La Crepe Nanou - A little promotion of an adorable restaurant outside of the Quarter

I started this post ages ago, too. Like after dining there... So much for being on the ball. I bring it to you now.

We were delightfully surprised with the find at 1410 Robert Street in New Orleans. We will go back in a New York minute. I have absolutely no recollection of what I ate, but I was delighted. The atmosphere was charming and the service attentive.

La Crêpe Nanou is a romantic neighborhood
French Bistro and Crêperie established in 1983 and voted best French Bistro by New Orleans Magazine.
Our notable menu items include:
Crêpes (savory and sweet!), PEI Moules Frites,
Escargot and Local Whole Grilled Fish, Grilled Lamb Chops
Brunch Highlights: Crêpe Lorraine,
Omelette au Crabe, Croque Monsieur and Madame.
Additionally, we offer vegetarian, dairy-free and
gluten-free choices; as well as numerous Specials du Jour.

Just putting it out in the Universe about this bistro.

Hanimeli Kapadokya Restaurant, Mustafapaşa, Turkey - A Review

What a fun experience to be in someone's home and have someone personally teach you to make the indigenous cuisine. Even my husband was delighted with the experience - and he does not cook. (He does enjoy eating well, though!)



Perhaps we helped make tomorrow's dolmas for the restaurant... if they were well made, at least. (Perhaps the ones I made went to the family's dinner....)

On a genealogical note, my friend indicated I was a natural at rolling the grape leaves.... we decided it was because I have a great, great grandfather on the Kirkpatrick side who was a cigar maker in the 1800s. I somehow acquired the skill. :)

After learning we enjoyed a wonderful lunch on the terrace. I would recommend this restaurant/home to other visitors if they feel comfortable.

BTW, we learned that the owners were a family effected by the 'population exchange' in the 1920s. You can learn more about this event in Turkish and Greek history here. The upheaval is pretty incredible to contemplate, and I don't think I had ever heard about it until this trip.

Our delightful hostess

Location Bias in Restaurant Reviews

So, I heard an interesting story about on-line review sites on the radio the other day. Apparently, if seeking reviews on restaurants one should place more weight on a local's review than a visitor's review. And why? Because a visitor might be more 'forgiving' of shortcomings because the visitor is in a new place and may think that deficiencies are just local variations and different in this town than where they are from. Failings in service or quality might be a local novelty rather than a shortcoming.

Hmmm. Perhaps I should include more reviews of my local restaurants, because I can absolutely say that sometimes, when traveling, it is the entire experience that gets wrapped up in the review. For example, I have no memory of the food I ate at one restaurant, but check out this view. You know I was enchanted as I dined. (Oh, except for that incredibly loud family that showed up after our appetizers and proceeded to punch each other and giggle and bellow about how the kabobs are better at home. Suddenly my meal wasn't as appetizing, but that is not the fault of the restaurant.)

Sunset and a storm - our view at dinner in Cappadokia.

Sira Restaurant, Uçhisar, Turkey - A Review

I wish I had taken some photographs of the restaurant. I just didn't expect it to be so nice. It was especially nice after the previous dinners we had had at another nearby restaurant where we were surrounded by large touring groups. Some of the other guests at the other hotel restaurant seemed to have trouble keeping their voices down, which meant that we could not even hear ourselves think! Tough for a romantic dinner that way.

But Şira was lovely and small, with no huge round tables where the guests shout at one another from across the table.

The manager, Kâmil Koparal, asked us our names when we entered and then continued to address us by them all evening... which was unsettling... He has an eidetic memory. Unsettling in an interesting way... we felt like idiots not remembering his name. Another table asked him his name and we latched on to it.

Anyway, we enjoyed our dinner very much and would recommend the restaurant to others. It was too cool to eat outside, but the dining room was intimate with only a few tables. They do wine tastings at the hotel, so we found some nice local wines on the wine list and found a nice one to accompany our dinner.

I'd go again if in Uçhisar.

Happy Independence Day!

