In our ongoing series to educate and pull the curtain back—a bit!—behind the MICHELIN Guide, our editorial team will be sharing stories directly from our anonymous Inspectors and from their interactions with them. Below, one editor’s experience dining with an Inspector at a recent addition to the New York selection. And to get our Inspectors’ take on 53, click here.
It’s not every night that you get to dine with a Michelin Guide inspector. It’s one part thrilling, another unnerving. Luckily, the venue for the dinner, New York’s 53, is a spot I've been meaning to check out. The name of the restaurant hails from its location, 53 West 53rd Street, which also happens to be the address of one of Manhattan’s premiere residences. Next door is Museum Tower, the Museum of Modern Art, the Baccarat Hotel, and Fifth Avenue shopping. You can’t ask for a better spot. Entering the dimly lit (read: flattering) boîte, I took my seat and scanned through the cocktail and wine list to build up my courage for the night. And right on time at 6:30, my dining date for the night arrived.
Inside the two-floor restaurant, the diners upstairs (where we were sitting) were slick, elegant, and oozing romance. Cozy, intimate tables with louche and low seating lend for close conversation, plate sharing, and lots of fun. Having only dined with an Inspector once before (it was entirely social), tonight's meal was an opportunity to get down to business. The business of determining what the highs and lows are of an extensive, yet focused menu.
Watching the Inspector scan the menu was like watching Lagerfeld sketch designs or Pollack paint on the canvas. Each movement was precise, necessary, and led to a beautiful finished product. In our case, the perfect meal.
The Inspector opted for a few dishes that jumped out and would tell them about the various nuances of the menu from the subtle to the bold—Yellowtail with ikura, citrus, and sorrel, and the diver scallop in XO sauce. Their goal? To determine whether they were worthy of the laud. I gazed at the Inspector as they took bite after bite trying to discern their thoughts...did they like it? Did they think it was too saucy? Suffice it to say, I couldn’t read them. Notes being scribbled out of my eyesight hinted at their take, but each comment to me was astute and exact; honing in on what sets each dish apart from the myriad of other examples they’ve had.
Moving onto the heartier fare was decidedly more fun. Lobster rice in a lotus leaf served with ikura was satiating, but not overly fussy. I noticed that this dish particularly resonated with the Inspector and worked perfectly in tandem with the halibut with mushroom broth and ginger. I could tell by the few, "mmm's" and "ah's" muttered, but even though the Inspector enjoyed each plate, it was apparent they still had some lingering questions.
As they scribbled a few notes, I scanned the dessert menu for that final punctuation. Possessing a sweet tooth as well, the Inspector opted for something textured yet light to tantalize our tastebuds. Their choice, Napoleon, filled with a mousse flavored with gula melaka (coconut palm sugar) arrived dressed with a bit of lime zest and nestled in a mound of whipped cream served with brûléed banana. They noted that while it wasn’t anything radical, the addition of the palm sugar with bananas was an inspired and smart touch. At the end of the night, I still couldn’t tell the Inspector’s final thoughts on dinner, however I know that our evening provided them with lots to chew on.
Dinner for two including 1 bottle of wine + gratuity: $328.00.
Hero: Cathy Mayer / @cthartica
All illustrations by Cathy Mayer / @cthartica
https://www.cathymayer.com/
