SHO Shaun Hergatt (Tough to Say, But Worth It)

The extravagant SHO Shaun Hergatt opened less than a year ago in a risky climate for restaurateurs of all types, but even tougher for those with fine dining ambitions. I still recall when I wrote up SHO Shaun as part of the June restaurant report. Opening a glitzy French-Asian fusion restaurant with a long name, deep in the Financial District in the middle of a recession is frankly, ballsy. What were they thinking?

With every card stacked against it, SHO Shaun has plowed through this year, receiving praise from critics galore and even a Michelin star. Did I mention they’ve only been open for 7 months? Nevertheless, I’m never one to accept one opinion as fact and I couldn’t wait to see for myself. Though not a household name, Shaun Hergatt had great experience at Atelier de Joel Robuchon and other hotel restaurant experience at the Ritz Carlton both here and in Australia.

It has been some time since I had a meal as dazzling as dinner at SHO Shaun Hergatt. The seasonal French-Asian menu is a stark contrast to the  fusion cuisine of yore which is now painfully tired. You won’t find any duck breast with shiitake mushrooms here. You almost need a dictionary to read the menu. Tetragonia? Tatsoi? Rosella gel? It was all so exotic and exciting. And the service was perfectly orchestrated in a down-to-earth yet prideful manner. You’ll get inspired amuse-bouches like lobster creme and bread with truffle butter and a finale of petits-fours. Though the menu might sound intimidating, it all makes sense when the food arrives. SHO Shaun doesn’t force you to think as you eat, which was off-putting at Corton.

The martian-looking dish above is the red chilli and coconut milk glazed quail with a shiitake duxelle and tetragonia (a leafy vegetable similar to spinach) The quail was crispy and sweet on the outside with a juicy center. As I sliced into the shiitake duxelle, liver oozed out with a richness counteracted by mustard. A quail egg was sandwiched between the duxelle and quail meat. Each component was complex and magnificent on its own but even better when combined.

For my entree I had flaky, sweet Chatham cod with a light dusting of fennel and orange kaffir lime-scented crème on the side. Its delicate flavors were a nice leveler to the quail appetizer.

My poor cod was greatly overshadowed by my Dad’s three-day short rib with a sweet crunchy crust of hazelnut and cranberry plus creamy parsnip purée on the side. The short rib’s tremendous flavors lingered on and on. I read on Always Hungry that Chef Hergatt make the luscious, tender meat by “marinading it for two days in red wine. The fat-end of the bone-in short rib is then roasted and braised in red wine marinade for six hours. The meat is de-boned and portioned into the length of a Mars Bar. It’s glazed with a reduced braising liquid that gives it the appearance of a chocolate-coated candy bar.” The plate is also adorned with slices of tomato confit, which tasted like sweet sun dried tomatoes and a few pearl onions. It’s a tough battle between the quail and the short rib for favorite dish of the evening.

For dessert we had the java cremeux with apricot croustillant and cardamom ice cream. I never go gaga for desserts (unless it’s a cheese plate) but I enjoyed the interplay of spice, coffee and sweet apricot. The flavors were spot-on with just enough sweetness. Even better than this dish though was the chocolate caramel salts which arrived with the petits-fours.

I sincerely hope that SHO Shaun’s unfortunate location won’t dissuade people from visiting. They’re doing everything right and I applaud Chef Hergatt for persevering to build such a phenomenal restaurant, against all odds. I’m sure he met many non believers along the way. Plus, $69 for a three-course meal like this is outrageous in New York! This food is truly transcendental.  Absolutely check out SHO Shaun Hergatt for your next special occasion. It will wow you!

Location: 40 Broad Street
Food: Excellent
Service: Very Good
Average App/Entrée Price: 3 Courses for $69
Value: Excellent
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.