Basin Seafood & Spirits - A Review

My husband and I just found ourselves here - no one having mentioned the restaurant to us. The restaurant seems to have a very unassuming presence on Magazine Street - almost to the point that it would be very easy to over look.
I am very glad we did not overlook it, because we were delighted enough to dine on Saturday night and return on Sunday for brunch. I thought the Octopus Ceviche - Orange and Lime Juice, Habanero, Avocado, Red Onions, Cilantro, Jicama Slaw - and Smoked Snapper Dip served with Crostinis - were fabulous. Well worth the trip. The next day I dined on the Fried Green Tomatoes Benedict. The brunch portion did seem small, but they made up for it with bottomless mimosas at something like $14. (But, I had things to do, so I had to limit myself on those!)

They describe themselves thusly:

The idea for Basin began several years ago when Chef and Owner of Baru, Edgar Caro, returned from a fishing trip with his friends. He caught a snapper and made it into a dockside ceviche. His friends said it was one of the best fish preparations they had ever tasted.
​
​Along with his friend Antonio Mata, they decided to open Basin, a seafood restaurant serving modernized, lighter versions of traditional Louisiana dishes. Basin sources the best possible ingredients from local sources, highlighting seasonal vegetables and Gulf fish in our daily specials.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Basin offers sidewalk seating along the busiest sector of Magazine Street. We also have a lush courtyard for additional seating and a relaxing escape from the city.

Basin located at 3222 Magazine Street New Orleans, LA 70115 504.302.7391
And they are open Monday - Thursday 1130am to 10pm Friday - Saturday 1130am to 10pm Sunday 1130am to 9pm
HAPPY HOUR Weekdays 3pm to 7pm - One day I will have to go to a happy hour when they serve Local Craft Drafts $3, Happy Hour Food Items $4, House Wines by the glass $5 and Cocktail of the Day $5

Coquette - New Orleans (Bread to die for!) - A Review

We thought Coquette was a real find - though it is well known to New Orleanians.

We had the tasting menu so we had no idea what would come out of the kitchen - but all ingredients are purchased pretty much locally and is in season.

5 COURSE BLIND TASTING $70

OPTIONAL WINE PAIRING $30

The blind tasting reflects what the chef wants to highlight that moment and is customized for guests.

We started with house-made sopressata and jalapeno mustard, which was not too hot, and very good. Then they brought out a smoked catfish spread with cilantro and seeds. I gobbled that right up. Next came fingerling sweet potatoes in a Greek yogurt and curry sauce, then red snapper with sunchokes, a beet sorbet on a small block of ice, then beef tenderloin with kale, roasted potato squares and a parsley sauce. All very nice and very filling. Dessert was amazing, but of course I can't recall what it actually was because too much time has passed and I tossed the receipt like a dope.

The waitress asked my husband what was his favorite and he indicated the red snapper... Now, my husband is not inclined towards fish.... and that was his favorite. The meal was wonderful.

Taken from their web site... seems that the chef is from Maryland.... And worked at August - a restaurant that my husband and I really enjoyed.

OUR STORY

Michael Stoltzfus and Lillian Hubbard opened Coquette on the corner of Washington Ave. and Magazine Street in December 2008. The Garden District building was built in the late 1880’s and has been among other things a residence, grocery store, auto parts store and a number of restaurants. With dining rooms on two floors and a 14 seat bar, Coquette offers innovative southern cuisine with an emphasis on locally sourced product. Featuring an accessible international wine list, classic and creative New Orleans cocktails and a well-traveled beer list.

---

MICHAEL STOLTZFUS

Chef / Owner

Although he grew up on a 140 acre working dairy farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and enjoyed the freshest products available, Stoltzfus never imagined a career in the culinary industry.

Fate or perhaps his mother’s intuition steered him in a fortuitous direction, when a couple of weeks before he was to begin college, his mother decided to open a bakery and enlisted Stoltzfus’ help in running it. Although he knew little more than how to scramble an egg, Stoltzfus found himself cooking breakfast and lunch at the family owned restaurant.

While working at the family bakery, Stoltzfus embarked on his personal culinary adventure, purchasing a variety of cookbooks and began cooking and experimenting at home. At 25 years old, after working at a few restaurants in Maryland, his talents were evident and he was hired to work at New Orleans’ esteemed Restaurant August, where six months later he was promoted to Sous Chef.

