The Modern

This past weekend I was in New York City for the first time. Yea I know, how can I go through most of my life in the field of architecture and not make it to NY. Well, it only took 31 years but I finally did it. On the final day we went to the Bar Room at the Modern. It was amazing, but one thing to remember is not to forget your pocketbook. The menu is pricey but it is well worth it. The overall style of the space is very clean and simple as the name suggests. The architecture firm of Bentel and Bentel brought a touch of the Bauhaus to the states. We totally lucked out with this one because the main dining room is by reservation only but the bar room welcomes walk-ins. One day I will have to go back to experience the dining room that overlooks the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden.

We started our evening sitting down in the lounge space off to the side of the bar room. The Cor bu inspired lounge seating was an interesting choice for the space. It was definitely not a place you would stay a long time in but great for mingling and interacting with others in the room. The materials were simple large swatches of whites and blacks except for the enlarged photograph of a forest that brought in a sense of color and intrigue. The photograph is easily 10 feet high by 30 feet wide, suspended behind a layer of glass to give a sleek art installation feel. Fitting due to it being connected with MOMA.

We ordered our first drinks of the evening. My sisters came with a full rose blossom suspended mid glass in a bubbling efflorescence of rose smell (hence the name "coming up roses"). I ordered a play off of a dark and Stormy. This led us into the meal. Wow it was amazing. The Bar Room only serves appetizers and sized down entrees but in the long run I was completely satisfied with one appetizer and the sized down entree.

My first course was a chickpea and feta soup. The soup was so creamy and delectable that I will have to start playing around with the recipe. With the soup came a bun. The bun was also very tasty but it there was a disconnect between the bun and the soup. They were two great entities but they did not work too well together. The bun was buttery and flaky exterior but the heaviness of the bun did not compliment the soup at all. I don't take that as a failed dish but the opportunity to have two separate flavors on one dish. I would have the soup again in a heartbeat.

The second plate that i had was the Loup de Mer. This dish was perfectly cooked and served in a cast iron skillet. As i tried the vegetable that was cooked in the juices of the fish and cockles i was pleasantly surprised by a spice that I was not able to identify. After a little investigation from the serer I found out that the carrots had been pickled. The result was the sweetness of the carrot and the bite almost like a radish. It was great, the flavors crept into the fish and gave a balanced taste to the whole. The only thing that I was a little surprised about was the skin on the fish was left on, assuming to preserve the moistness of the fish which it did perfectly well. The unfortunate thing was that it was very fatty and seasoned very heavily. I was very surprised that it was left on or at least browned. This dish was defiantly not a failure either but if I decide to make it at home I will probably remove the skin or make it into a crispy treat. With the fish I had a bourbon drink that contained fresh basil that complimented the meal so well. We finished up the meal with an American style cappuccino which was a perfect ending to the wonderful meal that we had.

All in all it was defiantly one of the best meals that I had in a long time. I compliment you Gabriel Kreuther for putting together a meal that was simply amazing. I walked in expecting something good but soon found out that your skill as a chef is top notch. I would come back in a heartbeat, well as long as I didn't mind dropping a C note on a late lunch. It is one place that gives you the complete dining experience and if you are in NY I would highly recommend it.