This week has been sorta funny in the world of dining and haute cuisine in NYC. There has been a Three Star identity crisis. First, Joel Robochon's L'Atelier in the 4Seasons hotel has been confused with the Ritz Carltons Atelier restaurant that is also supposedly really good. The Ritz however has said that the only thing they can do when people call up looking to make a reservation in the Atelier, is that they point out that it is in the Ritz yet never going as far as making sure they are not looking for Robuchons restaurant.
And Gordon Ramsay who just opened his first US restaurant called Thomas Keller's restaurant Per Se (one of the best restaurants in this country) "clinical." I'd say that is a serious smack, but the reviews of Gordons restaurant in Manhattan have been overly luke warm.
I had the great opportunity of eating at Bouley this past weekend. Bouley is a two star Michelin restaurant located in Tribeca and created by David Bouley. It is delicious. Yet, I found the food to be really rich, which is unlike the fresh and simple dishes at Per Se. The building itself stands out since it is amid a bunch of older cast iron buildings and Bouley is a one story building reminiscent of a French country house. As you walk into the entrance, the first room you pass through is lined from floor to ceiling with fresh apples which fills the room with an unbelievable smell. An apple smell so strong you think you have left the grittiness of the urban city and are standing in an orchard.
There are two dining rooms to Bouley, the red romantic one and the much more formal clean white one. The red room is one of the most incredibly romantic settings I have ever been in. It is so adorable. Each table has its own tiny French lamp sitting on it.
The wait staff is like that found in France. By that I mean the staff is nearly at a National Guard-like size. Dreamy. Bouley is by far the best restaurant under David Bouley's control. For an amuse bouche, we got a grapefruit foam with a piece of grapefruit sitting inside like a jewel.
For an appetizer I had:
Return from Chiang Mai
Chilled Maine Lobster, Mango, Fresh Artichoke and Serrano Ham
Passion Fruit, Fresh Coconut and Tamarind Dressing
For a main course I had:
Organic Long Island Duckling, Lavender Honey Glaze,
Snow Peas and Early Sweet Peas,
Indian Nation Canoe Harvested Blond Wild Rice
Ginger Dressing
And for dessert:
Chocolate Frivolous which entailed Toasted Hazelnut Dacquoise, Chocolate Brulee and Chocolate Souffle, Espresso Ice Cream and Chocolate Cointreau cake.
Comments