Wanted to report on a terrific experience last Saturday night at CityZen, much of it due to Chef Ziebold himself.
I actually wasn't expecting to be wowed. In the past year I've had dsappointing experiences at Tru in Chicago and Sona in LA - places that do similar multi-course, over-the-top-type cuisine that critics seem to love but that usually leave me cold. So I was pushing for Black Salt. Luckily, as it turned out, I got outvoted.
Our table for six was right next to the open kitchen, less than ten feet, in fact, from where Eric Ziebold was working. The best seats in the house. I highly recommend asking for the table if you're going.
Now for the food. We had the tasting menu, which consisted of:
Mushroom fritter with white truffle (amuse bouche)
Cod cake with chive creme fraiche (amuse bouche)
Terrine of duck fois gras with Medjool dates
Sea Scallops with scallop veloute
Lamb ribeye with Yukon Gold potato and truffle macaroons
Pig's feet with split peas (off the menu, see below)
Cheeses
Lychee sorbet with sake
Amaretto meringue with cinnamon creme
Without going into detail, each was excellent. And some of the dishes - the mushroom fritter, the pig's feet, the Yukon Gold potato and truffle macaroons - were mind-blowing. Some at the table thought the fois gras terrine was a bit rich, but that's the whole point and everyone loved the dates. I'd also say that the desserts are not quite as strong as the rest.
Anyway, we were eating the scallops and my tablemate wondered aloud how they made the scallop veloute (which was really more of a foam). Without really knowing, I speculated they made a scallop stock, added cream, and whipped it up with an immersion blender. My tablemate nodded and started asking something else. Then I heard a voice next to me: "Actually, I use half cream and half milk." It was Chef Ziebold who came over from his station to correct me! It was like the Woody Allen movie where he pulls Marshall MacLuhan out from behind a sign to correct the guy going on about his theories - "You know nothing of my work . . . ." Except Chef Ziebold did it with a smile and stayed to chat.
Later, Chef Ziebold sent over the pig's feet, which was not on the menu that night. It was so perfectly porky, like the best ham you've ever tasted. Chef Ziebold told the servers not to tell us what it was and then he came over see if we could identify it (my brother-in-law was closest, guessing ham hocks).
Your coats are waiting for you as you leave and your car has been pulled up out front. No claim checks, no waiting, a nice touch.
It wasn't cheap (over $300 a couple) but unlike a lot of similar places (eg, IALW), I wouldn't hesitate to say CZ was worth it.
