The Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare — Restaurant in New York

This restaurant was once awarded three Michelin stars for ten consecutive years and is also a representative of New York's fusion cuisine style. They primarily blend Japanese and French culinary elements to create an out-of-the-box and unforgettable dining experience.

In 2023, due to disputes between the owner and the former chef, resulting in the departure of the ex-chef, they were removed from the Michelin three-star list, sparking considerable attention and comments from diners. From my recent dining experience at the restaurant, their removal from the Michelin three-star list does not imply that they no longer meet the standards of a Michelin three-star restaurant. Rather, it's because they are now operating as a "new restaurant" after reorganizing their chef team, which should be in a "grade pending" status. Personally, I feel that in the 2024 Michelin ratings, they have a very high chance of regaining Michelin star status, even if not immediately returning to three stars.

Overall, this restaurant is highly suitable for diners interested in tasting fusion cuisine that blends elements from around the world, as well as for chefs in the food industry seeking new ideas. Additionally, the restaurant's service is excellent, even among fine dining establishments, as the staff seamlessly combine professionalism and friendliness. The dining environment in the restaurant is also excellent. Whether enjoying food preparation at the bar or having a more intimate dining experience at a table, both options provide a great experience.

Here are some highlights of the restaurant's strengths: The seafood dishes at the restaurant are outstanding, with subtle seasoning that highlights the natural flavors of the seafood. Some small garnishes add a finishing touch to the dishes, akin to the layers of fragrance in perfume, leaving a memorable impression. The restaurant operates very efficiently, with each dish transitioning smoothly, akin to a symphony, where one movement ends and the next begins at the appropriate time. The service at the restaurant is excellent, with the staff knowledgeable about the dishes and beverages, smoothly and warmly introducing each dish, leaving a special impression on the diners. The desserts at the restaurant are delicious, whether it's pastries, ice cream, or fruit, all displaying creativity. The non-alcoholic drinks are excellent, providing a great option for those who do not enjoy alcohol.

Furthermore, the restaurant may have some areas for improvement: The meat dishes at the restaurant seem to be less impressive than the seafood dishes, especially the wagyu beef dish, which is not cooked to perfection, failing to highlight the characteristics of wagyu beef. The sea urchin and waffle dish show great creativity in combining Asian and European ingredients. However, the waffle seems too soft and cannot effectively hold the uni; I almost dropped the uni while eating. Moreover, both the waffle and uni have a heavy sweet taste and soft texture, lacking impact. Perhaps replacing them with different bread and uni combinations would be better. While each seafood dish has excellent flavor, the seasoning and presentation seem somewhat repetitive, giving a sense of redundancy. Perhaps experimenting with more diverse elements and variations would be beneficial. The restaurant does not offer bread, a common feature in many European restaurants. Although bread may not be particularly expensive, I believe it is an essential part of French and many European restaurant cuisines. With bread, diners can dip it into the soup, creating a special dining experience and balancing the flavors of some heavier dishes.

In conclusion, it was a very enjoyable dining experience. I hope the restaurant regains its Michelin star status in 2024 and continues to explore the path of fusion cuisine, breaking through the limitations of traditional rating systems and textbooks, and continuing to be a representative of New York cuisine and a unique restaurant...

Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare. 4 words: top in the world. I give this restaurant 4/5 stars compared to the other four 3 Michelin star recipients in Manhattan, not to be confused w/ a 4 star rating of an avg. NYC restaurant or to be confused w/ a 2 star or lower. Let's start with the good. The food. Incredible. Genius. Couldn't have been better. Chef Cesar Ramirez is a master, I repeat, MASTER, of the piano (aka - stove). He is first in the restaurant in the morning and among one of the last to leave. He is on the same level as Gordon Ramsey, Thomas Keller, etc. You feel like you're in the presence of a master -- honored to have had him cook for me. I can unequivocally say that my meal at Chef's Table was the best I've had in my life. Tops Eleven Madison Park - pre-meatless (wow I can't believe I just said that, didn't think that was possible). I usually review every course on the menu, line by line, but not going to do that that today. There was not a bite of food that I would give anything other than a 5/5. Personally, I dislike oily fish (mackerel and mullet) but wow.... Chef Ramirez managed to take what some would describe as a bait fish and make the dish STUNNING. I kid you not, not a single complaint about the food. Only thing I wish was there there was one more meat course and one less fish course. The wine pairing was perfect for the meals but for the price, didn't feel it was worth it. The reason why I am giving 4 out of 5 stars is because I asked beforehand to have a meet and greet with the Chef and for a signed copy of the menu as a keepsake from my experience (was also celebrating my birthday). I was told that shouldn't be an issue and it didn't happen. I think the service was also lacking. I think the restaurant could benefit from 1-2 more wait staff. I asked for lemon wedges and had to ask a second time. The Sommelier wasn't in sync w/ the kitchen at times. Though I believe I did see Chef Ramirez correct this, for a 3 star, I would hope this was just an off night. Mike -- one of the staff members was particularly interesting and was the only individual that stood out to me as exceptional other than the kitchen staff. I really liked the diversity of backgrounds in the restaurant. I also liked to see that there was more than one Asian staff members as I'm sure you've read there was some negative headlines about discrimination at the restaurant in the past. Personally, I think that is bogus. Do NOT let that deter you from going to this restaurant. Chef Ramirez's cooking oil -- best I've ever seen a chef use. The food was filing, but not too filling. The food is fresh, like wow fresh. I could sit here and complement the food over and over again, but I've already said. I think this is #1 in my book. The price point is fair (not sure about the wine pairing though -- might be on the high side for a largely white wine based food selection). I 100% recommend this restaurant and I will be returning. If you're looking for a fru fru fine dining establishment, go to Eleven Madison Park or Per Se. Perhaps those places are best to have your first 3 star Michelin experience but if you're 100% in it for the best food you've ever had in your life and are less interested in service, high ceilings, staff to patron ratio, etc. go to Chef's...

Possibly the best meal to be had in NYC. CTBF is known for their luxury ingredients flown in from around the world. BUT, it’s not just expensive ingredients. The flavors were complex and exciting, carefully built up layer by layer, full of intention. CTBF is a restaurant like no other. I simply would not be able to find these flavors anywhere else in the city. In a sea of generic fine dining spots, CTBF stands out as a beacon of culinary artistry at the highest level.

I almost fainted from how delicious the initial bites were. The initial “wow” was from the textures: everything felt the right size and thickness, crunch and resistance. Then I discovered something new about the dish with each subsequent chew, whether the pickled corn or the deeply savory eel. And then the hits kept on coming. There was not a single miss. Everything was delicious, but two dishes stood out as the most unique. The scallops in vin jaune and fig leaf oil had a herbal coconut-like quality I’ve never experienced before. The langoustine in satay sauce, pandan foam, and hibiscus was born out of the chefs’ Dutch heritage. Truly, you can’t find these flavors anywhere else.

The $345 14-course tasting menu is currently underpriced. Get yourself in here before the prices inevitably go up by a hundred dollars. I think CTBF is currently rebuilding their reputation and customer base under the new chefs, hence the special price.

Usually I dislike overuse of luxury ingredients as they’re often a crutch that hinders creativity. Here, I never felt that way. The luxury ingredients were never an afterthought. The chefs treated them as the main stars and worked to bring out their best flavors. My only nitpick is I wish there was a dish where caviar was the star instead of a side ingredient, as it was overshadowed by the oyster and the scallop.

The beverage pairing was excellent and worth getting. They did two things really well. First, they understood that customers get more value out of smaller pours from more wines. After all, we’re here to taste wine, not to get drunk. It was a lot of wine but with the pacing I never felt drunk during the meal. Second, they kept the pairing interesting. The eleven drinks had little overlap in flavor profile. They also broke the structure a bit, pairing a sweet Coteaux du Layon with an uni waffle at the beginning of the meal instead of a dessert.

Service and hospitality were warm and wonderful. Even though many of the lines were obviously rehearsed, I felt that I was talking to real human beings and not a bunch of unfeeling robots. They also minded the small details, like making sure the logo on the wine glass faces the customer when setting the table. They made the experience much more comfortable than at other restaurants of this caliber.

There’s no sugarcoating it: a meal here is really expensive, $345 for the tasting menu and $320 for the wine pairing. But you know what? I’d do it again. I fully got my money’s worth. And most importantly, I walked out with a huge...