Is Jean Georges Swavory?

I lost my Jean Georges virginity last weekend at Nougatine and have been wanting to blog about it since. The only thing stopping me was that I wasn't sure if any of the dishes I had were considered swavory, which got me thinking about exactly what constitutes swavory.

Swavory, simply defined, is a combination of savory or umami and sweet. Meats, cheeses, mushrooms and seafood are some common products that are considered savory.

When I think about swavory foods, prosciutto wrapped dates or chocolate covered bacon are examples that come to mind. But what about more run of the mill, less gourmet foods. Is a hawaiian pizza (ham+pineapple) swavory? chicken terriyaki? Jimmy Dean maple sausage? How have swavory foods evolved? Is there a difference between classic swavory versus noveau swavory? Does it exist in all cuisines? So many questions to explore!

Until we've determined the answers, let's say yes to hawaiian pizza, chicken terriyaki, Jimmy Deam maple sausage, and most important of all Jean Georges so I can share my experience with you.


Kirby's lunch on the left:
Tuna Tartare, Avocado, Spicy Radish, Ginger Marinade
Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin, Pesto and Roasted Carrots
Poached Peach, Curried Pistachio... and sauce?! (they changed the menu online, so i couldn't find the description. rookie mistake, next time I must remember to take a picture of the menu)

My lunch on the right:
Fried Calamari with Basil Salt, Citrus Chili Dip - 2/5 It tasted like shrimps chips, the colorful kind you buy at an Asian market and fry at home. Basil taste was lost in the batter.
Roasted Red Snapper, Fingerling Potatoes, Corn and Olives - 4/5 Lovely combination, marinated olives on top added a nice zing to a buttery dish. Snapper was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Warm Chocolate Cake and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - 5/5 Delicious, but then again, how could you go wrong?

The only dish with a swave factor would be the Tuna Tartare and the Poached Peach, which were both average. The flavor of the tuna was lost on the heavy ginger marinade, and the peach and pistachio combo was interesting, but not something to remember.

Overall: Lunch Prixe Fixe for $26 is a good deal and makes for an enjoyable meal, but I'm not eager to come back and pay dinner prices for a slightly above average and not very creative nor swavory meal.

porkapalooza

Hey Swavory readers, aka the charming and dapper Matthew. Sorry for the delay in posts, I've been jamming out in Chicago the past few days at Lollapalooza. I had bookmarked a massive list of restaurant to try in Chicago but I got distracted by the music and made it out to only one - Rick Bayless' Xoco. I ventured out for the tortas and was pleasantly surprised when i saw their dessert menu.Guess which one I ordered?
The Maple-pecan-bacon streusel with salted caramel sauce of course!
Not the most beautiful presentation, (though it did come in a compostable cup) nor the most delicious combination of ingredients, but it was tasty. A 2.5/5. It tasted like normal soft serve with caramel and granola, the maple, pecan and bacon flavors were overpowered by the dairy. I'd recreate it with bigger chunks of bacon, candied pecans and the salted caramel and toppings whipped in, mcflurry style.

The dairy came in handy when we ordered our tortas. My friend Char ordered the Cochinita Pibil, wood roasted suckling pig with achiote, black beans and pickled onions. The torta came with a side of habanero sauce which the waiter warned was spicy upon delivery. Being the extremley competitve person Char is she challenged the waiter and proceeded to drink the habanero sauce all in one gulp.

The waiter was so impressed he brought us a free sandwich, an Ahogada - golden pork carnitas, black beans, tomato broth, spicy arbol chile sauce, and pickled onions. Char then proceeded to slurp all of the soft serve, down an iced coffee and a glass of milk and then spent the next 20 minutes in the bathroom.
A fiery start to a fiery night with Gaga rising to the occassion with her sparkler bra.
Next time I'm in Chicago. Urban Belly and Belly Shack for Urban Belly Ramen and Bacon Chocolate Chip Soft Serve.