Foodies are flocking to a New York restaurant that went viral after Martha Stewart showed off the “chobster” dish in an Instagram post, but reviews have been mixed.
House BarnesThe brainchild of Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud and officially launched in May, the restaurant features a $250 dish on its menu that pairs “roasted Sasso chicken with lobster, topped with Nantua sauce and spring rice.”
Photos and video footage shared by the Boulud team on Instagram show the combination presented on a wooden cutting board, with the entire bird dressed with copper lobster tail, claws and head, while the actual crustacean is stuffed inside the cooked bird.
While TV personality Stewart got a taste of the chobster back in March, the public and culinary experts have since visited the Upper East Side restaurant to make their own assessments of the mix of poultry and seafood.
Maison Barnes is the brainchild of Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud and was officially launched in May
The upscale restaurant has a $250 dish on its menu that “pairs roasted Sasso chicken with lobster, topped with Nantua sauce and spring rice.”
Food writer Willa Moore, of the restaurant recommendation site The Infatuation, described the “chobster” as a “tame,” “over-the-top” and “pointless” production
Food writer Willa Moore, from the restaurant recommendation site The crushrecently visited Maison Barnes to try the chobster, but only described it as a ‘tame’, ‘overdone’ and ‘pointless’ production.
She wrote about the theatrical presentation: ‘A whole chicken comes to your table, dressed in lobster armor. The golden appendages are wiped away, leaving the naked chicken, which is then carved at the table.
“A lobster head is removed from its cavity, squeezed into a few drops of juice, and a bisque is whipped in front of you.”
In a video posted by the establishment on Instagram and TikTok, the writer also shows how the cutting takes place, with a caption describing it as a “very slippery experience” that leaves one of the breasts “falling” to the floor.
Despite seemingly being unimpressed by the theater, Willa did comment that the chicken was “tender” and the “lobster perfectly poached.”
However, she was disappointed to find that she only got “about three slices of each” on her plate.
New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo also checked into Maison Barnes, who described the chobster as a ‘high-class turducken’ and a ‘mutant masterpiece’ [that] takes ‘Frankenstein fare’ to the next level.”
Like Willa, he emphasized the chobster’s presentation, calling it one of the “most elaborate table spectacles” he’s seen in New York City to date.
New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo also took a look at Maison Barnes, describing the chobster as a “high-class Turducken” and a “mutant masterpiece.”
The dish is only for a ‘lucky few’ as the restaurant only serves ‘four or five’ chobsters per night
The lobster sauce is not only cut at the table, but also prepared in front of the guests.
Steve explains, “When [the chobster] reaches the table, the copper appendages are removed and the real lobster head is removed from the cavity. It is placed in an old-fashioned duck press to be pressed.
‘Boulud turned the wheel of the machine, pulverizing the shellfish and yielding a flavorful liquid that was added to lobster bisque, crème fraiche and chicken jus to create a rich, complex sauce – a variation on the classic Nantua sauce usually is made with crayfish.’
Like Willa, Steve seemed impressed by the ‘chobster’ flavor.
He described it as a “rare marriage of ocean and farm essences, sweetened and deepened by the creamy sauce.”
He emphasizes that the dish is only for a “lucky few” as the restaurant only serves “four or five” chobsters a night.
One lucky guest who tried the dish at Maison Barnes was American photographer Todd Coleman.
He wrote on Instagram that some people think it’s overdone, but that he thinks it’s “a nice twist on a traditional dish with crayfish and chicken.”
Overall, he gave it a thumbs up, calling it “art,” but admitted it’s “definitely not for everyone.”
According to Maison Barnes, the recipe is inspired by a 19th century creation and created by the restaurant’s chef, Romain Paumier, in collaboration with Daniel.
The dish – which can serve two to three people – has certainly caused quite a stir among onlookers.
One Instagrammer said it “looks like it would give me nightmares.”
Another mused, “I’m shocked and fascinated at the same time. I’m disgusted and yet I can’t look away.”
