New York City | Travel Photography

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I made my second New York trip of the year at the end of June. The visit was sandwiched between weddings in the midst of peak season, but we managed to pack in a ton of good food and great company, as usual. And as if completing the entire Thomas Keller restaurant collection (with Bouchon and Per Se) weren’t enough, we also managed to make some side trips to Boston and Montreal too.

So here goes– another whirlwind trip to New York City!

Day one, we stayed in and had a homemade dinner with Cam at Jesse’s place.

On Friday and Saturday we hopped up to Boston for a very brief trip, but on Sunday after we were back in New York, we got in a friend’s gorgeous blue Porsche and made our way up to the Cloisters in the northernmost part of Manhattan.

Next was afternoon tea at the Mandarin Oriental by Columbus Circle.

Next is the part where I completed my Thomas Keller restaurant collection within the span of a month. We had planned The French Laundry outing almost a year in advance, but I ended up visiting the other restaurants by coincidence. First was Bouchon Bakery in Vegas. Next, Ad Hoc/Addendum and Bouchon were both visited on the Napa trip. And then of course, The French Laundry itself. And below, meeting up with Shang at the third Bouchon location in New York City… right before Jesse and I went to Per Se.

Per Se, like The French Laundry, is also a three-star Michelin restaurant. In fact, the two are almost identical in their kitchens and food, but are totally different in ambience. While The French Laundry is all cozy and tucked away in a historic wine country building, Per Se is swanky New York fine dining at its best.

We had no reservation– just waited for a table to open up for their salon dining, which offers standard a-la-carte dining instead of the full tasting menu. We were super lucky and got seated at the best table in the room, with a couch and a long table right in front of a giant window overlooking Columbus Circle.

The meal still came with the classic Per Se/French Laundry amuse bouches, with familiar grougeres and the salmon coronets (while we had the fluke version at French Laundry).

The breads were also very familiar, as they were identical to those served at French Laundry.

Our first course: mascarpone enriched Yukon gold potato “agnolotti” with Brentwood corn, English peas, Rick Bishop’s Ramps, and Smoked Ricotta “Vichyssoise.” Slightly sweet, delicious, with the ramps cutting through perfectly for a tang.

Perfect dinner with a view.

Our entrees: “Supreme de Poularde” with black raspberry preserve, roasted heirloom carrots, Roquette arugula, and fois gras-madeira emulsion.

Four Story Hill Farm’s suckling pork loin with dandelion “Subric,” Squire Hill Farm’s sour cherries, Sicilian pistachios, and “Sauce Perigourdine.”

For dessert, the “Vacherin” with vanilla ice cream, compressed strawberries, Swiss meringue, and Greenmarket strawberry sorbet. And they also gave us a familiar trio of treats, with a sampling of gummies, truffles, and passion caramels.

Jesse also charmed his way into the kitchen for a behind the scenes peek at the restaurant. The kitchens of Per Se and French Laundry are famously linked by closed circuit TV. They often exchange ideas and even staff. The layout is a bit different, but the similarities are striking– with even those five stars over the fume hoods being identical.

We were super happy campers by the time we left. When asked which I liked more– Per Se or French Laundry, it’s hard to say. We had a killer view and I can definitely see the appeal of the ambience in New York, but our group dining experience in the courtyard at French Laundry was really just unbeatable. Per Se is definitely far more accessible though, especially given the walk-in a-la-carte dining option in the salon.

We were treated to a fireworks show by the Freedom Tower a week before the Fourth of July. This was extra lucky since we actually left the country over the holiday and missed out on the full Independence Day celebrations.

Flowers! Lavender!

My second visit to Bohemian NYC, one of Jesse’s most frequented restaurants in New York.

Sushi at Tanoshi on the Upper East Side with Yifan

La Esquina with TAF friends, Duke friends, Jesse’s work friends, other friends… a whole happy mix.

Mexican corn = deeeelicious. And a whole slew of tacos.

I met up with Steve briefly– he was just on a short vacation from Taiwan— where I had last seen him in February.

Morimoto’s Tribeca Canvas, which was just a stopover before actual dinner.

Dinner was omakase sushi at Kura.

I then met up with Andrea, her brother, and his fiance at tbsp.

Me and Jesse in SoHo.

And one last NYC meal at Osteria Morini.

And that concludes all the gratuitous dining photos for now. Thanks, New York! Be back soon (in September)!

Anna Wu is a wedding and portrait photographer based in San Francisco but often jetsetting around the world. Follow her on facebook for more photography and travel adventures.