check this one off the list

I keep a running list of things I'd like to do or see one day, a bucket list of sorts. There are some dream vacations on that list -- visit Greece, rent a villa somewhere in the countryside of Italy, sail around the British Virgin Islands -- and there are some dream restaurants on the list, too. I'd love to eat dinner at The French Laundry or Per Se or Alinea, to name a few. In New York last weekend, I was able to check off one of the restaurants on my list -- Le Bernardin, the award winning restaurant led by Chef Eric Ripert. 

We made a reservation as soon as the reservations book opened up, thirty days before the weekend we were planning to go. I did a lot of research before deciding that we'd go there. Sam is a bit picky, as many of you may know, and I had to get his approval on the menu. I showed the menu to him on the Le Bernardin website, he looked at it and didn't say no, so I took that as a yes. 

Our dinner reservation was for 8:15 on Friday, and we were immediately seated on arrival. Unlike our experience at Michael Mina in Las Vegas, when the amuse bouche arrived, I knew I had made the right decision. 

 

I remembered that I'd brought my camera after the second or third course, but unfortunately, the lighting was poor and I didn't want to use my flash and risk disturbing others. We had lots of delicious courses that looked like this one.

In fact, each course of the seven-course tasting menu was simply amazing. The wine that was paired with it was perfect. The service was impeccable - attentive but not overly so, and not stuffy at all. One of the highlights was seeing Chef Ripert walk through the dining room at one point early on in our meal. After speaking with our waiter about him, we were taken back to the kitchen for a quick glimpse of the bustling activity. 

And, I must say, Chef Ripert was so personable. As annoyed as he may have been, you would never have known. I liked him from what I knew of him on Top Chef, and now I like him even more.

Our trip to New York took place the weekend between my birthday and Sam's. The whole trip was a birthday present to ourselves, and the Le Bernardin experience was really all for me. But, Sam had a wonderful time, and I think he has changed his mind about what gourmet dining means. 

 

We walked out of the restaurant over two and a half hours later with a very large tab on the credit card, lots of poorly exposed photographs, an autographed copy of On The Line, an appreciation for seafood done well (really, really well), and huge smiles on our faces. It was a truly spectacular birthday present.

Comments

[Merry]

Great birthday presents!