West End Bistro (West End, 01/31/09) - In Defense of Sweetbreads

In comparison to the majority of the population (at least the part of it with which I interact), I am a relatively adventurous eater. If someone else has eaten it and lived to tell the tale, I'll probably try it. I make this claim in full knowledge of the fact that I've not been to Asia where, if I am to believe the media portrayals, those flavors most desired have at one time been growing or flopping around in the deepest depths of the unknown. But I'd like to think that, given the opportunity, I would try whatever a (modestly reputable) chef puts in front of me.

The last few years have seen a dramatic increase in the amount of "offals," or organ meats, that have turned up on the menus of fine restaurants. Trotters, tongue, liver, kidney, stomach - the parts of the animal usually reserved for the trash or for hotdogs - are now appearing as stars of gourmet - and often as the most expensive dishes. My friend Budda tells the tale that this phenom is the result of chefs who, after preparing all of the best cuts of meat for paying customers, have traditionally been left with only the "undesirables" to cook for themselves and the kitchen staff. Professional kitchens being the competitive, "we set the standard of cool" places that they are, chefs began focusing their creative energy to turn offals (pronounced "awfuls") into delicacies. Eventually, these creations made their way onto menus for us common folk, and restaurants like the Spotted Pig in New York, featuring menus dedicated to these preparations, vaulted to the "height of hip."

While I don't blindly love all offals (beef liver is not so good), I do enjoy a good amount of it, my favorite of this class being sweetbreads. Don't be fooled. The name has nothing to do with the item itself. The first time I ordered this dish (at Jose Andres' Jaleo), I was expecting something like bear claws. Wow. That sounds even more stupid when I write it than when I thought it. Suffice it to say that I was a little surprised when I learned that sweetbread is neither sweet (well...we'll get to that) nor is it bread but is, in fact, the thymus gland of the cow, pig or, sometimes, lamb.

Ok, don't do that. There's no need to gag. Just because the thymus gland is an important part of the lymphatic system of all mammals, secreting thymosin for the development of antibodies, doesn't mean it can't play an important role in fine dining as well. Jeez.

Anyway, over the past four years, I've had occasion to eat sweetbreads in a number of preparations - as an amouse bouche/finger food, a side dish and as a main event. I've had it poached, fried, and seared as well as in pate form, and I've generally really enjoyed it. But I don't think that I've ever had it prepared as perfectly as at Eric Ripert's West End Bistro. On Saturday, J and I made our first trip to the restaurant, set on the ground floor of the Ritz down on 22nd Street, with some friends from out of town. It was filled with snobby old people, but the staff was very friendly and the place had a nice feel.

On the whole, the food was very good - not great - but definitely very good. This was pretty much in line with the rumors we'd heard. The sweetbreads appetizer, however, was a knockout. The main ingredient came perfectly pan-fried in a crispy, light batter. It was smooth, savory and, dare I say, a little sweet! Underneath, the chef had assembled the most delectable assortment of complementary flavors, including artichokes, capers, olives, quail egg, fingerling potatoes (white and blue), endive and a tangy sauce gribiche. Eating it was like a choose your own adventure novel, as each combination of flavors resulted in a totally unique tasting experience.

There is wonderful food to be had all around this town. My credit card bill is a testament to that. But there is something really, really special about the sweetbreads at West End Bistro. It is clear that a lot of thought has gone into not only the star ingredient, but each of the accompanying flavors. The dish is complex, with each piece clearly requiring its own extended preparation. The inclusion of the gribiche, a sauce dating back 5000 years, characterized the outside-of-the-box thinking that went into developing this dish. It is a mature feature of the West End menu and, as far as I'm concerned, the star of the show.

To those of you who would otherwise be turned off by eating a gland, I offer the above defense of sweetbreads - in particular, Eric Ripert's. It is worth it to put aside your fear of the unknown and dive head first into this wonderful meat. With the right preparation and accompanying flavors, your first sweetbreads experience does not have to be "offal" (Oh!!! You knew it was coming. It had to. You thought I wouldn't go there, but I did. Right there at the end. Holla!).