Grilled Skate at Le Bernardin

OK, this is a "Baltimore" site, but part of the spin has always been to showcase what Baltimore is without, an example of which is pictured above. Baltimore doesn't have Le Bernardin, and perhaps that's a good thing at a time when the economy is forcing so many to hold back. Such restraint could have had something to do with Mrs. Yi's and my good fortune in managing to snag luncheon reservations this past Friday after calling but a week ahead. Who's to say that Le Bernardin isn't the greatest seafood restaurant on earth, while in the most recent Unique Culinary Adventures podcast, I surmise that it's $64 prix fixe lunch just might be the best deal in Manhattan?

The photograph portrays my entree of "Grilled Skate; Mango-Jalapeno Salad; Bourbon, Lime and Guajillo Pepper Broth" entree, which wins my nomination for the best skate preparation on the planet. Preceding it was a choice of appetizers. I had "Hamachi Marinated Vietnamese Style with Muoc Nam Vinaigrette" while Mrs. Yi started off with "Kampachi Tartare Topped with Wasabi Tobiko, Ginger-Coriander Emulsion." For an entree, she went with "Masala Spiced Crispy Black Bass; Peking Duck-Green Papaya Salad in a Rich Ginger-Cardamom Broth." I didn't write down the specifics regarding the deserts that Mrs. Yi and I enjoyed, nor was that information available on Le Bernardin's website. Here's the link to an image of my desert.