• WD-50

  50 Clinton Street, 212-477-2900

  For chef Wylie Dufresne of WD-50, cooking is an intellectual challenge, and his creative version of surf and turf is appropriately mind-bending. The dish evolved after much experimenting—a rich, creamy foie gras terrine was a natural for the turf, but finding the perfect pairing for the surf was more difficult. Dufresne first tried seaweed, then sea beans, then settled on marinated anchovy fillets. The little silvery fish are lined up on top of a chilled slice of foie gras terrine, a citrusy chutney is added for acidity, and a dash of tarragon emulsion is applied for a fresh, herby note. The crowning glory is a shower of crunchy cocoa nibs that impart texture and bitterness, completing a sweet, sour, salty flavor palette. Smart.

From the 2004 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine