Jean Georges, the flagship restaurant of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, is an iconic New York restaurant with 2 Michelin Stars and one that I was excited to review given its focus on seafood.
Booking was done via Resy and I was able to get a table for my preferred lunchtime slot in a few clicks.
Located on the south-west corner of Central Park with the main dining room enjoying views across to the park.
Upon arrival, your coat is taken and you are escorted by your server to the table, with a wine list being presented soon after.
In this post:
Jean Georges Lunch Menu
The menu was printed on quality paper and had an understated JG on the front.
Opening the menu, you are presented with Omnivore and Vegetarian options.
Both come in a four or six course iterations, though the dessert listed at the bottom of each menu is available regardless of which option you select.
Jean Georges Lunch Review
The US$68 four course lunch is one of the great values in New York fine dining. By comparison, the three course lunch menu at Le Bernardin is US$93.
I was in the mood for seafood so went with the tuna ribbons, Peekytoe crab risotto and crusted Japanese snapper.
Bread was then brought around and a selection is placed on the table. The baguette was excellent with a crispy crust that was thin enough to tear easily for buttering.
Then an amuse bouche of consommé that uses ten varieties of mushrooms to produce, resulting in a beautifully earthy broth, is delivered.
Tuna Ribbons, Avocado, Radish And Ginger Dressing
These tuna ribbons are a signature dish at Jean Georges, having been on the menu for the entire twenty two years of the restaurant, and it was such a delight you can understand why.
The tuna was incredibly fresh and contrasted beautifully with the tart ginger dressing. It’s a very memorable dish and one that really wakes up your tastebuds.
Peekytoe Crab Risotto, Green Chilli, Puffed Rice, Nori
Too often risotto is overly creamy and rich, so is a dish I usually steer clear from. But I was curious to see how the Asian influence that Jean Georges is known for would shape the crab risotto.
The puffed rice and nori gave the dish an immediate Asian twist and added texture, with the ratio of crab to risotto being just right. The flavour of the crab came through clearly in the risotto itself, making for a delicious dish.
Crusted Japanese Snapper, Nuts and Seeds, Sweet and Sour Jus
Don’t let the simple presentation of the crusted snapper fool you, this dish is a forty seven ingredient tour de force.
The Japanese snapper is steamed and a series of spices are sprinkled on the skin including black pepper, white pepper and salt. The sweet and sour jus included pieces of pear and honey, though the ingredients change seasonally.
Despite the forty seven ingredients, which my server mentioned as we were talking about the dish, the fish remains centre stage and the dish has a balance like those at Le Bernardin.
Tropical Young Coconut Semifreddo, Pineapple Sorbet
Despite the temperature outside being sub-zero, the lighter option of a semifreddo and sorbet was appealing.
The semifreddo sphere made its artistic entrance and was meant to be opened by gentle tapping of the spoon.
It took quite a bit of force pushing the spoon into the sphere for it to crack open, unfortunately spraying pieces of the dessert onto the table and my clothes!
This was the point at which the superbly trained staff sprung into action, delivering stain removal wipes to the table before the stains set and a visit from the restaurant manager Adam to offer to pay for dry cleaning or replacement clothing if the stains didn’t come out in the wash.
The dessert itself was refreshing and filled with so many types of fruit, including red dragonfruit that would have been imported from Asia. I didn’t ask how many ingredients were in this dish but you can already see plenty just in the photo.
Additional complimentary desserts were then delivered to accompany my pot of tea.
Chocolate, Honey Roasted Peanut Butter, Caramel
This was a decadently rich chocolate dessert featuring a sharp contrast with the addition of a passionfruit sauce. The purple foam is made from leaves imported from Thailand.
Petit Fours
Lastly a selection of petit fours including handmade chocolates and gummy bears were presented on a tower.
A few of the chocolates were liqueur filled with thin shells and a lot of the liqueur, not something you can do at scale given the logistics and shelf life required of commercial confectionary.
The gummy bears were very soft and a playful touch to the meal.
And finally, Tahitian vanilla marshmallows to round out this terrific meal.
Jean Georges Review Summary
My lunch at Jean Georges was supremely enjoyable with memorable dishes that each had incredible flavours and delicious desserts.
The US$68 lunch menu gets you four courses of the highest quality in a restaurant that is gunning to get its third Michelin star back.
Service was exemplary, as demonstrated through the dessert course, and felt warmer than at Le Bernardin.
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