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“The Cafe at Aquavit”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	New American	Midtown	Moderate	Good

aragus and shaved mushrooms, in a horseradish broth. The fish was nicely cooked—its flesh was moist and tender—but unfortunately it smelled like (sorry) a barnyard. Maybe it was the ultra freshness of the mushrooms—but it reminded me of summers I spent riding horses and working in barns in Vermont. I could almost feel the wet hay under my feet. Not bad memories at all, actually, but not exactly the smell you want to greet you while having lunch.

Things did improve when, as a token from the kitchen, we were served a dish from the formal dining room menu that was miraculous. The Foie Gras Ganache—a molten centered button of foie gras custard that oozed out with the prick of a fork—was served with balls of pickled melon draped with slivers of duck pastrami, a scoop of puckery mint-yogurt sorbet, and a black pepper gastrix. The experience of this eating this dish—the shock of the cold tart yogurt sorbet, the warm, sticky sweet-peppery gastrix, the hot, rich custard—was among the most sensual and satisfying edible experiences of recent memory. You can’t fake this. Clearly, we were not in New Jersey anymore.

Aquavit is located at 65 East 55th Street (b/w Park and Madison), 212-307-7311.

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Posted: February 5, 2005

Other restaurants in Midtown :
+ Lever House   + Aquavit   + RM   + Joseph's (formerly Citarella The Restaurant)   + Town   + Artisanal   + The Oyster Bar   + Geisha   + David Burke and Donatella Restaurant   + Riingo   + Amma   + Cafe Sabarsky   + The Stone Rose Lounge   + BLT Steak   + V, The Steakhouse-- Closed   + Bar Masa   + Cafe Gray   + The Bar Room at The Modern   + The Cafe at Aquavit   + The Cafe at Aquavit   + Bistro du Vent-- Closed   + Shaburi   + Xing   + The Modern   + Bar Americain   + Alto   + Park Blue   + Mainland-- Closed   + Nobu 57   + Quality Meats   + Dona-- CLOSED   + Daisy May's   + 7Square-- CLOSED   + Amalia   + Fireside   + Anthos   + Patroon   + BLT Market   + Toloache   + Mia Dona   + Park Avenue Summer   + Convivio   + The Oak Room by guest reviewer Julie Besonen   + At Vermilion by guest reviewer Elaine Weiner   + Lunching at Inakaya, by guest reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Marea, by Guest Reviewer Susan Kane Walkush   + Le Bernardin   + New York Central -- A Reason To Eat at the Grand Hyatt Again   + Pampano Botaneria by Dara Pollak   

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