Dinner at Corton

I have been wanting to eat at Corton since reading all the wonderful reviews when it opened.  However, it seemed that every time I was in the market for a fancy meal, their menu just didn't appeal to me, so I kept passing it by for more palatable options.  With a friend in town from Texas, and Eleven Madison Park fully booked for the night I needed, I revisited Corton's menu and was pleasantly surprised to see things I actually wanted to eat (sweatbreads!). I called to make a resy, got the time I wanted, and it was smooth sailing from there.

We had a very nice dinner in Corton's beautifully designed dining room and the service was very nice as well. I was pleased with the food, which was good because there was a lot of it.  Overall, I would place Corton above Le Bernardin, but below Jean Georges.  For those of you keeping score, that means my fine dining experiences in New York are ranked thusly:

1. Gordon Ramsay at The London (though I truly believe that to be a one-off experience that is totally unable to be replicated)
2. SHO Shaun Hergatt
3. Jean Georges
4. Corton
5. Le Bernardin

I was so busy chatting and getting caught up with my friend that I wasn't as attentive to the descriptions of all the canapes and amuses as I usually am, but I will give a summary of what was eaten.

Canapes
Black olive croquettes with liquid center
Mini salt bagels
Some herby bready thing with cheese
Crackers filled with melted cheese
Walnut marshmallows

Amuse
Some sort of custard topped with red pepper gele and other little bits of stuff (wonderful descriptions, I know....)

My Starter

"Flavors of Autumn

Sweetbread, Pistachio, Arugula, Cédrat Violet Hill Farm Egg, Serrano, Black Trompette Royale

Yukon Gold Potato | Eggplant | Coffee Terrine"

Which consisted of three dishes

1. Pistachio-crusted sweatbread with butternut squash

2. Terrine wrapped in black olive with coffee gel dotted around the plate

3. Egg shell filled with a smoked oyster and custard

My Friend's Starter

"Sea

Uni, Écume de Mer
Kindai Kanpachi, Sansho Pepper, Goat Milk Chantilly
Diver Scallop, Fresh Yuzu, Wakame Water
Daurade, Wild Spinach, Fresh Yuzu
Spot Prawn, Lardo, Pear"

(served as four dishes)

 

My Main

"Maine Lobster

Poached in Lemongrass Butter, Ravioli, Cilantro"

Which was served as two dishes

1. Poached lobster with green curry sauce served with meringue filled with broccoli

2. Lobster raviolo in broth  

 

My Friend's Main

Pheasant and pork belly served with a bunch of other stuff, for which I missed the table-side description, so I am rather useless here

Dessert Amuse

Cassis sorbet with some very light fluffy kind of yogurt

My Dessert

"Brioche

Passion Fruit, Coffee, Banana"

 

My Friend's Dessert

"Gold Bar [chocolate ganache]

Pedro Ximénez, Smoked Caramel Ice Cream"