A.O.C. East Inaugural Review Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
Owners Romain Bonnans and Jerome Leroy
(not pictured: Owner Colin Yairis)
Black Angus Hanger Steak with Haricots Verts
Fresh Origins is America’s leading producer of Microgreens and Edible Flowers. Combining the benefits of an ideal climate with a deep passion for quality and innovation, Fresh Origins products are sought after by the finest restaurants and top chefs. The farm is located in the picturesque rolling hills of San Diego County, where the near perfect weather allows for production and harvest all year. Fresh Origins produces almost 400 Microgreens, Petitegreens, Edible Flowers, Shoots, Tiny Veggies™ and related items. Many are not available anywhere else, with new introductions nearly every month. Fresh Origins products are on top of the finest cuisine in the world! Fresh Origins supplies distributors of specialty produce who serve fine dining restaurants and resorts nationwide. There are also a few online sources of their products available to private chefs and home cooks. Read our first Culinary Queen interview with Kelly Sasuga:
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It's a great day when we discover new people and new cuisine for someone you know to practice the French she learned in school...all six years of it. Mademoiselle Marie-Claire Charton are you on the internet yet? Ooh la la you should know that on February 17, 2017 A.O.C. East made its debut on the Upper East side and we understand they are committed to local, organic and biodynamic food and French wine. A.O.C. stands for the wing or the thigh of a chicken based on the French Classic Comedy "L'Aile ou La Cuisse."
Escargot are the way to go for your first course!
Escargots au Pastis a l'Ancienne arrive piping hot. A succulent good size, each of the six was tender and positively luxuriating in lovely garlic and parsley. If you are an appetizer enthusiast (trendily called small plates today, but we are classicists so we call them appetizers) we note that there are over a dozen choices: beaucoup de depth in this menu section.
Six salad choices await you, and the one we picked was the lovely, inviting Organic Chopped Kale Salad with watermelon radish with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Pine Nuts. Halved sliced tomatoes and the halved sliced brussel sprouts punctuate this experience nicely, and we adored the lovely shredded quality of this salad. The radish was a nice accent.
We totally loved the Potato Gratin and it was absolutely delicious and among the best we've had this season. The presentation was a winner in the cast iron. Bien sur mes amies, of course it was perfectly hot.
The second side to be applauded was the Poelee of Mushroom, which we found to be quite decadent. Flour with just the right touch of onion joins the mushrooms to form a terrific, elegant side.
For our fish entree, we selected the Grilled North Atlantic Salmon that arrives in style joined by Provencale Vegetables. It was seasoned appropriately with black pepper and it's exactly what you'd be looking for in a salmon: fresh, seared properly and a good size.
Our favorite by a mile was the Bernaise Sauce, which we love love love and cannot find too many spots that do it so well. The first time they got the Bernaise Sauce right and Peachy (not Vegan, CARNIVORE!) Deegan found this Bernaise to be in a word, phenomenal. The steak was an equal partner along with green beans, which happen to be her favorite vegetable.
We only tried the food, not the wine but should this venue graduate of course we'd be sipping away in French style.
A.O.C. East did well on our first visit and we look forward to seeing what they do next.
