I had forgotten how wonderful the food was at the eponymous Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant on Columbus Circle. It’s food full of flavor surprises with attention to detail, just as I recalled from previous tasting menus ($158 pp for 6 courses at lunch; wine pairings additional but worth it).

We began with a caviar and crème fraîche topped citrus gel in a hollowed-out Meyer lemon. The Brut NV Philippe Prié (Neuville-Sur-Seine) champagne was a natural complement to the caviar. Next, we sipped the a single-vineyard Riesling 2008, Weingut von Hovel, Scharzhofberg (Mosel) to balance the sweet-spiciness of the unusual blend of fresh strawberries, wasabi sorbet, feta cheese and micro basil.

Everything was perfection until Caroline — our lead server — realized she needed another person for the choreographed presentation resulting in a distracting scurried dance. The fresh flavor of fresh pea, avocado and seaweed topped Peekytoe crab was worth that disruption. A perfect complement of flavors and wine to go with it (the Auxerrois, Albert Mann Vieilles Vignes 2011.)

Next was service without all the guests! Our slowly cooked cod sat in front of three of us  waiting for her return. At least we had our accompanying Jean-Pierre Grossot, Chablis Premier Cru to sip!

The last dish was quite hearty — a slice of formed crispy confit of sucking pig atop a fragrant spicy ginger sauce along with baby beets. That amazing dish worked with the pinot noir from Trione Vineyards, River Road Ranch. 2010, Russian River Valley.

Although we had little room for the dessert tasting, we did indulge in myriad sweet items with one surprise. Surprised not because of the flavor, but the same strawberries we had had in the salad. An odd thing to do at the height of summer with plentiful good tasting other fruit.

Would I recommend a visit? Absolutely. The food and wine pairings are amazing. And I’m sure once JG hears of these faux pas, things will return to order.

– bonnie

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Jean George
Columbus Circle
Trump Tower
1 Central Park West
New York, NY 10023
(212) 299-3900

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