His entrepreneurial spirit flared, and in December of 2008, he opened Coquette in a gorgeous two-story Garden District building. Stoltzfus looks at Coquette as a culinary playground where he thrives on designing personalized tastings menus for guests and creating a menu that changes daily. His inspired cooking earned his restaurant a four bean rating from New Orleans’ Times Picayune, a Star Chef’s “Rising Star” Award and most recently Stoltzfus was named a semi-finalist in the prestigious 2013 James Beard “Best Chef in the South,” award

Cochon - New Orleans Restaurant - A Review

Cochon: it's about Meat.

And I'm fine with that. I love the Cochon Butcher next door. That's a great place to go for a sandwich and a beer.

But, the other day was my first day in the upscale dining room next door and I thought it was worth going back. They bill themselves as Cajun and Southern Cooking.

They offered a selection of 5 different hard ciders - one doesn't find that all that often.

Given we went early in the day we didn't order as much as we might normally - so 4 small plates between the 2 of us. My husband had the grilled shrimp with roasted cabbage, pickled cauliflower & jalapeno mayo and the smoked pork ribs with watermelon pickle. I figured I should provide my body with some new nutrients, so I had the fried alligator with chili garlic mayonnaise and their very excellent carrot, cauliflower & raisin salad with curry mayonnaise & pecans - made with very frilly mustard greens. The alligator was my attempt to provide my body with new nutrients.... I am not sure I will be doing that again. The waitress described alligator as just like chicken but a little chewier. I would add that in some pieces it did have a bit of a fishiness taste to it as well. So, not my favorite, but not awful. I wonder if my body were able to pull any nutrients out from behind the fried coating....

We figured we should try the desserts, too, so we got their lemon meringue pie and the butterscotch pudding. Both worth it. I haven't had butterscotch in decades, so it was quite a treat.

The chef and owner is Stephen Stryjewski and is described on the web site thusly:

Winner of the 2011 James Beard Foundations “Best Chef South” Stephen Stryjewski is the Chef and co-owner of the award winning Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans’ Warehouse District. Prior to opening Cochon, he worked with his now partner Donald Link at Herbsaint Restaurant where he was recognized for his delicious, simple, straightforward cuisine and his commitment to using local, seasonal ingredients. That commitment has continued through to Butcher, an artisanal meat shop and “sWine Bar” that opened in 2009 focusing on European cured meats and Cajun sausages. This spring Stephen will open Pêche Seafood Grill with his chef partners Donald Link and Ryan Prewitt.
The James Beard Foundation named Cochon a “Best New Restaurant” finalist in 2007. In May 2014 Pêche Seafood Grill won the James Beard Foundation award in that same category, making Pêche the first New Orleans restaurant to receive this honor. Stephen’s cooking has been recognized in the New York Times by Frank Bruni, “Coast to Coast Restaurants that Count”; and Sam Sifton, and “Dishes that Earned their Stars” as well as Best New Chef by New Orleans Magazine; a Chef to Watch by the Times-Picayune; Cochon has been recognized consistently in the Top Ten New Orleans Restaurants in the Times-Picayune Dining Guide and recently named one of the 20 most important restaurants in America by Bon Appétit.
In 1997, Stephen graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and went on to work for some of the most notable chefs and restaurants in America including Michael Chiarello at TraVigne, Jamie Shannon at Commanders Palace, and Jeff Buben at Vidalia. Stephen grew up moving frequently as an “Army Brat” and has traveled extensively in the United States and Europe. He resides in New Orleans’ Irish Channel with his wife and two girls.

We are fans of HerbSaint and Peche, as well. Interesting to see that Steven worked in DC at Vidalia. (I am making that assumption....that it is the Vidalia restaurant in DC.)

I am surprised to see how many of these NOLA chefs are trained at CIA. Those at Rue 127 were also CIA trained. Interesting to know and how lucky for us.

Rue 127 - Restaurant in New Orleans - A Review

Killer desserts! Worth the trip just for the desserts - we tried the Pumpkin Trifle and the Deconstructed Key Lime Pie. Joanna Palmer is the pastry chef and her name is worth knowing. She is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has worked at both Commander's Palace and Cochon - both restaurants which we have enjoyed and respect.

(I will eventually get around to writing a review of Cochon - because we just recently dined there.)

The restaurant is on North Carrolton which meant that we had to drive to get to the restaurant. I believe one could get there via public transportation - via the Canal Street Car... Could be a fun trip if one were visiting and staying in the French Quarter or on Canal.... Hmmm.

