Le Bernardin - NYC 2011

I really didn't know what to expect when I first booked Le Bernardin, other than the fact that it was utterly freaking hard to get a reservation even when I did everything right (reminiscent of my TFL experience...) and ended up with a 10:45 PM reservation on Friday night. Yes folks, they serve you a coursed, long dinner at 10:45 PM. At night.

I insisted on keeping the res despite some obvious objections from the bf since I was very curious about why this place got such stellar reviews both online, from friends and some serious foodies recommendations. We arrived at Le Bern and were greeted warmly and promptly shown the lounge area. I'm not sure how their lounge area works, but I suppose if you didn't have a reservation you can always hang out there, grab drinks and maybe some food. 


They did have an excellent selection of scotches and bourbons on their shelf at the bar so I imagine you'd be quite entertained.Just as quickly as we sat down, we were shown our table which was right by the door. I never saw Le Bern before the remodel but after the remodel, this place is GORGEOUS. Just breathtaking and it almost doesn't matter where you sit. 


One of the best things I loved about Le Bernardin was that they were fabulously well lit not in an in-your-face-see-your-pores kind of way, but a very elegant well lit that allows you to see the food you have in front of you and absorb the colors and vibrancy of the dishes you are enjoying. I thoroughly dislike poorly / dimly lit places because I feel like they're trying to hide something...


We went for the two different tasting menu(s) because I'm greedy like that and want to try everything. Since one was 7 course and the other 8, we opted to add a dish that was on neither menu to the 7 course so the bf and I both had the same number of courses. It was, of course, all seafood and here you should most definitely not get anything else. We also, with help, selected a delicious bottle of white wine as we decided to pass on the wine pairings. 

I loved that the service was relaxed. Yes this place is upscale, ties and jackets are required but in the end the service was not stiff. I didn't feel like I had to sit up with my shoulders back and a plastered smile on my face or any kind of pretentiousness at all. This made for an extraordinarily enjoyable experience since the bf and I were able to chat, catch up, talk and have a wonderful time while dining here.

Each dish that came out was magnificent. I don't say this often but every, single, dish was a complete and utter hit. It was perfectly cooked, seasoned, decorated and there were no repeats. Chef Eric truly displayed his culinary skills in cooking unlike some other Michelin restaurants and used all kinds of methods instead of dropping truffle on everything.

 As many have said, it is completely worth every penny and more. I dare say this is one of my favorite, if not my favorite restaurant ever. I can't compare it to French Laundry because they simply don't serve the same thing, but this is most definitely in the #1 or #2 spot on my list of places to dine. If you are in NYC, this is NOT TO BE MISSED. You will not regret it, no matter how light your wallet feels after!