>pollen salt, xeres vinegar, sablé, piquillos, Adour Alain Ducasse

I am a linguistic artist playing with food, not a food critic. I rarely read food reviews, and when I do, I inevitably come across painful phrases like "frisson of happiness" and "lyrical, joyous haunt of mango". It is just as well that Adour by Alain Ducasse did not inspire in me such poetry.

Perhaps it was awkward when the inexperienced eager-to-please server failed to pronounce geoduck as gooey-duck. Perhaps it was disappointing when I found the advertised geoduck layer to be too mysteriously thin, perhaps nonexistent, in the pretty hamachi dish.

But this is the exciting brand new New York restaurant which opened just last week. Instead of being jaded, why don't we just appreciate this relatively simple menu at Adour restaurant in the St. Regis space where Lespinasse used to be.

The highlight of the evening?
Playing at the interactive wine bar. Sort of like playing iPhone on the bar table.

APPETIZERS

multicolor vegetable composition
natural jus reduction

delicate cauliflower veloute
dubarry bagel, comte cheese

cucumber marinated hamachi / geoduck
radish, green apple mustard

chilled maine lobster
fennel / grapefruit pairing, pollen salt

tender ricotta gnocchi
lettuce, prosciutto, xeres vinegar

sweetbread "meuniere", egg purse
wild mushrooms, toasted brioche

sauteed duck foie gras
lentils "casserole", red onion belt

foie gras tapioca ravioli
sunchoke broth

caspian golden osetra caviar (1.76 oz)
buckwheat blinis, creme fraiche

MAIN COURSES

olive oil poached chatham cod
bell pepper-white onion "piperade"

slow cooked halibut
glazed vegetables, ivory sauce

striped bass "a la plancha" razor / manila clams
mizuna, potato confit, sauce vin jaune

diver day boat scallops
salsify, spinach, black truffle, shellfish jus

adour lobster thermidor
swiss chard fondant, armagnac

duck breast fillet "au sautoir"
polenta, shallots, radish, lemon, nicoise olives

glazed berkshire pork tournedos
golden apple ring, "boudin noir", juniper infused jus

seared venison medallions
watermelon radish, celery, rutabaga, poivrade sauce

roasted colorado rack of lamb
piquillos, apricot, creamy quinoa

beef tenderloin / braised ribs
garniture "bourgeoise," foie gras-truffle jus

CHEESE

selected cheeses
country bread, preserved autumn fruit

DESSERTS

gala apple souffle, granny smith compote
calvados lady finger, vanilla ice cream

raspberry composition
creme brulee, sable, yuzu sorbet

contemporary exotic vacherin
mango marmalade, coconut, passionfruit emulsion

pear clafoutis
caramel "croustillant", honey ice cream

thin chocolate leaf layers
praline mousse, orange-ginger sorbet

dark chocolate sorbet
coffee granite, caramelized brioche croutons

TASTING MENU

cucumber marinated hamachi / geoduck
radish, green apple mustard

foie gras tapioca ravioli
sunchoke broth

olive oil poached chatham cod
bell pepper-white onion "piperade"

duck breast fillet "au sautoir"
polenta, shallots, radish, lemon, nicoise olives

pear clafoutis

caramel "croustillant", honey ice cream

***
It was a nice evening. I do wish I was offered a more extensive tasting menu like Per Se's.
Perhaps I expected too much and I shouldn't have.