We started with a Sparkling Rose, perfect for the warm early autumn weather. [I can’t find it on the drink menu post-meal. I would trust the sommelier though.] The drink was light, a perfect balance of sweet and dry, excellent to start.

Out came a little surprise by the kitchen, an appetizer of the Artic Char, topped with caviar on mandolin-ed heirloom beets, fresh dill, and roasted hazel nuts. The combinations of flavors and textures were outstanding. Just outstanding.

This would only continue as out came our ordered apps. I got a grilled Octopus in white beans. They were stewed in a wonderful, complex ragu. The marinated octopus was tender, not remotely chewy, but extremely satisfying with a fried crispy exterior.

[Shout out, the bread was fantastic. On great cultured butter with a pinch of salt. Great crumb, moist, crust. Clearly made in house with love]

Luke has the blue fin tuna. Ordinarily a bit of a normie choice for me. But the tuna was extremely fresh and a good fatty cut. The sauce was a light soy on raw bok choy. There were very thin ginger slices and mayo delicately applied.

Steve gets the liverwurst; a smooth duck and chicken liver pate. Pate, for the uninitiated is essentially the tastiest butter you could ever imagine. Silk smooth. A great umami taste, paired with delicious toasted mushroom brioche. Remembering its flavor makes my salivatory glands ache with joy and anticipation.

Now. Pate has had some weird political flack. Mostly because the poultry are over fed a very fatty diet to expand their livers before slaughter.

Chefs and industry might have a bias on this, but it’s important to recognize that the way we source our ingredients should be paramount to eating establishments and especially high-end places. This means a level of responsibility for sourcing; which often leads to lower carbon footprints, better practices for raising livestock, more nutritious food, and ultimately a better dining experience.

All of this to say; eating pate from a Michelin star is a lot better than getting Popeyes chicken from almost any aspect that would matter. If you want to challenge things that are against your moral values, you have to think deeper than surface issues because they are complicated and ignorance is not grounds to have outrage.

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We were then witness to a delectable fried sweetbread with two excellent sauces and colored cauliflower. The delicious texture play was fantastic. The crisp fried shell had a soft, creamy interior which played so well against the nutty, charred, toothsome cauliflower florets. A rare experience to have the veg firmer than the protein. Amazing. Possibly my favorite plate.

The entrees came out, accompanied with a delicious bottle of red wine, which we split.

I ordered the sweet potato carmelle. A pasta delicately wrapped around a sweet potato stuffing. The plate is covered in young fresh mint, a white cream sauce, and little bit of crispy guanciale. It’s perfect. Each little present has two delicious corners of al dente, the sweet potato against the savory guanciale bits, like if bacon had a grandfather from the old country.

Luke ordered the schnitzel, a classic from the restaurant. It was hilariously puffy. Luke explains that it’s traditional, where a layer of water is added to the marinated pork before battering and frying. It’s served with Vienna potato salad and a cucumber salad with dill and sour cream.

Steve had the seafood tagliatelle, with a delightful seafood broth with clams, mussels, and shrimp. The broth was really the star. So much clean flavor. The pasta was nice as well.

Finally! For dessert there came out a buckwheat cake and sanddorn ice-cream and a Bâtard “candy-bar”.

At this point, we can only do mouthful. The candybar is decadent beyond belief. Dark chocolate hazelnut fudge melted on caramel on crunch. The buckwheat cake is excellent. Light, airy cake; not too sweet, with a unique flavor ice cream. Sanddorn is a berry from Northern Europe. I’ve never had it before, so that was a fun new experience.

We finish the night by splitting a few beers with the kitchen as they clean and close up. It’s just a good time to know the masters who did the work, and we appropriately fawn and awe as we drink what’s left in the walk in. Luke catches up with his old friends and we bid adieu.

We catch the subway home, fat and happy. To eat with industry people is an extreme treat. There is a love in showing friends true culinary heights. For the actual mark of a great meal isn’t just the food, but the people you share it with, the atmosphere provided, and the display of artistic plates. It didn’t hurt that we got a couple freebies and the extra effort. Thank you, Luke, Steve, Chef Markus and all of Bâtard for a most memorable experience.