When invited to lunch at the hottest restaurant in Boston by the ninth generation family member of a Loire Valley tradition how can one resist? This was perhaps the most exclusive dining event in Boston this week. We are happy to bring you inside the private dining room at MARKET by Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the W Hotel.
We were welcomed by Arnaud Saget (second from right), the ninth generation family member to be involved in the venerable Guy Saget Winery of the Loire Valley.
Our first course was Tuna Tartare With Spicy Ginger Dressing and Shaved Radishes. The tartare was served on a bed of guacamole. The tuna was perfectly spiced and the bold colors pleasing to the eye. This course was paired with La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc 2008, a pleasant, fruity taste with a bright intensity.
Winemaker Phillippe Reculet spoke between courses about the region in France where the wine is produced, production details and the various soil types where the grapes are grown and harvested.
Our second course was paired with Les Clissages d'Or Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2008. The "Les Clissages" translates to the Golden Dress which adorns the bottles.
This course consisted of a Steamed Shrimp Salad With Champagne Vinaigrette. The rich umami lingered on the tongue and the enoki mushrooms added a perfect balance. This was clearly our favorite dish.
The simplicity of the next course provided a nice contrast to the many flavors often associated with fusion cuisine: Parmesan Chicken With Artichoke in a Lemon Butter Sauce. Here we enjoyed the Domaine de la Perriere Sancerre 2008. The Sancerre is a dry white wine with a good acid balance. This was our favorite vintage.
The Molten Chocolate Cake and Fresh Vanilla Ice Cream dessert was paired with the Le Domaigne Saget Pouilly Fume 2008. The taste here was more complex with lots of flowery fruit flavors and a pleasant after-taste with good length.
Bar Dining seating at MARKET by Jean-Georges.
The lobby bar at W Hotel Boston.
The soaring ceilings and steel mesh curtains offer a modern design appeal.
MARKET is a great addition to fine dining in the Theater District and has been enjoying excellent reviews all around. All of the wines featured are first release in the U.S.A. and a new launch in Massachusetts. Bottles range in price from $29.00 to $80.00 roughly and are well worth the price.
Hello from the Netherlands. Nice piece, but I was abhorred by the pairing of Pouilly-Fumé and Molten Chocolate Cake. Pouilly-Fumé tends to be flinty and bone dry, how would anyone in their right mind combine this with chocolate and vanilla ice cream (two well-known wine destroyers anyway). How did the wine come across? Lean, mean, soaring acidity prevailing? Why am I not surprised?
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