Vegan Fine Dining in NYC?

Fine Dining After Covid

After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, not only New York City, but the rest of the world began to experience product shortages due to disruptions in the food supply chain. Restaurant owners and chefs saw themselves in a challenging situation to provide the highest quality ingredients while keeping their costs at a reasonable level. This phenomenon resulted in a greater search for high quality local products by restaurant owners around the world, not only to overcome challenges with supply chain logistics, but also to support local markets throughout the pandemic. In addition to supply chain issues, chefs and restaurant owners have also begun to question the environmental impact that the quest for quality ingredients can inflict on our planet.

The renowned Chef Daniel Humm, owner of Eleven Madison Park (fine dining restaurant and winner of the “World’s 50 Best” award) spoke about it beautifully on his website (https://www.elevenmadisonpark.com):

“Friends –

While the idea for this year-end letter began to take shape well before recent events, I didn’t want to let the holidays pass without expressing my thanks for the support you’ve provided during one of the most gratifying years in the life of Eleven Madison Park.

There are many factors that drove our decision to serve a plant-based menu. Becoming better stewards of our planet was high on the list, but this shift was also the culmination of mounting creative frustrations, stemming from a steady decline in the quality of ingredients that were available to us. The culprit was, and is, climate.

Navigating this new landscape was challenging. I can tell you that when Eleven Madison Park was named the #1 restaurant in the world—a moment most would consider the pinnacle of a chef’s career—I found myself feeling empty. Where would we go now? How could we live up to the promise of continual improvement when the raw materials make that nearly impossible?

Then came the pandemic, a far bleaker picture. But we pushed ourselves to make the best of the situation. To be of service. We converted EMP into a community kitchen, founded the Eleven Madison Truck with Rethink Food, and provided hundreds of thousands of meals to those in need. With the dining room dark, I rediscovered the power of food as a language. And I realized that once we reopened, plants could open the door to new inspirations and a more conscientious path.

It was an obvious choice but not an easy one. Our team was apprehensive, and as we would soon learn, some of our closest collaborators also had their doubts.

Moments like these served as greater encouragement though. So did the renewed energy in the kitchen, and the joy coming from the dining room, where our guests have never been more diverse or enthusiastic. What could have turned out to be restrictive proved endlessly expansive. The most vibrant proof is on the plate: our dishes have never been better.

I can’t wait for what we have in store for 2022. I’m also excited to continue to participate, with great humility, in the most important conversation of our time, having been inspired by experiences like the one I had attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference in November. The names who assembled in Glasgow warmly welcomed less authoritative figures such as myself. “We’re all in this together” was the clear message.

continues…”

What readers may be wondering is: can haute cuisine please the keenest palate with a plant-based only menu? The answer is here in this article, where we talk about The Luxury List’s experience with the newly introduced 10-course, plant-based tasting menu at Eleven Madison Park fine dining restaurant in New York City.

Eleven Madison Park’s Vegan Menu

First Course: Onion and Truffles

Let us start: The first course, and one of our favorites, was a trio: Broth, Tart, and Salad. Actually, our favorite of that trio was the onion tart with winter black truffles. Beautifully presented with fresh shaved truffles and pickled onions on top, the flavors were delicious and the texture perfect. We would return to the restaurant just to taste this tart again!

Second Course: Yes, More Truffles Please!

The second course was Fresh Tofu with Black Truffle and Sunchoke. Black winter truffles are our favorite, so we got our tasting off to a great start. So yes, keep bringing them! Although we are not fans of tofu, we would say we were surprised. This tofu course had some similarity to Japanese miso soup, but in a much more refined version. In addition, we tasted a vegetable new to us: sunchoke, which is known as “Jerusalem Artichoke”. As Chef Humm himself described this course: “delicious, beautiful, creative and intentional”.

Third Course: Vegan “Sushi”?

The third course was another favorite: Turnip Variations with White Sweet Potato, Finger Lime, and Wasabi. The presentation was beautiful and intriguing, with layers of white potatoes and turnips that resembled a fish scale, inviting us to wonder if this dish will somehow taste like fish. Honestly, we were incredibly pleased and satisfied. The taste was not exactly a distinct flavor of fish, but rather a taste profile similar to Japanese sushi. Interesting and delicious.

