Aureole

34 E 61st St

Situated between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue on the Upper East Side was a two story restaurant from the Charlie Palmer Group called Aureole. I use past tense because as I type these words, Executive Chef Christopher Lee is preparing the last plates for his final evening at 34 E 61st Street’s Aureole; the restaurant closes tonight. It is this closing that prompted InterSportsWriter to make reservations for 2 at one of his favorite dining halls in the city.

The Charlie Palmer Group is a collection of restaurants, wine shops and boutique hotels across the country under the direction of master chef and entrepreneur Charlie Palmer. Palmer is famous for his Progressive American cooking, or the art of combining distinct flavors and unusual concoctions.

Evidence of Palmer’s unique creations can be found in the following 9 course Vegetarian Pre-Fixe tasting menu served during our visit:

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Wild Asparagus w/ Asian Flavors

Summer Squashes feat. Burrata Cheese, Honey Mustard & Baby Greens in a Lavender Rosemary Dressing

Artichoke Ravioli feat. Tomato, Capers & Black Olive in a White Wine Butter Sauce

Green Asparagus feat. Watercress & Frisee in a Morel Mushroom Cream

Forbidden Rice feat. Ramps, Rhubarb, Fiddle Head Ferns & Pistachio Nuts

Spring Vegetable Tasting feat. Fava Beans, English Peas, Apricot Chutney & Chanterelle Mushrooms

Coconut Tapioca w/ Cherry Compote

Vanilla Buttermilk Panna Cotta feat. Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet, Toasted Cornmeal Cake & Lavender Meringue

Warm Chocolate Banana Tartlet w/ Salted Caramel Ice Cream & Macadamia Croquant

After the tasting menu, I understood why my dining companion felt so strongly the establishment; Aureole is dining at its finest. The Vanilla Buttermilk Panna Cotta might be the single best thing to grace my lips in 2009, which is saying something because I have tried some pretty spectacular dishes this year.

Following the Panna Cotta, the Spring Vegetable Tasting and the Artichoke Ravioli were my next 2 favorite dishes. I didn't care so much for the white foam served with the Warm Chocolate Banana Tartlet; it looked and tasted like soap. In addition, the Rhubarb served with the Forbidden Rice was not so pleasing, but everything else was perfection.

The meal was bittersweet in a sense because I knew it would be the first and last time I ever visited the famous Upper East Side establishment. However, the good news is they are relocating to the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park.


DAMAGE ~$135 (pp, 7 course tasting menu)
VERDICT: GO NOW! (once their new location opens)

Candle 79

154 E 79th St

For the record, anyone who is vegetarian automatically gets promoted to my new best friend. InterSportsWriter and I sealed our new best friendness at an Upper East Side vegetarian restaurant called Candle 79.

To get started, I ordered the PB&J smoothie and a glass of white wine.

For the entrees, my dining companion and I ordered the chickpea cake with mixed vegetables topped with almonds.

We also had the cornmeal crusted seitan served over mashed potatoes and spinach.

What is seitan? Seitan is made from wheat gluten and is used as a protein substitute for meat dissenters. It tastes better than it sounds—I think.

Seitan’s chewy texture did little for me and my tastebuds. The chickpea cake was not much better. Both entrees were somewhat bland in flavor. The fact that I preferred the mashed potatoes above all else says something about the meal. Maybe I’m just not a seitan/chickpea cake kind of person. In addition, the cake was dry.

Maybe it’s me, but the PB&J smoothie was also a disappointment. Once upon a time, I was in a serious relationship with my blender; my mornings and afternoons were not complete without some form of protein shake/smoothie. You can imagine my despair when I realized I could have made the exact same “PB&J” shake at home, only better, and not been $8 lighter.

The service was great on an early Thursday evening, and had I not been rushed to catch a boat (literally), I might have tried dessert. Sadly, this place will not get my business again.

The owners also have a sister restaurant called Candle Café, a vegan eatery of which I have not been and not sure I will. However, I will give them props for the inventive dishes. Chickpea cake…Who knew?

DAMAGE ~ 80
VERDICT: Pass