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| - Wow. Just wow. My friend decided to treat me out to E for my 21st birthday (I'm a lucky girl) as Jose Andres is my favorite chef. After being mailed our golden tickets in the mail, we eagerly went at 5:00pm for the first seating (5:30pm). They only have two seatings each night of 8 people- so a total of 16 people per night. Reservations must be made months in advance to get the seats you want as it is difficult to score the perfect ones. They first sat us outside at a communal bar/ table with the other 6 people, and give a brief introduction of whats to come (20 concept dishes that Chef Jose Andres has created) and what kind of pairing you want. Having been to Jaleo before, I was extremely confused as to where and how E could be so well hidden. But alas, it was right next to the bar on the left back corner, and the hostess had the door open for us as we walked through.
Upon being seated, we were immediately given a warm towelette wrapped in lavendar that was placed in a mold of Jose Andres' hand. The chef of the day, Alex, explained to us that everything in the room had a story to tell- such as the uneven ladder with shoes which symbolized the girl who got away, to the doll trapped in the cage- the one who didn't get away. On the sides, there were ingredients that have inspired Chef Jose Andres throughout the years.
We got the regular alcohol pairing which came with wines, moscato, vermouth, gin and tonic, sangria, and more. The La Tomatila (i think thats what its called) is an amazing tomato water infused drink- must order! I dont even like tomatos that much but damn was this good. All of the dishes are plated in front of you, you are free to ask as many questions as you want, an explanation is given for all the dishes, and everything is served at the same time- service at its best.
I would go into a detailed description of everything I ate, but that would only ruin the surprise for future guests. I will however, give a gist of what I ate and let imagination do the rest~
Edible Sangria that came in a Styrofoam box 5/5
Cotton Candy 2.0- Cotton Candy Dumpling with Foie Gras Mousse and Hazelnuts 6/5 (best thing all night)
Beet-kini- dehydrated beet manchego cheese sandwich (Chef Jose's version of a grilled cheese, the perfect bikini for summer) 5/5
Coca De Recapte- sausage and foie gras? crisp 5/5
Merienda- after school snack that kids in Spain got- basically a bun stuffed with goat cheese (I hate goat cheese and this surpassed my expectations) 5/5
Smoked Oyster and Chicken Oyster- Definitely unique and extremely different. 4/5
Pescado en Adobo- Codfish stick- the fish is much thicker than regular deep fried fish, not enough sauce for me. 3/5
El Vermut- Mussels- 4/5
Cava Sangria- sangria jelly in a spoon that bursts in your mouth. 5/5
Fabes con Jamon- Jellied Fava beans in a thick rich broth- not a big fan of beans, but wow. 5/5
Kokotxas al Pil Pil- Codfish Jowls- first time trying these, pretty chewy but delicious. 4/5
Mar y Montana- sea cucumber stuffed with pork. really interesting take on this dish. 4/5 The lady next to me asked the chef if the sea cucumber was a fish or a plant....
Mushrooms en Papillote- Chanterelle Mushrooms- smoked in a plastic bag and when cooked, the bag is cut for you to eat. wow. This presentation... 5/5
Chuleta- bomb but small piece of steak. I was so full at this point but still amazing 5/5
Dessert-
Pressed Cotton Candy with flowers and creme underneath- best dessert I have ever had. I wanted like 10 of these. 6/5
Jellied egg yolk- with some cream. again, super impressed. 5/5
Rum and coffee- this one takes 20 min to prepare, so you see a lady stirring the drink while it is on fire at the side for awhile. 5/5
Chocolate cylinder that cracks open with liquid inside and crumble.. most delicious chocolate dessert ever. 5/5
Ring Box with Hazelnut Ferrero Roche type chocolate- 5/5
The last dessert- it was okay. Dont remember it much. 3/5
Mignardises- the four treats on the dish were so good- I couldnt choose what to finish first.
Anyways, I felt so repetitive talking about how amazing all the dishes are, but thats the truth. Everything blew my mind away.The intimacy of the room and the environment made this experience unparalleled to any other dining experience I've had. Not only was the food and drinks on point, the service and decor only added the cherry to the icing. The only complaint I have was one of the guests, who made a huge deal of everything she couldnt eat, not finishing, and requesting substitions. At the end, you receive a book where you write a message to Jose Andres, and a bookmark saying what number visitor you are (11,788). You also receive a menu to take home, but it doesnt say much- just the title of the concept. Total came out to be around $900 for two (including tip), as the alcohol pairing was pretty expensive as well. Although this will definitely empty out your wallet, the experience is one you cannot receive anywhere else.
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