Category Archives: French

Vaucluse

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**** (4 stars)

Just as this space has been elevated far above that of a traditional brasserie, so, too, has the food achieved a polish not often found in a simple brasserie. That is not to say that the dishes aren’t traditional, for they are. But everything from plating to ingredients seems top notch.

A standout was the salad Lyonnaise, the best I’ve ever had, with an absolutely perfect poached egg and sinfully good fried croutons. And the pomme frites that came with the burger were superb, crisped with duck fat, and almost hollow.

A compact selection of wines by the glass manages to offer a little of something for everyone. The “house” Altamarea wines are a good bet, especially the Oregon pinot noir.

Service is well intentioned and professional, if not quite at the polished level of the food.

Vaucluse
100 E 63rd St
New York, NY 10065
(646) 869-2300
http://www.yelp.com/biz/vaucluse-new-york

DB Bistro Moderne

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**** (4 stars)

We really like db Bistro for late night dinner after the theatre. It’s a short walk from Broadway, and an 11pm reservation is no problem.

The interior  is stylish and well lit, and quite late in the evening, although I’m sure it can get loud earlier.

Service is friendly and efficient, and the menu offers a limited but interesting range of choices. The burger is famous, but because it is stuffed with short ribs and topped with foie gras, it is very rich, and should only be attempted if you are very hungry.

On this visit we started with some seared shishito peppers, these were smaller than usual and nicely seared, served with a soy dipping sauce.

My peekytoe crab appetizer was pretty, but didn’t have a lot of flavor. However the sunchoke soup was rich and full of flavor.

Amish chicken is tender and succulent, and served with an interesting pickled cabbage slaw that complements it well.

An nice variety of wines are available in 5 or 8 ounce servings.

DB Bistro Moderne
55 W 44th St
#1
New York, NY 10036
(212) 391-2400
http://www.yelp.com/biz/db-bistro-moderne-new-york-3

Eleven Madison Park

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***** (5 stars)

I had the greatest meal of my life at Eleven Madison Park. I also had the second greatest here. I also had a disastrous one that featured lame table-side magic and a carrot grinder.

But I’m pleased to say that the restaurant has nearly returned to its past glory. Our latest meal still didm’t quite include those one-bite orgasmic wonders of their first menus, but every course was a home run, and the service was impeccable–perfectly timed, efficient, flexible, welcoming and friendly.

Highlights of our most recent meal included an assortment of delicious oyster preparations (high praise since I’m not a huge oyster fan); caviar served like miniature eggs benedict that you assemble yourself; a wonderful sea bass; celery root cooked in a pig’s bladder; and a chocolate guessing game for dessert.

They have started opening their older wines with port tongs, which may be a bit over the top but does provide an entertaining table-side show, and it certainly gets rid of any cruddy corks!

The biggest change is that instead of 16 or so mini courses there are now eight somewhat larger ones, and many course offer several selections. This allowed us, as a party of three, to sample nearly everything on the menu.

I like this new format, and the more professional level of the service overall. Say a happy goodbye to the magic show, and give it a fresh try.

Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10010
(212) 889-0905
http://www.yelp.com/biz/eleven-madison-park-new-york

La Grenouille

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***** (5 stars)

La Grenouille is still doing things the same way as when they were founded in 1962, and that’s a good thing. I remember when the world was full of restaurants like this: posh, refined, attentive, traditional, and oh so French. Now it is the last of its kind.

The three course menu is pricey at dinner, but not absurd, and essentially the same food is available at lunch for less than half the price.

The wine list is mostly French (of course) and offers some values for those who browse carefully.

One thing you wouldn’t find on the 1962 menu was the sea bass tartare we started with, which was refreshingly limey and served on an avocado base.

Soufflés are the specialty here, and the cheese shuffle was superb as a main course. The Dover sole was extremely traditional, but perhaps not worth the upcharge, as cooking styles for fish have changed, and left this old standard seeming overdone and bland.

A half dozen or more soufflés are also on offer for dessert, and are a great choice. Alternatively, the cheese plate offered a great variety. A basket of madeleines and other pastries, and some truffles finish things off.

Service was very French and very professional, yet managed to also be welcoming and conversational. Let’s hope that La Grenouille can continue to carry on its tradition for another fifty years.

La Grenouille
3 E 52nd St
New York, NY 10022
(212) 752-1495
http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-grenouille-new-york

Bistro Voltaire

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**** (4 stars)

There are quite a few restaurants in and around River North that claim to be authentic French Bistros, but most of them really aren’t. This one is pretty much the real deal.

The intimate space is busy yet not loud, and the menu offers authentic bistro dishes such as Bouillabaisse and Salad Lyonnaise. We particularly liked the Rack of Lamb, which was served in a red wine sauce with a touch of sweetness to it. Food pricing is very reasonable.