I loved the art on the walls, too - particularly that of Natalie Boos. She uses what looks like slate and also, of all things, broken glass. Those of her paintings on the walls at Rue 127 are architectural - which always interests me. I thought they were well worth taking home...

Natalie Boos is a native of Louisiana, born in New Orleans in 1976. She graduated from LSU in 2002 with multiple degrees in science. She began painting for her own enjoyment while she was working in the field of ophthalmology. She began selling paintings and decided to do a solo show of her work. It was such a success that she began showing in galleries in Mississippi, Covington and on Royal Street in the French Quarter.
Her thick textured oil paintings, depict structures that house a colorful and storied New Orleans culture. She sees a historically playful society that exaggerates the shapes and colors of its residences.
After a few years in the galleries, in 2005 she decided to become her sole agent and became a Pirate Street Alley artist. In seven short years Natalie Boos, a self taught artist, opened Natalie Fine Art at 830 Royal Street in the French Quarter. She is now collected and shown around the world in many corporate and private collections.

I don't think she has the gallery any more.... The larger originals were about $3,500 each. She had some smaller paintings for less than $500.

Anyway - back to Rue 127. Dinner was a great pear salad, foie gras bites, beef cheeks and a very large stuffed pork chop. All very good, but it was the desserts which really stuck with me.

Reviews

So, I dined with an old friend the other night and the service was terrible (ok, inexperienced, untrained and young). I was busily thinking about the review in my brain and then I remembered something I heard a book critique say; I think it was Oline Cogdill who said it on a podcast. She said that people remember the book titles, but perhaps not whether it was a worthwhile read, so she never writes a bad review. She would hate for a reader to read the book and waste that precious time in their lives. I thought, Hmmmm. That is probably wise. There is too much bad press or blogs out there as it is, why add to the cacophony? So, the conclusion I have drawn - and let's see if I can stick to it - is only recommend places that are worth checking out so that no one wastes their valuable time.
So, on that note, I am not going to write a review of the restaurant I tried the other night. Thank goodness the company was exceptional.

Charcoal's Gourmet Burgers in New Orleans

Charcoal's is a fun little burger joint on Magazine Street. Upstairs there is a balcony overlooking the street, which on warm nights (and Mardi Gras), I should imagine is quite pleasant.

I particularly liked it because one can get burgers made of animals such as bison, antelope, deer (venison) and elk - not to mention the 'normal' burgers such as shrimp, salmon, beef, turkey, etc.

They didn't blink when I asked for my burger to come without a bun and even suggested making it a lettuce wrap - which I thought was quite decent of them. (Obviously chefs and waitstaff are running in to people who are trying be eat gluten-free.) They also have alcohol-free beer for those of us who are not yet gluten-free, but are also trying to cut out alcohol. What a cluster F, eh?

Anyway, they can be found at 2200 Magazine Street. Good for a casual, but different burger.

Baru Latin Caribbean Bistro & Tapas in New Orleans

Baru Latin Caribbean Bistro & Tapas

A very enjoyable casual place for yummy food. Not a huge menu, but plenty to choose from: Tapas, Tacos, Arepas, Salads & Sandwiches. We tried a shrimp salad, the carne Desmechada arepas, gulf fish ceviche and a langostino taco. I think chef makes the taco shells in house. I also enjoyed a blueberry mojito 'mocktail' which was wonderful.

The dining room is tiny; at least what I saw of it, though the restaurant does have outdoor tables.

They have a happy hour from 5 - 7 pm.

Try them at 3700 Magazine Street. I believe they have opened a second floor raw bar, but I have not yet seen it. I will go back, though.

ChoLon Asian Bistro in Denver

Superlative!

I thought the food was terrific. And I would even return just for the two desserts I tasted.

The surfaces in the restaurant are hard, so it is noisy. The atmosphere is brick, stainless steel and stone.

The menu is very limited, but as was suggested by one of my fellow diners, that usually means everything will be fabulous - which was an accurate call.

Scallops - delicious.
Rib eye skewers - tender.
Prawns with garlic buns - wasn't my favorite, but should have been.
Brussell Sprouts with pork and mint - to die for.
Kaya toast - I have never had anything so yummy.
Potstickers - typical, but also a pleasure.
Pork chop - it was fine, though other's thought it was out of this world.

Hong Kong Ice Cream Cake & Doughnuts - THE BEST.

