JoJo, UES - She says...

For my very belated post on JoJo, I'll keep my comments short and sweet. I had fairly high expectations for Jean-George's "bistro," and the meal didn't disappoint. We were looking for a nice brunch spot on the UES, with unique brunch items, and ended up finding a great weekend lunch option instead.

Although there were brunch dishes on JoJo's menu, including french toast, pancakes, and of course eggs benedict, we opted instead for the more interesting lunch menu items. I started with the ravioli while he had the tuna tartare. The ravioli plate was beautiful. The pillowy ravioli squares were accented by bright yellow and scarlet beets, speckled with poppy seeds, and topped with a balsamic vinaigrette. The flavors were bright and fresh, and balanced as nicely as the colors on the plate. The beets were succulent and delicious. Their sweetness paired well with the creaminess of the three cheese ravioli and concentrated balsamic. The overall dish was light yet satisfying, and sized perfectly as a first "course."


I found his tuna tartare to be more conventional and less interesting. It was well prepared, but served at room temperature, which was a bit too warm for me. The waffle chips that accompanied it were crispy, but slightly greasy and overwhelmed the delicate tartare.

Next, I had the shrimp and lemon risotto and he had the skirt steak. The two dishes were very different, but both were delicious and complemented our respective first courses well. My risotto was again fresh and light, especially for a risotto. The flavor of lemon wasn't strong or overwhelming, but instead added an acidity and sweetness that cut the richness of the risotto. The shrimp were juicy and delicate, and the fennel added a nice textural element to the overall dish. While the risotto was delicate and muted, his steak dish was bold and rich. Aside from the steak being a perfect medium rare, it was topped with a mixture of mushrooms and broccoli rabe marinated in a delicious ginger soy sauce. The portion was generously sized, which was perfect for him.


The two course lunch prix fixe at JoJo is a great meal. It even comes with a dessert. Although JoJo is known for its desserts, ours were not very impressive that day, so we'll have to come back to try some of it's signatures. Overall, I think we got a good sense of JoJo's food, and I was very pleasantly surprised. We'd been to Jean Georges and more recently, ABC Kitchen, so we knew the meal would be elegant and tasty. JoJo's food also managed to be fresh and comforting, even though it's space and decor certainly catered to an older patronage. We'll continue our quest to find the perfect UES brunch spot, but I'm so happy that we found JoJo along the way!