Blue Heaven

I had a lovely dinner last night, even if the volume of the room made conversation difficult at times.

The meal started with a mushroom and cream shooter. It was surprisingly light and had an almost foamy texture and just a hint or aromatics. The drink was almost pure white, despite the strong mushroom flavor.

I had the lettuce soup with herb a lettuce ravioli to start. Everything about the soup was perfect and it, like the shooter, was lighter than expected for a dairy-based dish. The ravioli provided just the right punch of flavor: salty cheese with a kick of scallion. My only complaint was the too-full bowl which sloshed over its rim when delivered. It marred the stunning green/white visual of the plating.

My main was the grilled cobia with pistou of spring vegetables and pureed basil. The pistou contained fiddlehead fronds, baby bok choy, celery and chive. I had never eaten cobia before and the texture was stunning. Not at all flaky, some bites border on crunchy with an overall feel somewhat like pork.

I finished with a lovely steamed cheesecake with rhubarb sorbet. The crust held up very well through both steaming and plating in a rhubarb jus, and the sorbet was the perfect tart foil for the dense cheesecake.

My companion had the shrimp with soy beans and vegetable vinaigrette, Berkshire pork and chocolate bread pudding.

This is a kitchen where perfection of the smallest detail is clearly emphasized. The menu might be small, but it is mighty in its flawless execution. I would certainly return to try seasonal variations or to cook there myself. It isn't hard to see why the James Beard Foundation named Dan Barber New York City chef of the year.