February 7, 2012
Came here for wife’s birthday and since she got a great new job I decided to really splurge. This place is extremely expensive but it was just ranked top restaurant in city so there’s that. Place is gorgeous and service impeccable and its great to see a restaurant of this caliber take beer this seriously. I did beer tasting and my wife did wine tasting and each courses selection was described and brewery/vineyard discussed. 1st course Crab with Southampton Saison Deluxe, 2nd course Snapper with Cantillon Gueuze, 3rd course Squab with Brooklyn Local 11, and pear desert with Cidre Dupont Reserve 2006. Wow everything was amazing

January 10, 2012
II haven’t really been to a place like this. First of all it is formal. I went to the bar after dinner. They recently went from a Michelin rated 1 star restaurant to their current rating of Michelin 3 (a rarity). That said this place is not nearly as formal as any Michelin 3 star that I have been to. I didn’t get any of the food except the complementary bar snacks (house made waffle style potato chips that were nicely seasoned, over brinned green pitted olives and curry/brownsugar/salt roasted peanuts). They have 6 beer taps, tons of wine and a ridiculous liquor selection. About 20 specialty cocktails, and a 130+ page wine list. They also have over 120 bottled beers including a deep selection of Cantillon. Prices are high, but not ridiculously so, given everything else. The bar staff is tested regularly and their emphasis of knowledge are high end cocktails and master mixology. They have a wine sommeiler and a friendly and knowledgeable (young as well) dedicated beer sommeiler. There are many beer pairings which sets this place aside from many Michelin 3’s (yes, Per Se has a decent beer list, but that is a small part of their beverage service; this place is unique). The reason I went here: their two exclusive Brooklyn beers: Local 11 and Nine Pin. I came in just for the Local 11 and order both, and got attentive, knowledgeable and immediate service for ordering 11. Both beers are collaborations between Eleven Madison Park, The Van Winkle Distillery and Brooklyn. One barrel of each was made. The Nine Pin is Brooklyn Brown ale aged in Pappy 20 Barrels. Interesting and good (they still have plenty left) but the star is Local 11. Pappy Van Winkle 20 year barrel aged Local 2 (dark Belgian Strong). As I recall it was only aged 4-6 months in barrel, but it is an incredible beer and worth the stop if you can splurge. A fun stop and I’d love to try the food the next time I am back in town. Oddly casual service and atmosphere for a Michelin 3, but I am sure the Swiss chef’s food is stunning, and they have great beer at a fine dining establishment. Travel there expecting this.

December 12, 2011
Went here for Jess’s birthday. Place is gorgeous and really spacious. The service here is beyond spectacular, as you expect at restaurants of this caliber. We did the prix fixe menu paired with beers. Beer list was pretty extensive, though as you might expect, somewhat pricy and not quite at the level of top-tier bars. Still, the commitment to beer is evident here and having exclusive Brooklyn beers is definitely a plus. Got to talk to Kirk the beer guy when we ordered the Brooklyn Local 11. He was very enthusiastic and engaging, which is way more than you get at most bars. The beer pairings were really spot on and the whole dining experience was probably our favorite of all the restaurants we’ve been to in the city. If you’re a foodie and can afford to splurge a little, EMP is a must.