César

Tomato Sorbet

Crab with Feulitte de Bric

Aji on Nori Chip

Royal Red Shrimp Monaka

Kisu Weaved in a Potato Crisp

Sea Urchin with Black Truffle and Brioche

Hamachi, Pickled Fennel, Cucumber Herb Dressing

Bread

Madai with Chardonnay Wine Sauce

Southwest France Milk Fed Veal, Red Pearl Onion Puree, Vegetables

Cherry, Yogurt, Riesling Gelee

Frozen Dulce de Leche Souffle

Petite Fours

Having finally made its highly anticipated Manhattan debut after years of speculation following the shuttering of Chef Cesar Ramirez’s Brooklyn counter, it can safely be said that César is one of New York’s most scrutinized tickets, eye-popping prices nonetheless commanding frequent sell-outs for the few seats available.

Operating with a strict booking policy, a seat secured via the online portal months prior offers an experience that is technique-driven to the highest degree, rewarding those lucky enough to attend with pristine ingredients and flawless classical execution, though astronomical up-sells for “supplements” seem both unnecessary and out of place in 2* environs.

Staffed by a personable front-of-house team working in perfect harmony with a whisper-quiet kitchen, the sleek, minimalist room leaves much to be desired in terms of warmth, making one wonder for how long hyper-refined precision is “enough” to justify the escalating cost and the Mexico City native’s lightning rod for controversy.

Beginning with an array of finger-foods, two-spoons of Tomato Sorbet cleanses the palate before things accelerate rapidly, a delicate web of Kisu weaved into a shatteringly crisp potato casing trading honors with sweet Royal Red Shrimp tucked inside a Monaka shell and snappy Aji balancing a brittle Nori Chip.

Executed with intense focus, the margin for error limited as a result, Crab wrapped in Feuillette de Bric shows a robust crack while signature Sea Urchin layered with Black Truffle atop buttery Brioche achieves an immediate melange of temperatures and rich textures.

Moving into the plated courses, raw Hamachi stands tall alongside pickled Fennel and a vibrant Cucumber Herb dressing, though it is a perfectly pearlescent tranche of Madai resting in silky Chardonnay wine sauce that truly bridges French technique with Japanese ingredients.

Heavy hitters conclude via spoon-tender milk-fed Veal sourced from Southwest France, the accompanying Red Pearl Onion Purée deeply savory, though subsequent transitions into a light palate cleanser of Cherry and Yogurt with Riesling Gelée are well-paced before a frozen Dulce de Leche Soufflé and classic Petite Fours send guests into the night.

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