You’re going to have to use your imagination on this dish, since Trois Mec’s owners weren’t allowing guests to take food photos before they opened full-force. The night I ate at the eagerly anticipated new restaurant from chef Ludovic “Ludo” Lefebvre and talented business partners Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo was technically a sneak preview of their seasonal tasting menu for MasterCard holders. Fine by me. I’m cool with respecting house rules, especially if the experience yields results as compelling as Ludo’s rib cap.

The fourth course of five (not including four snacks and a mignardise) featured a tender, premium cut of beef that Ludo referred to as the “toro of the ribeye.” The rosy meat had a winning sear (I suspect from their almond wood grill) and arrived with a beautiful rosy center and spot on seasoning. Ludo’s subtle play on French onion soup also involved an earthy bed of clover spelt, a sprinkling of black walnut, and an intoxicating shallot broth, which Ludo and a manager poured tableside. Since I’m compulsive about food photography, it was a challenge not to be able to snap shots of Trois Mec’s highly photogenic food, but if that’s the tradeoff to get another taste of Ludo’s rib cap, no problem.