Designed in partnership between award-winning architect Stephanie Goto and Nick Morgenstern, commander-in-chief of the New York ice cream scene, to celebrate the release of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003 Plénitude 2, an experimental omakase menu is available at Morgenstern’s Sundae Bar once a week.
Seeing as omakase means I’ll leave it up to you, this menu puts you in the hands of Goto and Morgenstern. However, the risk is worth the reward to be able to taste the seven courses of “Elevated Expansion” launching July 20 in Greenwich Village.
Whilst the award-winning Goto is more familiar with designing structures like the Pace Gallery than fashioning ice cream combinations, she has enthusiastically grasped the opportunity to fuse elements of her two home cities, New York and Toyko, into the culinary field. She delights in funneling the Japanese sensations of matcha and red bean directly into the bloodline of true Americana: the ice cream parlor.
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‘Dark Harmony’ consists of a nori ice cream cone, sushi rice ice cream and osetra caviar topping / ©Erik Heck
This alliance has created a menu of contrast, from course one ‘Light’ with notes of citrus to the black-on-black course two. Aptly named ‘Dark Harmony’, the dish consists of a nori ice cream cone, sushi rice ice cream and osetra caviar topping, which pairs with the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2010.
Each texture contradicts the previous option, whether it be a flavored ice block, squid ink or Morgenstern’s own sesame milk bun. The constant contrast between sweet and savory is paired with the classic presence of Dom Pérignon. Coming in vintages of ‘03, ‘06 and ‘10, this addition makes each course a delightful journey of exploration celebrating the fusion of Japan, America and France.
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If the omakase approach is too great a commitment, there will also be an à la carte option. Highlights include a caviar trompe l’oeil ice cream cone infused with Russian River Imperial Caviar which pairs with a glass of a 2010 vintage.
Goto’s experimental approach to the ice cream world synchronizes with the playful nature of Morgenstern’s sundae bar (known in the city for its zany flavor choices like banana curry). This venture allows ice cream aficionados a glimpse into the freer side of an architect known for her sleek lines and love of a “critical purity”. Taking inspiration from Dom Pérignon’s belief that everything, even 2003 vintages, can be “elevated to a second life”, even ice cream.
