<a target="_blank" href="http://elevenmadisonpark.com/">Eleven Madison Park</a> 

11 Madison Ave,

New York, NY 10010

Tel: (212) 889-0905

This delicious Friday lunch at Eleven Madison Park was a
great way to kick off a summer weekend. As always, the food, service and
ambience were first class. I was hardly surprised when, a few weeks later, The
New York Times awarded Eleven Madison Park a very highly deserved fourth star.
What I love most about Chef Daniel Humm’s food is the way each ingredient
speaks with eloquence and clarity, like a world-class orchestra in a concert
hall where all of the nuances are incredibly vivid. The $28 prix-fixe lunch
(for an appetizer and main course) is easily one of the best deals in New York.

We began with André
Clouet’s MV Brut Un Jour de 1911, an exceptional Champagne that has become
virtually impossible to find. The Fall 2008 disgorgement is 50% 1996, 25% 1995
and 25% 1997 juice from grand cru Pinot Noir vineyards in Bouzy. This was a
phenomenal wine for so many reasons, but what stood out most was its incredibly
silky mousse and extraordinary balance.

The Sweet Corn Chowder with Nova Scotia Lobster and Bacon
was divine. I could have easily devoured another portion of this delectable
homage to an American classic. The 2005
Hofgut Falkenstein Riesling Spätlese Trocken Niedermenniger Herrenberg was
all minerals, smoke and ash on a delicate, mid-weight frame. The flavors took a
decided turn towards the bold with a brilliant composition of tomatoes. Domaine Tempier’s 2008 Bandol Rosé
revealed a rich, gorgeous personality bursting with the fruit in a style that
paired eloquently with the tomatoes.

The Ravioli with Ricotta, Baby Zucchini and Mint captured
the essence of summer. The 2007 Blanc
des Raisins Blancs from Mas de
Gaussac was layered with pretty notes of honeysuckle, jasmine and pears.
This perfumed, rich wine was terrific with the Ravioli.

The Organic Chicken “Basquaise” with Chorizo, Basil and
Taggiasca Olives was a hearty and full of Mediterranean flavors. I had mixed
emotions about Talenti’s 2000 Brunello
di Montalcino Pian di Conte. The wine was undoubtedly beautiful and it
paired very nicely with the chicken. Still, something was missing. Or rather
something may have been there that perhaps shouldn’t have been. The wine was
impossibly dark and concentrated for a Sangiovese of nearly ten years of age.
As pretty as the wine was, there was little true Sangiovese character. Still,
in this setting I chose to concentrate on the wine’s positive attributes, of
which there were many. Domaine François
Gaunoux’s 1995 Volnay Le Clos des Chênes (paired with my wife’s Roasted
Suckling Pig) was fairly forward in its dried cherries, underbrush, spices and
worn-in leather, all of framed by a very classic Volnayian sense of structure.

A selection of artisan cheeses from Vermont was divine and
showed the very high level the state’s most ambitious farmers are capable of
reaching. The 2000 Quarts de Chaume
from Château de Suronde offered up
an array of spices, cinnamon, honey and flowers in a pretty, mid-weight style
that paired beautifully with the cheeses.

Food:

Sweet Corn Chowder with Nova Scotia Lobster and Bacon 

Greenmarket Heirloom Tomatoes; Composition with Terre
Bormane Olive Oil and Fino Verde Basil

Ravioli with Ricotta, Baby Zucchini and Mint

Organic Chicken “Basquaise” with Chorizo, Basil and
Taggiasca Olives 

Vermont Artisan Cheeses

Wine:

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>
 MV
 </td>
 <td>
 André Clouet Brut Un Jour de 1911
 </td>
 <td>
 94
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2005
 </td>
 <td>
 Hofgut Falkenstein Riesling Spätlese Trocken
 Niedermenniger Herrenberg
 </td>
 <td>
 91
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2008
 </td>
 <td>
 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé
 </td>
 <td>
 91
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2007
 </td>
 <td>
 Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc des Raisins Blancs
 </td>
 <td>
 90
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1995
 </td>
 <td>
 Domaine François Gaunoux Volnay Le Clos des Chênes
 </td>
 <td>
 90
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2000
 </td>
 <td>
 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino Pian di Conte
 </td>
 <td>
 89
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2000
 </td>
 <td>
 Château de Suronde Quarts de Chaume
 </td>
 <td>
 89
 </td>
 </tr>
</tbody></table>

&nbsp;--Antonio Galloni

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