Price: $135 (Add $85 for wine pairings)    Number of Courses: 7

Cuisine: French-Mediterranean      Neighborhood: Upper West Side

Terrance's favorite winter ingredient: White Truffle 

Named for the petite, delicate olives grown in the Mediterranean, Picholine is the crown jewel of Terrance Brennan's fleet of "Artisanal" restaurants (and the only one without that word in its name). There are five in all, three of which - Picholine, Artisanal, and Bar Artisanal - are housed within the island confines of Manhattan, while the other two are on the West Coast in Bellevue, Washington. The recently modernized décor of the restaurant features warm lavender walls that elegantly reflect the romantic light of the crystal chandeliers in the dining room. Walking through the boysenberry-purple curtains grants passage into the mystical realm of the "Cheese Cave," where 2,500 bottles of wine from all over the world line the beautifully designed alcove. The cave can house eight guests as they enjoy the tasting flights or selections from the 60 varieties of cheeses on the cart overseen by maitre fromager Max McCalman.

The $135, seven-course tasting menu is a romp through supremely seasonal ingredients, presented in 12 either/or course pairings such as foie gras torchon with variations of apple, or foie gras "shabu shabu" with pickled shallot and sweet and sour game bouillon. There is a three-cheese course, served as number six, so make an attempt to save a little bit of room to accommodate it, as well as dessert. Picholine also offers a menu d'economie featuring an expanded tasting flight of appetizers (3 for $20) or tasting plates ($15 each) in the Cheese and Wine Bar, as well as a $58, three-course prix fixe, or the traditional dinner menu at $92 for three courses ($12 for each additional course).

35 West 64th Street # 1 • 212-724-8585 • picholinenyc.com    

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