Lunch at 2941 - Review

Day 3, Lunch: 2941 (www.2941.com)
Overall Rating: RRR 1/2 (out of 5)

Today’s double feature began at 2941 where Executive Chef Bertrand Chemel, a native of the Auvergne region of France and recipient of three stars from the New York Times, is reputed to have transformed this restaurant into an earthy manifestation of French cuisine.

My lunch companions, a friend who has dined in the finest restaurants Europe and North America has to offer and her six year old daughter. Yes, that’s right, I said six year old daughter. I know what you are thinking, why introduce a kid to a menu crafted for a sophisticated palette or force her to sit still amidst 2941’s lush landscape of lake, koi pond and floor to ceiling windows?

For the record, this isn’t your average six year old. Besides displaying only the best behavior that I wish some adults would emulate, this child has refined tastes and can down squid, steak and carpaccio with the best of them which is precisely what she did.

This sophisticated child started her meal with Hawaiian Red Snapper Carpaccio that featured a citrus gelee, cilantro and heart of palm. She liked the way the citrus interacted with the snapper and thought the fish was worth finishing. She did however reject the hearts of palm, finding the texture and flavor a bit odd. I agree. The snapper was fresh and full of flavor and the citrus gelee provided a refreshing burst of flavor reminiscent of a stylish civiche. While I ate the heart of palm and liked the texture it added, I didn’t feel its presence contributed to overall the flavor profile of the dish.
Her mother opted for the Chilled Pea Soup with poached shrimp, summer truffle and orange oil. The soup arrived in an amazing bowl that literally tilted downward which made finishing the last few spoonfuls of soup that much easier and more refined.

I suspect my companion liked but did not love this soup. I say this because like her daughter, she is extremely well-mannered and if she can’t say something nice she isn’t likely to say anything at all and while she ate the soup she did so without much comment. Her daughter, the brave eater, also sampled the soup and her reaction which was a mix of confusion and scowl was more telling. “What are the sticks in the soup,” she asked. Sticks? I looked at her mother who confirmed that were indeed stick-like objects in the soup that she couldn’t quite identify. I wondered if they were the summer truffles but as a huge fan and occasional connoisseur of truffles I can’t imagine them being stick-like in character or flavor. And so the sticks hidden in the soup remained a mystery, one I think both dining companions could have done without.

For the main course, the kid and I ordered Veal Cheek Ravioli with tomato confit, butter poached lobster, and parmesan. The lobster was moist and flavorful, the veal cheek ravioli decadently rich, and the tomato confit’s acidity provided a wonderful balance to the dish.

The little one finished the lobster but didn’t fall in love with the veal cheek ravioli. She tried it, a couple of times, before deciding she would have preferred this homemade pasta be stuffed with cheese instead of veal cheek. Her mother and I disagreed finding the veal cheek delicious but I have to remind myself that despite being a child extraordinaire she is still a child and what kid doesn’t want cheese ravioli?

Her mother ordered the Grilled Pacific Monchong that was lightly grilled and stained with turmeric. Basmati rice, lychee and curry leaf accompanied the fish. Both the child and I sampled this vibrant dish that featured a small piece of fish swimming in a bright green sea. The fish had an almost meat-like texture and was well-seasoned and moist. The sauce burst with flavors that reminded me of one of my favorite Thai dishes, a blend of curry, coconut and basil. Why then didn’t I love this dish? It failed to come together as a whole. The fish was good, the sauce was good but they didn’t tango and that caused the dish to disappoint.

For dessert, I ordered the Raspberry Parfait with fromage blanc panna cotta, lemon balm and warm madeleines. My companions decided upon the Ice Cream Sandwich comprised of dark chocolate cookies paired with mint chocolate chip ice cream. The raspberry parfait was a delight. Imagine a soft, creamy construction paired with fresh raspberries and a perfect cookie. The ice cream sandwich fared less well. Just to further demonstrate the refined palette of this six year old, I will share with you that she opted to eat the dark chocolate portion of the dish and rejected the ice cream.

By now, you know that I am passionate about food and so my reviews thus far have either been ripe with praise or cranky with criticism. Why then does this review of 2941 seem like a lackluster endorsement (yes, the oxymoron was deliberate)?

Our lunch was good not fabulous and yet I experienced moments of greatness like the freshness of the snapper, the succulence of the lobster, the richness of the panna cotta. Thankfully, these moments are enough to ensure that I will give 2941 another try but next time I hope that all of the dishes sing.