Looking at the menu, it appears that they tweak things periodically - as we had pumpkin in our doughnut dessert which does not appear on the 'typical' menu.

Interesting story about the chef which can be found here.

The Cheeky Monk - Belgian Beer Cafe

The Cheeky Monk is a fun place if one is a beer lover - I was amazed at the number of taps and beers on draught. There were so many taps it's almost as if the bartender was in jail!

I enjoyed a lovely arugula, sorrel and lemon salad and some fried (which was unexpected) gougères - also served with the arugula salad.

Turns out there are three locations - I did not expect that, it seemed like such a unique place; I went to the location on Colfax just down the street from the state Capital. In fact, it was an employee at the Courthouse who suggested the place. (I was hoping for weiner schnitzel, but my health is better off with the salad!) The other locations are in Westminster, Co and Winter Park, Co.

The gougères with the arugula salad - it cam with two mustards, too.

I confess I had already dug in before taking the photograph.

I also tried two alcoholic beverages... given I was lunching, my choice felt quite extravagant. I had the locally brewed Stem Cider Remedy - 6.8% Alcohol by Volume - and the Hibiscusicity by the Stone Brewing Company. I did not love either, but I was glad to have tried some new beers/beverages.

BTW - apparently this cafe gets two kegs of Pliny the Younger which was featured on NPR as the best and hardest to get beer in the USA. I think the fact the Cheeky Monk gets two kegs is impressive because I thought I heard one could only buy it at the brewery. Here's what the Brewery says about it's availability:

Availability
Pub draft only, VERY limited distribution locally and to distributors on draft only, seasonal- released at our pub the first Friday of February and is available for just 2 weeks, available at select accounts during February.

Scallions in Saratoga Springs, NY - Restaurant Review (and some repurposed family heirlooms)

The Scallions restaurant is right across the street from the NY State Military Museum - so a very nice place to grab a bite after viewing the museum's collection. This restaurant is not on the town's main drag, but it was still very crowded.

The decor was delightful - brightly colored artwork. They even have a lounge which I believe is also considered a gallery. Clearly the artwork is for sale. I did not take a photograph while in the restaurant and I'm afraid I can not capture one from their web site to show you.

For lunch I had a shrimp and fennel salad (with arugula, prociutto, parmesan, artichoke hearts) and a blueberry, mint lemonade (held the vodka, though).

The young wait staff were some of the most attractive people I have seen in a while - and very polite.

I did take one photograph while in the restaurant - I liked these windchimes, though generally I am not fond of windchimes - but these used old silver plate with beads which I thought was a clever repurposing of old family stuff. Two of the windchimes use either a creamer or a sugar bowl, but mostly it is spoons, forks and knives. One way to display old family pieces.....

Green Acres Tavern in Greenwich, NY

Out and about in the Adirondacks....
One must have an open mind about food choices if one does not want to lunch at the fast food chains.
This place was highly recommended to me by someone I had just met.
It was packed. There were brown frosty bottles everywhere - and even some second rounds getting placed in front of folks.
The bar was full - no room for a single diner, so I took a table at the suggestion of one of the regulars seated at the end.
When I was finally noticed, the service was very friendly and attentive.
Though people watching was ripe, I put my nose in a book.
The food was not as I would have prepared at home, but it was fine. Too much.
In an effort to be well rounded, I might try someplace else next time if I find myself in town.

#1 Reviewer, again

Got my #1 spot again.... Apparently I had been pushed out for a while, as I got an email saying I was in the top 10, but....

This time, however, they tell me how many reviews and photos I have and how many the other reviewers have.... fostering some serious competition. (At least that has that effect on me....)

True Food Kitchen in Denver

Lunched at True Food Kitchen the other day; sat at the bar and watched the young tatooed bar tenders concoct fabulous looking virgin cocktails. I tried their Bright Eyes which, if I remember correctly, has pear, ginger, beets, carrots, turmeric and pineapple. My husband had the watermelon, honey lemonade. Both were very refreshing, and another nice aspect about them was that one can't drink it too fast. The drinks they were assembling looked fabulous - such beautiful colors and looked so refreshing. I would return just for those - and the 'adult' cocktails, too.

Photo taken directly from their web site.

