I promised I would report on how things went at Per Se

Posted by Foodlexi, May 23, 2008 at 8:47 AM

It was flawless. A little puffball with Gruyère, a tiny cornet with poached salmon and crème fraiche. My bouche was amused! The first appetiser: 'Oyster and pearls' – 2 oceanic oysters with sago and caviar which popped extra flavour into the mouth. This I am adding to my last meal wish-list. A perfect pause later, a brick of foie gras terrine on a crunchy pistachio base with apricot jelly on top, mitigating the richness of the foie gras. A delightful fillet of red mullet. A small fillet with no dryness. And pork belly with a sour cherry conserve which cut the intense fat. We then went on to Wagyu beef or carre d'agneau. While our friends sighed over the Wagyu we chose the latter. I can honestly say that this was the single most delicious piece of meat I have ever eaten in my life. What made it so perfect? Believe me, I wish I knew. MOH and I exchanged dreamy looks. A pre-dessert, then Manchego cheese just right, and then a chocolate trio with a brick of parfait with an icing of jelly. I realised something about the meal. It was a symphony, with refrains that came round; a reference to the foie gras in the chocolate dish and others, so that the appearance was harmonious, as were the flavours, as was the service. It seems to me that a meal at Per Se is a piece of divine music and that their aim is to give you harmonious delight. Thank you Per Se. – And even more, thank you to our friends, who treated us to a memorable evening.

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Tags: NYC, Per Se, Thomas Keller