| rev:text
| - José, José, José. Had been to the Bar Centro before and had the amazing Foieffle, Cotton Candy Foie, Sloppy Joe, Uni and a few delectable drinks...debated if going to the actual restaurant would be worth it since it seems not so much molecular gastronomy happens. Just more of a 'carnivore's paradise.' And oh, is it ever...with just enough finesse to be typical José genius.
Already having researched the extensive menu, my boyfriend and I decided what we wanted before we sat down. However, we were offered 3 tasting menus...went with the "mid" range priced one because it had everything we'd wanted to try and more for what seemed to be a bargain (including the insane $70 jamón ibérico that we would NOT have ordered a la carte)! If you're not familiar with the restaurant concept, look at the menu beforehand. I may have missed some courses, but what I remember:
Ferran Adriá Olives-JUST like in that Bourdain episode...*eyes roll to the back of your head*
Crispy Chicarron- fun to break at the table, tasty w/ the yogurt, but other than the presentation nothing special
Caviar Flight- beautiful, balanced/delicate, great selection, fun to assemble in the pomme soufflés
Caviar Cones- delicious
Smoked Oysters - so flavorful
Vittore 1950 Carpaccio- WOW..textures, balance of flavors, melt-in-your-mouth
Jamón Ibérico- OMFG...can every animal be free-range, acorn fed? Savored this as long as possible...every bite I had a moment of silence with eyes closed as the nutty,caramel, meaty flavors melted on my tongue. Sounds dramatic. But the flavor is dramatic.
Classic Tartare- Surprisingly so enjoyable, very vibrant flavors, amazing presentation. Hands down the BEST beef tartare we'd ever had.
Gazpacho- good, nothing special
Croquetas de Pollo- good, nothing special, just like at Jaleo
Grilled Pulpo a la Gallega (Octopus)- So well balanced in flavors. I normally don't like octopus, but this is prepared so perfectly, not rubbery/chewy at all.
Butifarra Pork Sausage-- SO good...with the pan de cristal, this ALONE could be an enjoyable meal
****Now...at this point in the meal, we were SO stuffed. Amazingly full, to the point where these last several dishes were just unnecessary. They just weren't even enjoyable. HOWEVER, we agreed pretty easily, that if we had ordered these without having eaten anything before...we would've been pretty disappointed.
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Rib Eye-- really dry, super tough yet chewy, severely lacked in flavor. Not sure WHICH cut we had...but wow, I'm sad to say it may have been the worst steaks I've had in a restaurant.
Bouchon Potatoes- creamy and buttery as reviewed by so many
Asparagus- well cooked, but nothing outstanding about the flavors
Carrots- same as the asparagus
BOX of dessert (11, ELEVEN!!, different treats)-- should've just taken it home, but wouldn't have kept well since we weren't going home until the next day :) The bon-bons and tarts were delicious...everything else was okay.
Despite being disappointed by a few courses towards the end, there were enough stand-outs to rate this as an amazing dining experience. Our drinks (When Doves Cry [the signature], Gin and Tonic, Manhattans) were great. Ambience and service were great.
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