Last Tuesday, November 1, 2022, we were in New York City for the opening of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 1931 Café. This experiential concept has just opened for a limited time in different locations around the world from New York to Paris, to Tokyo. The space located on Madison Avenue and the corner of 64th street brings its visitors into an exquisite Art Deco setting for a decadent journey through incredible coffees made to order and tailor-made pastries created by French chef Nina Métayer.
The temporary café which will remain open until November 22nd offers a very intimate and cozy setting that will for sure take you back to the 1930s when the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso was launched in 1931. A black and white color palette with gold accents and exquisite decor makes for the perfect place for a morning coffee with pastries or a mid-afternoon espresso with cookies to pick you up.
During the evening of the opening of the Reverso 1931 Café, we had the pleasure to enjoy the company of Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson drummer of The Roots —the house band on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon—, JLC’s brand president Anne-Laure Ritter, and Alex Trochut —renowned typographer and JLC’s latest ‘Made of Makers’ collaborator. A jazz quartet, endless champagne, the best espresso martinis we’ve had, VIP watch collectors and tasty hors d’oeuvres completed an unforgettable evening in the city that never sleeps.
The morning after the opening night, we visited the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 1931 Café during its normal business hours which are from Monday thru Sunday between 9 am and 5 pm. It wasn’t until that morning that we got to experience the signature pastries by Nina Métayer. A special menu of cakes and pastries inspired by the elements and flavors of the Vallée de Joux —where the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture is located in Le Sentier— has been created by French Chef Nina Métayer, inviting guests to experience the world through different flavors and incredible textures in each of the four different pastries created expressly for the Reverso 1931 Café.
In clockwise order, the pastries are:
Secret de Fruits Rouges —red fruits secret— based on light merengue with poached raspberries and blueberries, soft hazelnut biscuit, orange blossom, and whipped cream. An airy decadent explosion of textures and light red fruits and orange notes.
Soupir Chocolat —chocolate sigh—, literally faithful to its name and one of the best chocolate desserts we have ever had. This pastry is based on a chocolate biscuit, light extra-dark 72% chocolate mousse, and a chocolate cream infused with Gentian liquor from the Vallée de Joux and dusted with real gold leaf powder.
Silence de Myrtille —blueberry silence— is the perfect morning blueberry tart with almond cream and lemon zest-infused whipped cream.
Bruit de Noisettes —hazelnut noise— takes its shape and inspiration from the case of the Reverso with its iconic grooves. Decadent, complex in textures and extremely rich, this dessert is made of a crisp chocolate shortbread, a soft hazelnut biscuit, hazelnut mousse and a crunchy praline tube.
As part of the experience that the new Reverso 1931 Café offers, one can discover the 1931 alphabet, specially created by the lettering artist Alex Trochut, even inviting itself onto the back of the Reverso. Alex Trochut is the latest artist in JLC’s ‘Made of Makers’ program. As the renowned typographer he is, Alex Trochut has developed the 1931 Alphabet to celebrate the iconic Reverso. A boldly expressive, functional, and richly decorative typeface, the typography can be found engraved on several Reverso cases that are on display right past the coffee bar.
Lastly, as part of this incredible experiential concept developed and executed by Jaeger-LeCoultre as the Reverso 1931 Café, the visitors can also enjoy a special corner —towards the back— with historical paraphernalia related to the Reverso and the game of polo —which is directly correlated to the creation of the iconic Reverso. Alongside, there is a wall displaying a collection of old Reverso advertisements and a Reverso case engraving machine next to it.
A visit to the temporary Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 1931 Café New York is definitely a must before it’s gone for good on November 22nd. Be prepared to experience a time capsule that will take you back to the 1930s perfectly paired with some of the most decadent pastries we have ever experienced. Until our next watchlife adventure.
For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here.
