Our Thanksgiving schedule has become a tradition and since we head first to Broadway for a matinee (Torch Song) we need to hang around in the city for dinner before heading to Long Island for the night where we stay near my brother-in-law's home. One year we tried to leave the city and meet him for dinner on the Island and the drive at 5pm took almost 3 hours. Last night at 10pm, it was under 40 minutes! That said, our visit to Ai Fiori on 5th Avenue in the Langham Hotel has indeed become a tradition as we all adore the elegant space, fine service and excellent Michelin-starred Relais et Chateaux dining.
We arrived a little before 530pm and enjoyed a glass of champagne (Cosmo for Will, mocktail for Sam) and waited for our friend Lauren as we munched the irresistible spiced popcorn!
As we entered the dining room shortly thereafter I spotted the huge Italian white truffles on a table with a glass dome over them...we were tempted and lost this fight....read on.
I ordered a bottle of 2009 vintage Champagne Gaston Chiquet Brut "Special Club" from Dizy and it was ideal with the yummy amuse of Mushroom Duxelles, Ricotta & Mascarpone in a small pastry cup. We spent a long time catching up, perusing the menu and asking questions of our superb server Shana. Grissini arrived in tall glasses with EVOO and spices(thyme,bay leaves, etc) and while these are tasty, you can only double dip once by turning around the breadstick.
Sam decided on two courses and the rest of us chose the $108 four course menu which allows you to choose any antipasti, pasta, main and dessert, a real NY deal for this quality food indeed.
I ordered a Sicilian Etna Bianco and the sommelier Ehren came back with bad news that they had sold out, but good news that he was giving us the Graci 2015 "Arcuria" instead for the same price(it cost a bit more) which was made from the same Carricante grapes we fell in love with on our trip to Sicily in the summer of 2017. Here the wine was intense in minerals yet creamy and rich and a true dream with the starters:
-Insalata di Astice a Nova Scotia Lobster Salad with shaved fennel, pickled chanterelles and citrus dressing and pieces that was excellent and full of flavor, and since I am not a fennel freak, I was thrilled it was mild shaved baby fennel.
-Vellutata of Lobster Veloute with one chunk of meat and Périgord Black Truffles and Tarragon
-Torchon of Foie Gras au Naturel with Apple Mostarda, Fig Puree, Oat crumble, Calvados and toasted brioche got a rave from Lauren save for the odd small dabs of sweet butter on the plate.
A reminder that there are photos of most of the dishes on Facebook.
Pasta was next and we all agreed on the White Truffles from Alba in Piemonte had to be on all four. Sam & Will chose the Tajarin or ribbon pasta with parmesan, while Lauren and I went for the White Truffle Risotto made from Riso Aquarello with butter and parm. Shana arrived with the huge truffles and shaved 4 grams or more on each plate as the aroma wafted through the entire place and we almost all had multiple truffle orgasms. The truffles were deliciously fresh and rich and also a perfect pairing as we finished off the white wine and then moved onto a magnificent full bodied Barolo (of course also from Piemonte, specifically La Morra) 2006 Enzo Boglietti "Fossati" was intense with coffee flavors and hints of chocolate.
Again the wine was perfect with the three meat mains:
-Vitello was a French milk-fed veal chop cooked to perfection medium rare with crunchy edges, broccoli-rabe, kohlrabi and gremolata
-Tagliata was a dry aged strip loin with pommes puree, spring onion and bordelaise, while
-Agnello was a rack of lamb en crepinette (a crepe-like crispy coating) with barley, sunflower seed pesto and long beans.
Samuel's veggie dish was a hit as well
-Torta de Ceci a chickpea panisse with fall squash and Hen of the Woods mushrooms
The breads that kept arriving were white, ginger & caramelized onion and olive rolls that were oddly a bit too chewy for me.
When you order a menu including dessert, you don't have a choice, but we were all quite full, so Lauren ordered a chocolate gelato to eat in house and the rest of the dish in cake to take home.
Will had the full plate of the same Cioccolato made of brandy, chocolate cake, jivara ganache, caramel and chocolate gelato.
I went for the Budino of chocolate & banana cremeux with caramelized banana cake with hazelnut and brown butter gelato. I let Sam have a bite and he could not resist finishing the rest as it was truly decadent, rich and tasty, but not overpowering or too big at all.
Before we headed out the mignardises arrived in Raspberry & Dark Chocolate Bonbons (which eerily resembled eyes out their sockets!), Grapefruit Marshmallows and my new favorite gelees made of Campari!!
It was a memorable and fabulous four hour plus feast to start off our annual NY trip for this holiday.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all!!
