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| - Full Disclosure: This was a birthday dinner, and I got some major perks as I didn't have to pay and also had a bottle of champagne sent to me from a friend. Still, this is in the top, top, top tier of dining establishments. I cannot think of a more excellent and exciting place to celebrate in glutinous fashion.
We did not really choose our dishes so much as discuss any likes and dislikes with our server. In addition to the champagne we started with the following:
Oysters - east and west coast. These were expertly shucked served on ice. Perfect oysters, amped up a notch by the house green habanero hot sauce.
Smoked Eel Croquettes with caviar - I heard about smoked meat croquettes. On our visit we received smoked Eel croquettes with dil, a drop of creme fraiche and a small puddle of black caviar. Damn, find me a better bite than this, because I sure haven't. Best bite of the night.
Scallop Crudo - this was excellent, whole raw scallops out of the shell, with macadamia nuts and some sort of crisp plantain maybe? And a smoked creme fraiche. Succulent, sweet, smoky and briney, amped up by the nuts. AMAZING. Joe Beef nails seafood. Top 3 dish of the night.
Beef Tartare - again, perfect combination of flavors and textures. Must've been some sort of sesame seed or cracker mixed in along with dots of smokey aioli atop it. No need for crackers, you'll be fighting over this with a spoon. It may look simple but it's more complex and balanced, top notch tartare.
Sweetbreads wrapped in cabbage with shredded kohlrabi - I was happy to see this come out, as I know the Joe Beef team loves utilizing offal. This was fantastic, fairly firm yet creamy sweetbreads in a thin wrap of cabbage. The sauce is insane with this dish. A reduction of foie gras and peppers, it tasted like a decadent, meaty yet thin queso. I would drink it if I could.
Lobster Spaghetti (1/2 portion) - look, you know you have to order this. But trust me, worth the hype. Easy to pull the lobster meat clean from the shell, the perfect amount of bacon to add some smoke and salt to the dish without taking away from the lobster. Perfectly al dente pasta in a cream and herb sauce and ya have one of the best pastas in the world.
Guinea Fowl w/ Foie Gras - this was our meat entree. I was kind of hoping for duck or lamb, maybe venison or a steak even though my dining companion is not a big fan of steaks. But I am thrilled we have this, nearly a whole bird with crisp skin and moist meat in a funky, slightly gamey and savory gravy sauce. With it came greens, frites, and mushrooms in brown butter. All of it with the gravy was fantastic.
I get a bit blurrier after the champagne is finished, mix in a sherry with some cheeses and a cognac to go with their signature Mille Fuille and a vanilla/blood orange sorbet, and you have an unforgettable meal. To top it off, service was incredible and made me feel cared for and special. I don't like to claim anything is "the absolute best", but I have yet to have a dining experience that could possibly eclipse my meal at Joe Beef.
If you can get a reservation here, you absolutely must go. I beg you.
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