4 /5 Brandon Fry: Vernick is probably the most conflicted 4-star review Ive ever given. There is absolutely no doubt that they serve great food with impeccable service in a wonderful space. However, for a special occasion dinner where we spent a lot of money, there were many small details in nearly every course that added up over the evening that frustrated us, especially considering that most dishes were on the verge of greatness. Despite some incredible moments that we loved, it did fall a bit short.
Our cocktails were fine, I enjoyed the "iris" as a walnut forward manhattan riff, though my wifes "jade tiger" tasted like a daquiri I could have easily made at home. We are also treated to an amuse-bouche of a tiny shot of butternut squash soup and a gougere. It was actually very baffling, as the soup was unremarkable and the gougere was dry and hollow/empty. It was fine, but we both agreed the meal would have been better if they simply had omitted it.
Fortunately things picked up nicely for the appetizers. Nearly every toast on the menu sounded amazing, and we ended up going with the foie gras which was beautifully rich and the grapes complemented the dish well. It was a bit clunky in its presentation as there was too much of each component overflowing and constantly falling off when trying to take a bite, but it was elevated and pleasant. The king salmon was solid with pear, lime crema, and basil, though again came across clunky with awkwardly torn herbs and odd cube chunks of pear.
The best, and simultaneously most frustrating app was the octopus. It was magnificently charred, and when you had a bite of the octopus with the pickled lemon and olive it was a perfect dish. Unfortunately, there not even remotely enough of the pickled component on the plate, meaning that two out of three bites were just lacked any acid and was just the octopus, which wasnt great on its own. It was somewhat emblematic of the entire experience - so close to being great if there had been just 15% more care and thought taken.
For the mains, I had the smoked duck breast, which was absolutely perfect in every way and is one of the top entrees Ive had in the entire city. The duck was beautifully tender and the incredible rich pear mostarda was tangy and zesty. Underneath some nicely pickled cabbage were charred tropea onions that tied everything so well together. I strongly recommend this dish! Unfortunately, my wifes entree was a completely different story. The grilled sea basss skin was so excessively charred that it completely overpowered any other flavor. Despite the fish itself being tender and flavorful, it was close to ruined and difficult to enjoy. We also ordered the roasted beets with ham and fig which my wife enjoyed.
Service was excellent and helpful, making recommendations and being attentive throughout the evening. Though we didnt end up ordering dessert beyond a glass of port, they were kind enough to bring over a tiny jelly candy with a candle on the plate to mark our special occasion which was thoughtful and appreciated.
In summary we certainly enjoyed our meal and I have no doubts that others may have had a "best in the city" type experience. The duck dish in particular made it worth it! But for the premium we paid, it would be difficult to justify returning soon when there are other similar-quality experiences with a smaller price and lower expectations.
