#90 – SCALLOP AND BONE MARROW at AI FIORI

For the third year in a row, I’m going to attempt to eat every single item on Time Out New York’s annual 100 Best Dishes list. In no particular order, here’s my take on their Top 100. Let the gluttony continue…

Another week, another Time Out failure. I don’t feel quite as bad about missing out on this one because I saved myself oodles of money.

Ai Fiori has gotten stupendous reviews since Michael White opened it last year inside the Setai Hotel in Midtown. It’s the finest dining of all his restaurants and Time Out included their Scallop and Bone Marrow dish. It was part of a much longer tasting menu that would cost somewhere in the vicinity of $100.

I drop that kind of money on a meal maybe once (or twice) a year and Ai Fiori would have been a fine contender except news hit that the Chef de Cuisine Chris Jaeckle left the restaurant. Chef Michael White himself continued to oversee the proceedings, but the fancy appetizer soon was removed from the menu. This of course was on their menu more than a year ago, so seasons and temperaments change, I’m sure.

So I missed out. Sure, I could still go and order something with scallops or something with bone marrow, but it wouldn’t be the same. And while I might have a stupendous meal, it won’t help me with conquering the list anymore than telling you about my fancy birthday dinner at Daniel.

And so, to prevent this post from being completely devoid of food porn, I present some photos of that dinner. Although none of Daniel’s fancy schmancy dishes appeared on Time Out’s list, the suckling pig was astonishing and the desserts mindblowing. I think those dishes made up for any failures I may have fallen prey to.

Would Ai Fiori’s Scallop and Bone Marrow make my Top 100 of the year? Maybe it would have, if I was quick, resourceful, and wealthy enough, but I had a memorable meal at Daniel and since it was my birthday, didn’t pay for a thing.