Last night I ate at Le Bernardin for the first time, opting for the four-course prix fixe, and I have to say, it was thoroughly disappointing.
Granted, I don’t have all that much experience with fine dining (this was my first 3 star) but for $350 all said and done, there was not much to write home about at all.
A fairly promising amuse-bouche of salmon, tuna, and I think scallops (could be misremembering specifics) was followed up by a bizarre oyster-uni dish served on some sort of gel. What I expected to be rich and briny just kind of tasted like salt, and there was so little texture (with only a few crisps of I think seaweed) that I just barely found any enjoyment.
All of this was interspersed by a mediocre bread service. The brioche and baguette were quite tough, although the olive bread and raisin bread were very good. I also could have done with maybe a compound butter instead of regular butter to make things just a bit more interesting.
After that was the octopus, which was extremely good. Extraordinarily tender with a nice crisp around the edges and great flavor, although it’s probably something that any high end seafood restaurant can pull off.
I had the lobster and gnocchi entrée (forget the exact name). It was nice but very uninspired. The first bite was great but I found myself struggling to find anything interesting about it after the first few bites.
Finally, the raspberry madelaine for dessert. No complaints, absolutely delicious and a wonderful contrast of textures and tastes.
But would I do it again? Definitely not. Maybe the tasting menu is better but this was far far less interesting or delicious than Canoe (the only other similarly priced restaurant I’ve been to), and even that was way cheaper without even accounting for exchange rates.
I got the email this morning asking what I would rate it and I gave two stars. Just a real struggle to justify its price or status.
by Appropriate_Tree5304
16 Comments
Thanks for the write up! I’ve been so on the fence with LB over the years, but the pictures I always see end up matching your review more than anyone else’s.
Similar experience. Dishes for me were fine but very one note. Bread was awful. Best thing I had was their Peruvian chocolate dessert which was quite good. Cocktail was also very basic.
I was there six years ago and above all just found it very boring. It’s all very fine cooking, sure, but nothing stuck in my memory. Almost instantaneously forgettable.
Le Bernardin isn’t really about “interesting,” which is the word you kept using.
If that’s what you’re after, there are many many other restaurants that do “interesting” a lot better than Le Bernardin.
Le Bernardin is about perfectly cooked seafood. it’s just laser focused on cooking the hell out of seafood to perfection.
However, it does sound like you would’ve preferred the tasting menu. It’s a lot more… well… interesting. That salmon! And fish cooked in meat stock (mon dieu!)
Finally, I agree that the quality of the bread is oddly not at the level you’d expect.
That plating is sloppy as hell
That oyster and uni dish looks genuinely unappealing.
Had the octopus last Friday for lunch. It was amazing.
Genuine question: without the bread service would you even have been remotely full at the end of the meal?
Honestly I think this review is a lot of what’s wrong in fine dining right now. I’ve been to many “innovative” 1-3 starred restaurants and yes they’re interesting… if you don’t go to many of them… (yes there are a few that are genuinely different, I’m not talking about those, I’m talking about the vast majority). I once went to 4-5 in one week on a trip, by the fourth “interesting”, “innovative” menu, I could tell you exactly what they were going to serve next without looking at the menu.
Le Bernardin is the opposite of those, they don’t pretend to be anything. They are just perfectly cooked seafood in a French style and that’s it, no more, no less.
I was equally underwhelmed by the tasting menu… normally when I have a truly great meal, there are dishes I can recall on memory; the taste, texture, how it made me feel. Le Bernadin had no such standout dishes, the whole experience left me cold.
A real pity! I have friends who adored it, but alas it was not for me.
This is in the same camp as the French Laundry. They have their menu, don’t change it, and do it perfectly. To some that is boring but you have to understand that going in. You aren’t going to see mind blowingly creative dishes.
That dessert itself looks far from Michelin level
Sorry but I don’t agree with this review. I had all of the bread on Monday and the focaccia was probably the softest bread I ever ate in my life.
You’re underwhelming
One thing I will say, is that when you consider the cost of seafood, and the fact they are using the very best I personally find the price to very reasonable.
Blasphemy.