wd-50

Hey folks, Jon here. I'm not one for genres. Be it music or food, our ever-changing and rapidly globalizing world is shattering the walls that used to help us comprehend what something "is". When someone tells me a band is Electronic Afro Funk, or a certain restaurant is Post Asian Fusion, I begin to wonder if these labels have any use. At the same time, saying something is Japanese food, or rock music, doesn't really help either. For all their trouble, genres allow us to experience something within certain bounds. They provide a certain set of expectations for our sensory perception. Yet, one particular genre sets out to destroy these expectations by playing off of them, and ultimately shattering them. I'm talking about what has come to be known as "molecular gastronomy". Its a mouth full. Molecular gastronomy incorporates scientific techniques into the culinary arena, and by doing so it reveals some of the mystery behind the process of cooking food. This opens a door where a chef can obliterate traditional culinary norms, while allowing for far more artistic expression. In New York, Wyle DuFresne is the mad-scientist in chief in the world of molecular gastronomy, and his Lower East Side resturaunt, wd-50, is his delicious laboratory.

In a way, wd-50 is much like Willy Wonka's factory, except your golden ticket better be your AMEX, because its not cheap. Like everyone's favorite reclusive candy mogul, DuFresne takes typical fare, like eggs benedict or pastrami on rye, and transforms it into something completely different, yet at the same time totally familiar. While this is all good fun, and really interesting, it was just a little too cheeky for me at times. When you spend the kind of money that wd-50 will cost you, you want something that, in the end, tastes great, rather than makes you chuckle at how ironic it is.

To start we ordered his famous eggs benedict. Eggs benedict is perhaps one of the most universally available dishes. It can be found at nearly every brunch spot in America, and every chef who has a right to that title knows how to make it. This sort of fodder is prime for Dufresne - stuff we know, stuff we have a certain set of expectations for. This dish was definitely a great example of where molecular gastronomy works. Dufresne takes the hollandaise sauce and deep fries it, so that you have a crispy square, that once bitten into explodes in your mouth. It's almost like a gourmet "gusher", those irresistible gummies from my youth. The dish is also deconstructed, a theme that runs throughout the entire genre. Egg here, bacon there, sauce over there. Sometimes, like here for example, this works well, because it allows for the diner to appreciate individual tastes in what is generally a grouped item. Other times it's just cheesy. There's no reason to have a piece of ground beef on one side of the plate, a piece of cheese on the other, and a crouton artistically laid in the middle. Just give me a fucking cheeseburger, and cut the shit.

The other appetizer was also great. In the spirit of its Lower East Side location, Dufresne plays off of one of my personal faves, the power and the glory that is the Katz's Deli corned beef on rye. (See Below for an unapologetically raving review) Instead of corned beef, DuFresne offers up Corned Duck on a Rye Crisp with Horseradish Cream and Purple Mustard. You can't lose with cured meat folks, it's really that simple. The duck adds a certain depth of flavor that you don't get with standard corned beef. You can't invoke the spirit of the sandwich without mustard, and the purple mustard and horseradish give it a real nice kick. Still, I'm going with Katz's any day.

Unfortunately, I think at that point my meal hit a peak. The entrees were certainly good, they just seemed to fall a little short of my expectations, which were ironically to shatter my expectations. I ordered Wagyu skirt steak with long bean, tamarind, and peanut butter pasta. Sure, the steak was perfectly cooked and was a fabulous cut. I understand that peanut butter and steak are an established flavor combination that works (satay). But at this point, I began to ask myself, do I really want to be eating peanut butter noodles? At a certain point, a line is crossed between a dish that is whimsical and a dish that is unnecessary and a forced transformation into something it is not. My dinner guest ordered the scallops with pine noodle udon and chinese broccoli. What I enjoyed about this dish was that it wasn't too complex, or overly cerebral. Just perfectly seared scallops in a unique and refreshing broth. Enjoyable, but not outstanding.

For dessert, I indulged in the hazelnut tart with coconut chocolate and chicory. This is one of those dishes with Dufresne's trademark foams. While the tart was certainly decadent and delicious, the foam really didn't do it for me. Foam is just a peculiar texture, and not one I'm super enthusiastic about eating, regardless of the flavor.

All in all, wd-50, Dufresne, molecular gastronomy, the whole deal just was a little too tongue in cheek for me. I think this restaurant is best suited for his six million course tasting menu, only it'll cost you your first born. Largely, that's because this fare is perhaps best suited to small plates, which is why I was more thrilled with the appetizers. It's almost like, "Oh, wow, look at that" or "Geez, how did he do that!", but not necessarily something you want a whole meal of. Still, if your feeling adventurous and are tired of food being just something to eat, wd-50 brings a spectacle to dining that everyone should witness at least once. Until next time, stay hungry out there folks.

Report Card:

Food: A-

Service: A-

Atmosphere: B

Price: C

Overall: B