Daniel Patterson's food is hard to describe. It is food that does not resemble anything else on this planet. Seemingly coming from a different planet, it is some of the most intellectually challenging, and rewarding cuisine that can be eaten right now.

It is however not only the food that makes the experience at Coi a truly unique one. It is, as is often the case with truly transcendental restaurants, a restaurant that has it all. The service on the one hand is exceptional for American standards. Whilst a lot of high-end restaurants seem to rely on uninterested and badly trained staff, every single member in the brigade at Coi seems to know exactly what is in the food and how it is prepared. Such dedication is rarely seen in top restaurants, and worth a mention. On top of this, the people here seem to really enjoy what they're doing, and create a positive and relaxed atmosphere in the stylish dining room.

The second element that distinguishes Coi is the wine pairing. Of course, you can choose to order by the bottle (the list is most interesting), but the best thing to do here is to let the sommelier go about his job. For here is one of the very few places where you can really experience what might be called a perfect pairing. The wine and food work so well together at Coi that one elevates the other, seems to make the other more complex, more complete. That this is done with the help of highly interesting wines, and achieved on pretty much every course is an unheard-off achievement. There can't be more than a handful restaurants in the world that manage to find a wine that picks up on a particular character of a dish throughout the entire length of a tasting menu.  

This inevitably leads you to the food itself. If we said earlier that the wines chosen here are interesting, and in cases idiosyncratic, the food goes down the same line. Don't misunderstand this, it doesn't mean that it is unpleasant or "bizarre". To find a few words to describe it is therefore not exactly easy. However, one thing can be said, this is focused and pure food.  

 In a way there is an element of restraint in Patterson's cooking. His dishes are simple, and seem to distil the essence of a product, or find a combination of flavours or textures that is particularly captivating. Take for instance a spot prawn, served raw with an olive oil emulsion and some raw courgettes. This is a dish that presents you with a totally new set of flavours. They are present, distinct and yet demand the diner's full attention. The product quality here is sublime, and the care and attention that is given to seasoning here are quite impressive.

Similarly, take an aubergine soup. A dish that is so simple is reduced to its very essence here. Similar to Thomas Buehner's venison jus, Patterson manages to bring the pure flavour of the aubergine to the plate. There is very little to distract you from it, and it is very concentrated. It is a dish that is somewhat disarming, appearing nearly too reduced, but then again so rewarding and beautiful in its harmony.  

This is what makes a meal at Coi a deeply intellectual experience. It is food that challenges your perception of things, sometimes feels austere, but eventually manages to completely win you over. One of those dishes is an abalone and duck tongue combination. Served beneath a layer of herbs and flowers, the intensely flavourful proteins are lifted up in flavour by the accompanying Sancerre rose from the Domaine Vacheron that emphasises the herbal notes of the dish. It is one of those pairings that seems natural, so serene and quite simply beautiful.  

Even very common, and perhaps "boring" products such as a fillet of beef are served in deeply compelling dishes. A beef fillet, rolled in herbs and served with girolles has such a finesse that you rarely get with a meat dish. The delicate red Burgundy on its side, reinforces the herbal, earthy aspect of the crust and lifts things up again. It is one of those dishes that takes you out of your comfort zone with one foot, whilst remaining solidly grounded in waters that we all know. This is perhaps what makes Patterson's food so fascinating: Every dish has something to it that we feel comfortable with, a flavour, a product, an idea or a texture. By introducing an element that totally throws our conceptions out of the window at first, he manages to keep our attention and excitement throughout the entire length of a 10+ course menu.  

That is what makes Coi a restaurant in its own league. A restaurant that is perhaps more austere than most others in America, but lets those who "submit" themselves to the adventure experience a journey like no other. Daniel Patterson is a pioneer, someone who manages to challenge our perception with every dish, and leaves us looking forward to the next one. Just like kids opening a birthday present and not knowing what to expect...