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WD-50: More than Molecular

May 18, 2010 0 Comments

Molecular gastronomy is the term commonly used to describe the food at WD-50 and other restaurants who use cutting edge techniques and ingredients combined with creative ideas to achieve flavors and textures of food that would otherwise not be possible.

WD-50 in New York City is undoubtedly a leader in this field, but, during our recent meal here it is plain to see that this restaurant offers much more than can be described by the dry, scientific name “molecular gastronomy”.

Just by walking into the restaurant you get a warm feeling of a family atmosphere, and that the restaurant cares for it’s staff.  The staff, in turn, cares enormously about the food and service they provide.

Observe the bartender carefully attending to each unique cocktail, mixing or shaking each one, and tasting them, too.  He even ignites the zest from a lemon for the pleasure of the patrons at the bar, a tradition lost on most cocktail artists of today.

Three major themes for the food here at WD-50 are as follows: use of the highest quality ingredients, re-interpretations of classic dishes, and focus on the fundamentals of cooking.   These ideas can be displayed by some of the dishes we tried:

Smokey warm eel with crispy spiced bread and enshrouded with slices of earthy black radish compliment each other and are brightened with lemon tofu and yuzu dressing in one appetizer.  The eel is locally sourced from upstate New York and rendered wonderfully smoky by a nearby East Village fish purveyor.  The quality of flavor, texture, aroma, and freshness is impressive.

Spiced corned duck breast served with rye crisp, mustard, celery, and piquant horseradish cream is a playful take on New York deli. This dish is a fresh interpretation of a classic, and stays true to the original flavors, delivering big on nostalgia.

An entrée of gently poached and crisped Mediterranean bass served with artichokes, chicory yogurt, halva (sweet sesame cake), and gooey bamboo rice cake with crispy puffed rice.  The fish and artichokes are perfectly cooked, displaying the kitchen’s emphasis on cooking fundamentals.

Wylie Dufresne, The chef, can be found right where a true chef is at his or her best: in the kitchen!   He regularly works the line, cooking and plating the fish dishes personally.

Alex Stupak, the talented pastry chef, can also be seen personally plating the desserts personally, too.

His dishes reflect another theme found in many dishes here at WD-50: taking an individual pungent flavor such as chicory, black cardamom, black radish, and incorporating it into a more familiar setting to help educate diners in less common flavors and adding depth to the dish.

Beautifully presented black cardamom cake, mint-thyme ice cream, cylinders of soft chocolate, a pool chocolate toffee sauce bordered by cookie crumbs and a chocolate tuille.  Here, the familiar flavors of chocolate, cake, and mint are enhanced by the black cardamom and thyme, lending a gentle heat and floral notes to compliment the dish.

As chef and owner, Wylie Dusfresne has created wonderful environment for people to cook, serve, and enjoy a creative and unique cuisine.  The use of new techniques and ingredients are used to create food and beverages that are fresh, unique, and lovingly prepared.  You can call this style of food what you like, but make sure you visit a place like WD-50 and the term “Molecular Gastronomy” may take on a wonderful new meaning.

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