the next tasty Amuse Bouche. It was very well balanced and used the best ingredients.
Foie Gras I Cherry, Balsamic
Announced as the final snack this sablé with filling switched to the carnivore universe. The filling was a foie gras mousse with some balsamic and cherry on top. It tasted a little cheesy. We suspected that it had been processed in sablé.
Tuna I Watermelon, Yuzu Pairing: Pineapple I Tamarind, Saffron
This very beautiful looking bowl contained Akami tuna and watermelon cubes, and flower-shaped radish. It was topped by finely-grated radish and trout caviar. The quite acidic vinaigrette was yuzu-based.
Halibut I Scallop, Mushroom Pairing: Pomegranate I Vanilla, Citrus
The fish course had halibut and scallop as the main ingredients and these were accompanied by sweet peas, porcini, Mu-Err and oyster mushrooms and kohlrabi. Very good.
Lobster I Sweetbread, Truffle Pairing: Smoked Ginger I Chicory, Lemon, Black Tea
Surf and turf differently. Seafood as Maine lobster pieces and astonishing crispy sweetbread pieces in this cappuccino called preparation. In addition, we found bity saffron pasta, passion fruit aromes, truffle, and at the bottom of the cup a lobster tea. This was quite a complex but at the same time fantastic tasting course.
Beef I Carrot, Harissa, Kombu Pairing: Cote de Beet I Black Currant, Thyme Wine Pairing: 2021 Jean Chauvenet, Aux Raviolles, Vosne-Romanée, Burgundy, France
Braised beef cheek, zucchini, carrot, carrot purée, and green asparagus were the components of the first of the two main courses. Harissa on the meat and a kombu-based jus completed this serving. The cheek was very tender. When it came to the red wine to accompany the two meat dishes, they immediately reached for the top shelf without asking. The wine was undoubtedly very good. The temperance pairing was almost undrinkable alone, with its earthy beet aromas, but changed its taste completely when drunk with the beef cheek course. It paired less well with the duck.
Duck I Blackberry, Lemongrass
The second main course had dry-aged duck as its topic. During our New York stay, we were served this two more times. Here, a beautiful, big half blackberry and a blackberry sauce set the tone. Further side dishes were celeriac as a disc and purée, pickled plum, hazelnut, and a lemongrass foam. The duck with its small fat layer was tender but missing a crispy skin.
Lemon I White Chocolate Pairing: Basil, Lime I Coconut, Cocoa Nib
This combination of marzipan, white chocolate, and lemon was very nice.
Strawberry I Pistachio
The main dessert was composed of a strawberry-filled meringue with pistachio, frozen milk snow, and a strawberry sauce.
Raspberry I Caramel Banana I Bourbon Chocolate I Mint
The dinner was closed with these three mignardises. The raspberry, caramel one was the best.
Summary
Astonishing, we had both the impression that the menu started very strongly but then became weaker and weaker. I left the restaurant with mixed feelings. Price performance was, for sure, the worst we had during our whole New York stay. The light in the dining room is very unsuitable for taking pictures; it is loud. The music selection was according to our taste, with many highlights from the eighties. Service was impeccable with the exception of the communication mismatch for the temperance pairing.
Visited in September 2024 Lunch Rating: Three Michelin Macarons
An early arrival at JFK airport and relatively speedy completion of immigration procedures opened the possibility of going to Le Bernadin for lunch. I arrived at the restaurant just in time at 2:30 pm. I did not have a reservation, but walk-ins are accepted for the lounge. And there was room for me. Since they already knew me here, I was also offered the lunch menu from the dining room. However, I had something else in mind: some of the dishes served in the lounge are different from those in the dining room, such as the luxurious Croque Monsieur or the Lobster Roll. I opted for the City Harvest menu, a 3-course meal, part of the price of which is donated to the City Harvest Initiative. This includes a choice of starters such as the Seafood Causa, which is also not offered in the Dining Room. In addition to mineral water, I ordered a glass of Grüner Veltliner 2022 Federspiel from Rudi Pichler Wachau Austria. It started with a selection of bread.
Bread
Fantastic brioche and rosemary olive focaccia with salted butter
Seafood Causa
This was constructed in layers: Above an avocado cream was a kind of crustacean hollandaise and on top potato mousseline. In between, one could find lobster, crab, shrimp, and aji amarillo pepper. Lime was used as a condiment. The pairing of the components was very good and all cooked to perfection. It is quite a small portion. I liked it very much.
Salmon
Barely Cooked Organic Salmon; Sweet and Sour Hon Shimeji, Mushrooms and Lotus Root, Maitake Broth was the description of the main course. It was the alternative to “Black Bass à la Nage” and a different preparation than offered in the dining room: “Barely Cooked Salmon; Root Vegetables Parisienne, Leek-Truffle Marinière”. I doubt the description was correct because I see Pak Choi and capers on the plate instead of “Sweet and Sour Hon Shimeji, Mushrooms and Lotus Root”. However, this does not play a role: The sensational soft and tender barely cooked salmon in Le Bernadin is always astonishing. I still do not understand how they prevent it from becoming lighter in color all over. I could eat this salmon again and again and was very happy with this main course.
I love desserts with spheres and an appearance that promises something different as it really is. Given that, this choice was the right decision, because the false Madeleine was a kind of sphere filled with a creamy mousse, raspberry confit, and an almond preparation that reminded of marzipan. On the left side were elderflower crème mousseline, raspberries and a honeycomb tuile, to the left the caramelized honey ice cream. Taste, composition and finish of this dessert were simply great and I was very satisfied.
Petit Fours
Soft pistachio financier, spiced coconut macaron (with cinnamon?), cherry chocolate ganache with a liquid core All three were good. This time, even the macaron was convincing.
Summary I am very happy that I could make it again to Le Bernadin restaurant. I like the reduced way of cooking initiated by Eric Ripert and the perfection how fish and seafood is prepared here. At the end of the visit, I bought the chef’s book “Seafood Simple” issued 2023. Let’s see if I can prepare some of the food shown in the book. The salmon rillette served as amuse at lunch in the dining room, I can prepare almost perfectly in the meantime. A New York visit without lunch or dinner in Le Bernadin would not be complete for me.
gourmettrips 