“This menu is a collection of the chef’s favorite dishes,” explained our waiter as he leaned over the table. “Many of the recipes are in his cookbook.” The chef is Jean-Georges Vongerichten: holder of three Michelin stars and four New York Times stars; king of an empire of more than 30 restaurants; and one of the most lauded cooks of our time.

Chef Jean-Georges

Chef Jean-Georges

Vongerichten’s success enables him to live in exclusive Pound Ridge, NY where he has taken over and rejuvenated the former Emily Shaw’s Inn, a dining landmark now called the Inn at Pound Ridge. Since he lives nearby, I suspect that this project is more personal to him than his far-flung outposts in Dubai, Mexico, or the Bahamas, to name a few.

The Inn has become a dining magnet drawing its customers from near and far, pilgrims who come to eat from the renowned chef’s table. We enjoyed our dinner very much, but it got me to thinking about restaurants that have reputations far beyond their local market – what I would call destination restaurants.

Destination restaurants – those offering flawlessly executed food, original creative recipes, sophisticated professional service, and a style and ambiance that matches – are scattered around the country. They are expensive. The quality of the food, the talent required for memorable cooking, and the stylish building to house it all don’t come cheap. These restaurants are found where the money is. It’s no surprise that we have more than our share here on the Gold Coast and in nearby Westchester County.

It’s always risky to make a “best of” list, but we love to do it anyway. Where restaurants are concerned, it’s even more subjective. We all have our favorite cuisine, style, ambiance, formality, and price point. Restaurants are complex human endeavors with limitless opportunities for things to go awry. Some meals and experiences may be better than others. None the less, checking respected lists of “best” restaurants turns up some of the same names again and again.

Let me be clear: there are great hamburgers out there, life changing pizza (especially in New Haven), and perfect lobsters on the shore, but none of these fit my definition of destination restaurants. A very high level of sophistication is essential to make the cut. The restaurant must have earned the respect of the local clientele in addition to drawing customers from all points.

Some restaurants in our area that crop up on “best of” lists again and again include: Thomas Henkelmann, Greenwich; Rebecca’s, Greenwich; Bernard’s, Ridgefield; The Whelk, Westport; and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Tarrytown. I’m sure the recently opened Inn at Pound Ridge will join this club in due course Connecticut does not have any Michelin starred restaurants or any representatives on the list of the World’s 100 best restaurants. But there are plenty of those close by in New York City, including Vongerichten’s flagship, Jean-Georges on Central Park West.

At the Inn, our waiter Mike was deep into the menu. Describing dishes in familiar detail, he was not afraid to name his favorites and say why, but was equally ready to tell us what he hadn’t yet sampled on the Winter Menu. House-made Ricotta with Meyer Lemon Puree ($10) (shared by our party of four) was, as he said, silken cheese refreshed by the sweet, low-acid Meyer lemon. A perfect avocado was the centerpiece of Mike’s favorite Gulf Shrimp Salad ($18) – the greens dressed with a delicate truffle vinaigrette and each poached shrimp bathed in warm Champagne dressing.

Roasted Hake with Maple-celeriac puree

Roasted Hake with Maple-celeriac puree

The delicately flavored roasted Hake ($28), a cousin of New England cod, was balanced with maple-celeriac purée, a daring but, Mike assured us, successful and delicious combination. Roasted Lobster with Black Truffle, a heart-stopping $68 in a landscape of $27 to $38 entrees, was worth every penny – loaded with truffles, perfectly cooked, and presented under a haystack of crunchy shoestring fries. Mike also steered us to the Parmesan-crusted Organic Chicken ($27) saying that, on any menu, the chicken is the item that best speaks for the skills of the kitchen. His argument was so persuasive that two of us ordered the crisply-crusted, perfectly-cooked breast and boneless thigh with artichoke hearts and lemon-basil sauce.

Roasted Lobster with black truffles

Roasted Lobster with black truffles

Mike was the leader of a professional service team at the top of its game. At least five others had some contact with our table: serving, clearing, bringing more drinks, and making sure we were well-fed and happy. He knowledgeably discussed the wines, gave accurate descriptions, made suggestions, and offered a taste to be sure a recommendation was right. We luxuriated under his expert care for the entire evening.

Hand-hewn wood beams, barn siding, and a two-story-high brick fireplace made the large upstairs dining room feel cozy. Lampshades, hung at table level from the high ceiling, provided almost enough light. If you remember the old Emily Shaw’s, the downstairs layout hasn’t changed that much: stone arches, the bar along the wall, and the wine cellar dining room are updated but all still there. As you go from upstairs to downstairs, you still pass the kitchen, but now windows have been added so you can watch the bustle of the cooks and servers – just stay away from the swinging doors.

Every once in awhile, an important occasion calls for an important meal. Lucky us! There’s no lack of special occasion restaurants in our back yard that are seen by the rest of the world as destinations!

Fresh-baked cookies for dessert

Fresh-baked cookies for dessert