SHO Shaun Hergatt- The Best SHO in Town

SHO Shaun Hergatt is a true revelation.  I was blown away.  The atmosphere, attentive service, and first and foremost the food all make SHO a viable contender to be listed amongst the best in the city. This place can play with the Big Dogs for sure.  The whole evening is a transporting experience, due in no small amount to the location.  If our cab driver had not been so smart, I never would have found this fucking place.  Walking into the Setai you start to feel a little more serene, mainly because no one else is around.  Riding in the elevator and getting off on the 2nd floor, you really feel like you are in a place where hotel dining reigns supreme, on a grand scale- like Vegas or Hong Kong.  Yes, I know that the Setai is residential, but who the fuck cares.  The large bar and lounge area was probably designed in the hopes of the Suits choosing SHO as a place for a drink or a meeting, and thus was largely empty, but the dining room was pleasantly full for a Monday night, as it should be.  The walk between the bar area to the dining room is a crucial part of the experience, and I eyed the private room enviously, thinking of an occasion to use such an incredible space.

Anyway, we were lucky enough to be seated with the glass kitchen running along the side of the table.  We were like Garfields on the car window, watching all of the action in the kitchen.  We saw no less than 12 chefs, some of which were meticulously applying food pieces with giant tweezers.  Those tweezer placed items were delivered as a tray of welcome treats, four tasty little bites that let us know we were in for something special. The choice of bread is delivered with two butter options, salty French Butter, and delicious truffle butter.  I wanted to rub myself in the truffle butter, it tasted and smelled that good.  After we selected our dishes, we were given another amuse, a soup that contained salmon roe and another valtvalacyc.com fish, in a delicate white broth.

My trout appetizer was delicous, with the tartar, sashimi and roe all providing different textures in a pile on citrus sauce.  The colors in the dish were beautiful also, pinks, oranges and yello.  Sister’s canneloni was light and perfectly sized, the mushrooms and ramps giving it depth. My lobster main course is an all-star dish, just everything was perfect, and Sister’s Escolar (Pablo) was like nothing I had had before.  The thickness and consistency of the fish was truly unique, and the delicate and penetrating citrus notes of the sauce truly brought out the best flavor of the fish.

Due to a poorly delivered joke, the manager decided to select our deserts for us, and sent us an extra one.  The banana mileflue (sp) was truly unqiue, with the carmelized layers of banana standing in for pastry.  By the time the truffle and macaroon cart rolled around we were rollintg also, so full and so amazed.  The hazelnut truffles are worth finding room for.

Our true treat of the evening came when we got to ride the elevator down (2 whole floors) with the Chef.  He was genuinely interested in what we thought, and gracious and charming in a way that just has to be natural.  As we walked a block with him to find a cab, he was talking about his move from the UWS all the way to the bottom of Manhattan.  I know that geography is the only thing that can put him at the bottom of anything, because this meal will be top of mind for a long time to come.  I wish him only the best and will be sending everyone I know to that no man’s land…

P.S. Honestly, I think that the $69-three course price fixe is a real steal…they give you amazing amuses, bread with truffle butter, and an entire cart of chocolate truffles and macaroons to choose from. You will not leave hungry and you can not find a better fine dining deal in the city…We also had a sommelier assited wine selection that was delicious and only $47.