Betony, A Fine Dining Must in New York
Photo: Betony
It was serendipitous but entirely appropriate that I dined at Betony, a restaurant in midtown Manhattan, on the day that I did. On that very evening, on the other side of the country, Hubert Keller was conducting his final dinner service at Fleur de Lis. The meal that I had at that San Francisco restaurant is among the most memorable I've had. Now I can add the dinner at Betony to that list.
Betony, which opened in spring of 2013, is a project of several refugees of the estimable Eleven Madison Park, including executive chef Bryce Shuman and Eamon Rockey, Betony's general manager. Shuman, who was Eleven Madison Park's executive sous chef, has created an intriguing menu that is presented in an understated and austere way.
Tubular lobster rolls.
The description of the lobster roll hors d'oeuvre, for example, gives no clue that this is not a Boston harbor kind of roll. Instead it features a cigar-shaped tube with a sort of lobster cream filling. Perfectly cylindrical, no oozing lobster salad, but loads of flavor.