Restaurants: Eleven Madison Park, New York – three-star vegan goodness that’s close to perfection
Website: https://www.elevenmadisonpark.com/
Back in 2014, Betina Piqueras-Fiszman and Charles Spence published an intriguing book, called ‘The Perfect Meal’ (I wrote about the launch of this here). The premise: can we use the insights from neuroscience to understand what makes a perfect restaurant experience?
I’ve had many great meals in my time, but one that came close (perhaps closest) to perfection was a birthday lunch at Eleven Madison Park in midtown New York.
I am not normally one for three-Michelin-star restaurants, in part because I’m not wealthy enough to afford them comfortably. But there’s something very different about EMP, as it is commonly referred to. It’s overlooking Madison Square Park and is set in the base of a historic art deco building on the corner of Madison and 24th. This was the Met Life building originally constructed in 1928
The restaurant opened in 1998 and was then owned by well-known restaurateur Danny Meyer. Meyer signed Daniel Humm as chef in 2006, alongside front-of-house lead Will Guidara, and they then purchased it from him in 2011.
They went on to achieve three Michelin stars, and were doing an amazing job. They closed for four months for a re-design in June 2017, and came back strongly. There’s a Netflix episode of Seven Days Out that follows Daniel, Will and the team as they have seven days left before the re-opening of Eleven Madison Park in October 2017 after the renovations. https://www.netflix.com/watch/80212883
Guidara and Humm split in 2019 with Humm becoming the sole owner. After the pandemic, Humm did something remarkable. On re-opening in June 2021, he decided to take the restaurant completely plant-based, and rolled out a vegan menu that was seasonally based, with produce coming from Magic Farms. Remarkably, they retained their three Michelin stars.
Just this week, though, they have announced that they will be re-introducing some meat and fish into the menu from mid-October 2025. Presumably this is because some of their potential clients see the lack of meat on the menu as a deal breaker: for them, perhaps a meal without meat is somehow incomplete. When I visited, though, the idea of a plant-based menu at such a high level was a massive draw.
And this was a special experience. It wasn’t the full tasting menu, but the five-course menu, which made it a bit more affordable but still allowed a full experience.
We began with onion petals filled with sticky brown rice, and toasted rice, and ginger tea. This was amazingly aromatic with lovely umami character. There was also some basil leaf. The both had a nice spicy edge, with beautiful rich flavours but not at the expense of balance.
Next, Magic Farm leaks, blanched and pickled with coriander dressing, some coriander stems and then dots of green chile oil. Such balance, again, in this dish: some of the leeks are tangy and pickled; others are mellow and poached.
Then, tonburri seed avocado, with mint, sorrel and green apple sauce. There’s some cucumber under the seed.
Bread was a work of art, laminated like a croissant. The dough is rolled flat and then folded over on itself. This laminated brioche loaf is a collaboration with Patisserie Dominic Ansel, and has no dairy.
Then fried king oyster mushroom, with strips of enoki mushroom. It’s friend then grilled, with pickled enoki on top and served with a mushroom reduction and some lemongrass oil. This is so rich, savoury, delicious and warming. It’s very accessible: fast food deliciousness.
Next, red curry squash, cooked in a variety of ways with Thai chilli jam.
Dessert was grape mochi (white grape ice cream made from Finger Lakes grapes) with ginger cream, candied grape leaf and mulled red wine jam.
The wine list is quite epic, and with help from the excellent sommelier Mark Guillaudeu we managed to find cool things to drink at very sensible prices.
Dirler-Cadé Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes 2010 Alsace, France
I think this is still on the list because no one buys Alsace Sylvaner at a Michelin-starred restaurant in NYC. Well, I did. This is almost like a dry Sauternes in character. Golden in colour, this has a wonderful nose of apricot, honey and spice. The palate is tangy and bright with citrus fruit and a marmalade edge. Lovely precision here with some apricot and real depth of flavour. 95/100
GB Burlotto Langhe Freisa 2020 Piemonte, Italy
There were three vintages of this on the list! Bright cherry and raspberry fruit with some nice taut structure and a sappy, spicy, tarry edge. It’s not overly floral, but there is some nice cherry fruit and good density and a grainy structure. Really lovely. 94/100
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Savennières Moelleux 2022 Loire, France
(We were gifted a glass of this in the cellar.) Mellow and fine with spices, apricot, pear, peach and nice intensity. Tangy and crystalline with some sweetness, but also amazing balancing acidity. A concentrated, intense wine. 95/100
A clip of chef Daniel Hum
A film of the closing and redesign of the restaurant in 2016
