Raise you hand if you think I take notes while dining out. I dont, with very rare exceptions. I dont even spend much time taking all the necessary pictures. I stopped years ago after annoying too many family and friends. It’s worth noting that a big reason for this blog is to simply keep track of where and what I eat, as opposed to whether I had a Ratatouille moment when I took my first bite of that Pate en Croute.
With that said, I did take notes at the exceptional Cabaret L’enfer. Only to delete the note by mistake yesterday. Turns out Yahoo linked Notes cant be recovered?!? So you have to deal with my memories yet again, even though it feels like this very recent meal was ages ago. After all, if its not memorable, maybe its not worth writing about.
Not only it was memorable, but this was a sound contender for meal of the year, challenging places like Foxface Natural, Ronda’s Casa Mateos, and Anguilla’s Hibernia just off top of my head. Very rarely, everything clicks as it did at Cabaret L’enfer. Even the 80’s/New Wave playlist felt like specifically engineered for us. I remember thinking toward the end that the only thing missing from this experience was Depeche Mode, and 10 minutes later, Bam, we Enjoy the Silence. The GOAT!
Music seems very important to Montreal born chef/owner Massimo Piedimonte who curates his own playlists in addition to curating a masterpiece set menu. We had a direct view of his dance moves by the charcoal grill where he’s in charge. Guidance under names you may have heard like Daniel Boulud and René Redzepi at NOMA taught him not only how to flat out cook, but how to make a place unique and your own. Very rarely you feel like you are at someone’s extended living room at a place of this caliber.
The set menu is a beautiful multicultural marriage, especially of the chef’s Italian and French heritage. And at $120 its decent value, especially for New Yorkers. They do try to push their wine, especially natural. Wine pairing starts at $100, but there are some interesting selections by the glass.
Homemade flatbread with Stracciatella and fresh snappy peas was just the kind of start you wished. And if the perfectly grilled Tuna Belly Tostada didnt get the juices going, three lobster filled Cappellacci surely did. Then comes a superb grilled lobster (+$20) that was much appreciated but not necessary. Its an 8 course feast full of highlights without the lobster.
The first of the second half highlights was a sliced scallop with Fava beans, and a Vermouth based sauce. This is one of those moments where you hesitate to drink your wine in order to let the taste buds keep dancing. After a dish like this, asparagus with wild Nettles almost feels like a cleanser. Probably the least favorite dish, but one that makes sense in a menu as such.
The last savory item was thee highlight. An outstanding well marbled Entrecote with bits of artichoke and Bordelaise sauce. As my neighbor proclaimed “I’m full but I can eat a few more of those”. I dont recall the last time I ate a finer piece of beef. When you are on such a culinary high, dessert can easily get lost in the shuffle. No exception here. More of a testament to the rest of the triumph. Go!
Eating With Ziggy 