Corton (It’s Complicated)

If my feelings about Corton were a Facebook relationship status, they’d be the tenuous: “it’s complicated.” There were some moments when I felt in love then others when I felt we were better as friends. Generally, I just couldn’t commit.

I don’t put much emphasis on decor but if I did, Corton wouldn’t fare well. As you can see in the photo above, the room is basically in drab shades of grey which let the food stand out but don’t do much for one’s spirit.

Corton has been receiving tremendous accolades since it opened last year, including two Michelin stars amongst the ranks of Picholine and Momofuku Ko. The food is sort of a heady take on French cuisine. The menu is deceptively simple but then each dish arrives deconstructed into three or four precious components. Most arrive with a long explanation and great pomp and circumstance. For some dishes the playfulness worked and for others I was left scratching my head.

We started off well with a luscious amuse-bouche of foie gras with port chantilly and cauliflower creme.  It was like a foie gras custard and as I stirred the cauliflower through the foie gras it sliced the richness. A seemingly basic square of cod got a tableside drizzle of bright green sauce and a copper pot of just-soft, creamy pumpkin and Jerusalem artichoke risotto. This dish alone was lovely but then came a tiny plate with a little ball of crisp cod served atop a smear of tartar sauce (their version of fish and chips). Then another plate of some forgettable foam and greens completed the single entree. I wondered why all the extra side components, they didn’t seem to add much except confusion and extra thought. Too much fuss and not enough substance.

Headiness is sometimes good, like in a tete de cochon and serrano gelee served with a single farm egg. My sister described it as one of the most inspiring appetizers she’d ever had. The duck with turnip gelee was profoundly juicy, served in three little slices with a nice char on the outside of each.  I loved the playfulness in a lamb three ways including lamb sausage, lamb belly and lamb loin. Though served in the same separate plates and pots, the three components were cohesive and each added a layer of flavor to the dish. Even the butter had a creative spin with a kiss of seaweed, adding a green hue and a delightful saltiness. As befuddled as I was at times, most of the flavors really sang.

A hamachi appetizer with avocado and cucumber was the only dish to arrive complete on one plate, but the rolled fish with little balls of avocado was sorrowfully bland compared to others like “the sea” which my Dad had, a smoragasboard of underwater creatures like madai with yuzu and lobster with Burgundy truffle. (As I’m writing this post I’m practically ducking my family members who will most certainly be throwing rocks at me upon reading this. They loved every minute of it.)

My Dad brought 2 old Bordeaux: a 1988 Chateau Petrus and Ducru-Beaucaillou which drank beautifully. The Petrus had an incredible smoky character which paired well with the lamb and duck that others had. The service was near impeccable with the exception of  a long pause after our entree when nobody cleared. We sat with dirty plates for a good 10 minutes while busboy after waitress plus the sommelier walked idly by our table.  It was a puzzling moment. At a restaurant with the elegance of Corton, staff should always be willing to step in and help. Whether you are the sommelier or the busboy, if you have a free moment and a waitress is occupied, it’s not above you. Finally the sweet manager passed by and she happily cleared for us.

After all of the joy and confusion, we closed the meal with a delicious cheese plate of an American cheddar, comte, ashed goat and Roquefort with cherry preserves on the side. Apparently our waitress heard us conversing throughout the meal and took it upon herself to bring a complimentary bowl of sorbet with a candle for my Mom’s Birthday. It was such a sweet gesture! By the end of the meal I had warmed to Corton once again.

Location: 239 West Broadway
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Average App/Entrée Price: $85 for 3-course Prixe-Fixe
Value: Good
You Gonna Finish That? Meh, you can taste the side.

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Filed under Cuisine, French, Neighborhood, Restaurant Reviews, TriBeCa | Comment (1)