A small to medium selection of fairly obscure French wines offers a few excellent selections if you look for the good years. Wine pricing is fairly reasonable.

Service was friendly, a bit overwhelmed on a busy Saturday, but they coped nicely.

Bistro Voltaire
226 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 265-0911
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bistro-voltaire-chicago

Le Colonial

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**** (4 stars)

This popular restaurant serves well prepared and beautifully presented Vietnamese food in a French Colonial setting. Don’t expect French fusion cooking, as there is little French culinary influence, but the setting will definitely transport you to 1950s French Colonial Vietnam.

We put ourselves in our waiter’s hands, and he knocked it out of the park, serving us two appetizers, two salads and two entrees. Nearly all of them were something we would not have ordered, but will definitely order again. We preferred the appetizers and salads to the entrees, and would concentrate on those areas of the menu on our next visit.

We began with a ravioli that was made from amazingly thin and delicate layers, and bursting with flavor. This was probably my favorite dish. We also had the wok seared monkfish, which was slightly spicy, and served with crisp sesame crackers.

Our salad course consisted of a filet mignon and watercress salad (reminiscent of Thai waterfall beef) and a lotus root and crispy tofu salad that was a knockout. Not being a big tofu fan, I would never have ordered this, but it was my other favorite.

Our entrees were a sautéed shrimp dish, and sautéed filet mignon with yams and green beans.  These were both good, but not as good as the previous dishes.

For dessert we had an ice cream and macaroon dish that was fine, but not special.

A nice selection of wines designed to accompany the food is available, with a particularly fine selection of Champagnes by the glass.

In addition to the downstairs space, there is a bar and clubbier upstairs dining room.

Obviously we enjoyed the service, as our waiter created this excellent meal for us!

Le Colonial
937 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 255-0088
http://www.yelp.com/biz/le-colonial-chicago

Bistrot Margot

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*** (3 stars)

I guess if The Colbert Report can drop the pronunciation of the final “t” then so can Bistrot Margot.

This is a perfectly average French bistro with a classic bistro menu. The most notable thing about it was that I happened to be there on a Wednesday, when they have a three course special that allows you to select any appetizer, entree and dessert for $29, a good deal.

I chose the escargot, the bouillabaisse and a berry cake with vanilla ice cream. None of them were particularly noteworthy, but they weren’t bad. The bouillabaisse broth could have used more flavor and fresher shellfish, but otherwise everything was fine, just not great.

Service was friendly, and the outside eating area is pleasant. No need to make a special trip here, but if in the area and you have a French craving, it might be worth a try.

Bistrot Margot
1437 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 587-3660
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bistrot-margot-chicago

Jardinière

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***** (5 stars)

This is exactly the ambiance I am looking for in a restaurant: dark and romantic, with the spectacular food in the spotlight on each table. A vibrant bar scene well-separated from a dining area where you can have an intimate conversation.

And yes, the food is great, too, with a traditional French flair tempered by lighter and more modern sensibilities.

There is a thoughtful winless, and the wait staff is friendly and obviously enthusiastic. Of all the restaurants we visited in San Francisco on this trip (and there were some great ones) we all agreed this is the one we would return to.

Jardinière
300 Grove St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 861-5555
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jardini%C3%A8re-san-francisco-2

Keiko à Nob Hill

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***** (5 stars)

This intimate restaurant serves a set menu with all tables starting at the same time. The courses progress from light to medium, building to a magnificent piece of true Wagu beef. The food was good, and the service polished in that Michelin approved sort of way, but the thing that made the evening fun was the proprietor’s enthusiasm for the wines on his (very expensive) grand pairing. He has worked hard to collect rare bottles you won’t find elsewhere, and is proud to show off how well they math the food. These are prestige labels, but rather rare and fairly pricey wines that he obviously treasures. This enthusiasm is what elevated the meal to 5 stars for me.

Keiko à Nob Hill
1250 Jones St
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 839-7141
http://www.yelp.com/biz/keiko-%C3%A0-nob-hill-san-francisco-2

Jean-Georges

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***** (5 stars)

For more than a decade we’ve been coming here, and it remains our favorite restaurant in New York. The dining room is elegant and uncrowded, a rarity in the city.

The food is delicate, complex, and constantly evolving. The best deal in the city is lunch at Jean George, where you can assemble your own multi-course meal or choose a tasting menu for a fraction of the price of dinner.

The wine list pricing is excellent, and there is a nice selection of high quality wines by the glass or even half glass, making it easy to assemble your own wine pairings.

Service is professional, friendly and knowledgable, and even though we’re probably outnumbered by the staff, it never feels overwhelming, just perfect.

Jean-Georges
1 Central Park W
New York, NY 10023
(212) 299-3900
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jean-georges-new-york