grey marble

February 7, 2004


Geisha

Last night I ate at Geisha. I have mixed feelings about the restaurant on the whole, but the food and sake were excellent. The dessert was so-so. I went with K., who knew the pastry chef. They had gone to school together at the French Culinary Institute. The tiger shrimp dumpling appetizers were incredibly fresh, and the eel roll was well-presented. K. said that she thought the eel rolls at Marimoto (the Iron Chef) were superior, but priased the shrimp. For dinner I had the roasted lobster served with udon noodles, portobello mushrooms and asparagus. While it was a little over-buttered (a little less butter would have brought out the other flavors better), the meat was succulent. The lobster was presented cleaved in half and spread open like a butterfly pinned to a banana leaf.

The last time I ate lobster, I had prepared it myself. Using my free $50.00 from Fresh Direct, I ordered foods I would not normally spend the money on. Golden kiwis, exotic fish, lobster. Once my order arrived, individually packaged with my name on each label, I called my father to ask how to prepare the lobster Chinese style. Killing it and severing it into parts was the most difficult task. The stir frying and steaming were simple by comparison. I spread newspaper out on the floor and ate with my fingers, leaving the legs for last to suck the meat out of the tiny tubes.

Last night, after I had finished my lobster, I contemplated the legs. K. told me to go for it. And so, as she was finishing her salmon, I bit into the legs of my lobster, working the meat from one end to the other with my teeth. I could taste the smokey flavor of the roasted shell on my tongue.

Afterwards we stopped by Olive's to say hello to A., the head pastry chef there. K. had once worked with him, and I was assured that his pastries are excellent. Now I'm hoping to stop by this week for a sip at the bar and a taste of the dessert. The desserts at Geisha were unremarkable, and somewhat at odds with the menu.

Links: Geisha, Fresh Direct, Olive's. Posted by eku at February 7, 2004 10:31 AM
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