Fourth Course: Land Caviar

The fourth course was exceptional! Tonburi with Cauliflower Couscous, Za’atar and Pita Bread. Tonburi is an edible seed, sometimes called “land caviar”. When we first looked at this beautifully presented dish, we immediately thought of caviar. The texture, flavors and presentation were impeccable and unbelievable. It was an exciting experience, as you can notice the dedication and attention to detail used to develop something so extraordinary.

Fifth Course: Best Brown Rice Ever

The fifth course was our biggest surprise, and we were blown away: Roasted Brown Rice with Fresh Seaweed and Meyer Lemon. Sounds simple, right? How can something that seems so ordinary be even worth adding to the Eleven Madison Park menu? We suggest you go to the restaurant and answer this question for yourself. We could not believe how delicious, elegant, and full of flavor this dish was… Best brown rice we have ever tasted!

Sixth Course: Texture Delight

Fried King Oyster Mushrooms with Lemongrass and Ginger was the sixth course. We have seen a picture of this dish on the restaurant’s Instagram, and we were dying to taste it. Beautiful presentation, inviting, and very elegant! And the combination of textures… surprisingly perfect! It was hard not to compare the flavors and textures of this dish with what we already know in non-plant-based cuisine: fried pork belly, or chicharróns. It was gratifying to experience a vegan menu that made us forget, even for a moment, that we were eating a vegan menu. Hard to explain…better to go try it!

Seventh Course: Fine Dining Tamales

The seventh course (and the last one before the dessert creations) was Celery Root with Chestnut Masa. Elegantly presented with such distinct flavors. Nothing comparable to the Mexican tamales. This one was simply unique and different.

Eight Course: Popsicle!

Our eighth course was a surprising and heart fulfilling palate cleansing Parsnip with Apple Shrub Popsicle. Who would have imagined a parsnip ice cream? Perfect balance between sweet and tart, and super refreshing. We love gastronomy, and it is exciting to experience a menu created with such dedication and perfection.

Ninth Course: Hidden Meringue

The ninth course was a Citrus and Coconut with Meringue dessert. At first glance, it did not visually appear like its description, which was curious and one of the reasons we loved it! One of our favorite parts of a fine dining tasting experience is discovering the ingredients and being surprised by the not at all expected and unconventional ways a dish is presented. It is more than just a tasting experience: it is a visually and mentally intriguing one. We “broke into the crust” and indulged ourselves in this delight. Exceptional!

Tenth Course: The Grand Finale

The Grand Finale: “A final sip. A final bite”. Pretzel with Sesame and Chocolate paired with their signature homemade Vermouth for the entire table to share. The bottle of Vermouth is left on the table for you to enjoy this last experience. In our case, it was a moment to reflect on the extraordinary menu we had just experienced, and how amazed we were by it all.

Oh, we cannot forget to mention that one of our favorite moments of the whole experience occurred between the courses. Sunflower Seed Butter and Onion with Bread. This butter and onion glaze, served with one of the most delicious breads we have ever tasted, was to die for! We wished we could take it home, really!

Our Verdict

Despite some criticism that we consider to be an unfair comparison with the accolade-winning pre-pandemic menu (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/28/dining/eleven-madison-park-restaurant-review-plant-based.html and https://ny.eater.com/22650875/eleven-madison-park-review-vegan-menu-dishes-price-2021), the new fine dining plant-based menu at Eleven Madison Park is spectacular and, for us, an experience full of unexpected and pleasant surprises. We recommend, without any doubt, that you also try the new menu at Eleven Madison Park! We will certainly go back.

As always, count on us to design your dream gourmet and luxury NYC experience. Visit our website or Instagram to find out more how to get YOUR Luxury List.

The Luxury List,
https://theluxurylist.nyc/
@theluxurylist_nyc

 

* Photos from Eleven Madison Park official Instagram (@elevenmadisonpark) and taken by the talented New York photographer Evan Sung (@EvanSungNYC). Permissions for reposting granted.

* The Luxury List focuses on gastronomic experiences and haute cuisine, regardless of whether it is plant-based or animal-based cuisine. We support innovative and conscious ideas, and investment in the future of our planet. This post is meant to share the phenomenal experience we had at Eleven Madison Park and their exceptional plant-based tasting menu.