Lunch was fish tacos and the albacore tataki - both totally worth it. My husband had the caramelized onion & fig tart and a chopped chicken salad. Dessert was a strawberry rhubard crisp. Touchy-feely food is not my husband's favorite food, but he was very pleased with his lunch. $73 before tax and service.

They describe themselves as follows:

You don’t have to be a die-hard Yogi to dine at True Food Kitchen. You need only a desire to give your body nutrients, and your palate something memorable. The basis for the anti-inflammatory diet isn’t meant to deprive a healthy body of great flavors, it’s meant to take popular trends in cuisine and pair them with healthy living.

With a wide, healthy selection of vegan, vegetarian, or gluten free options we offer something for everyone. Try the kale and quinoa, you’ll live longer. Drink the seabuckthorn and acai, you’ll feel better. At True Food Kitchen, we want you to feel better, live longer, and make your mouth happy in the process. It's honest food that tastes really good.

Dr. Andrew Weil started this restaurant and this comes from his web site about the restaurant:

Concept: All True Food Kitchen locations feature dishes that closely adhere to the principles of Dr. Weil's anti-inflammatory diet. They are intended to be a new kind of restaurant: one in which delicious flavors, healthy nutrients, environmental awareness and an inviting atmosphere come together to create an unforgettable dining experience.

Dishes are influenced by Mediterranean, Asian and Californian cuisine, and include soups, appetizers, salads, pasta, rice and noodle dishes, wood grilled dishes, sandwiches and burgers, brick oven pizzas and desserts.

Sample dishes: Wild Smoked Salmon with Shaved Radishes; Lemon Cream & Wasabi Peas; Sashimi Tuna Salad with Avocado, Cucumber, Tomato, Edamame & Ginger; Curry Chicken with Rice Noodles; Tuscan Kale Salad; Cauliflower & Cashews; Herbed Hummus; Green Tea Soba Noodles with Peas; Bok Choy & Lemongrass; Fresh Tomato Pizza with Pasilla Chile & Manchego; Grilled Wild Ahi Sliders with Wasabi, Radishes and Cucumber on Pumpernickel; and Natural Half Chicken with Farro, Walnuts, Dried Fig, Brussels Sprouts & Squash.

Each location features catering, take out, breakfast, a selection of coffee drinks, natural juice blends, hot and cold tea, sparkling wine cocktails, organic and low-calorie beer and sake. All wines are selected based on wineries' commitment to organic, biodynamic and/or sustainable farming practices.

Engrained in True Food Kitchen's ethos is a commitment to a conscious, community-based dining experience - a commitment that ensures that, no matter how many locations are established, True Food will never become what one thinks of as a "chain."

Blaue Gans Restaurant - A Review

I took advantage of my Tribeca location and walked to Blaue Gans two blocks north of my hotel at 139 Duane Street. I am surrounded by plenty of places to eat, but this restaurant was listed on Open Table - and they have schnitzel, so I had to go. I was very happy that I decided to do this, as it got me away from Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker. Perhaps there was a convergence given I was entering some information about the German side of my family.

I started with the white asparagus and south Tyrolian ham and then had the weiner schnitzel with the potato and cucumber salad. The asparagus and ham was a nice, cold combination of crunch and saltiness. The potato salad had nice mustard and dill flavors and good texture. The schnitzel was a large portion that I could not finish.

I didn't catch the name of my server, but she was attentive yet wasn't fussing over me. The gentleman in charge of the floor did come over and ask how everything was. I brought my book and also had a very good view of the open, tall dining room with it's forty + tables, so I was very content and entertained.

Looks like Blaue Gans is a part of a restaurant group. I would sit again at Kurt Gutenbrunner's table.

Madison Bistro, NYC - A Review

I enjoyed my meal very much. Now, I was visiting a college friend, so that obviously impacted my perception, but I would happily return to the restaurant.

Oumarou was very attentive and made us feel well cared for, even as the restaurant filled up. We never felt neglected or forgotten. I had my back to the dining room so hadn't realized that the restaurant became quite full as I enjoyed the conversation with my friend.

The two gentlemen at the table next to us were regulars at the restaurant who live near by and we got included in their conviviality and the jokes with Oumarou.

The bartender prepared my French 75 perfectly, and I was delighted to see a tarte flambee on the menu. I will always order the "Alsatian pizza" if I see it. And, my French 75 was a nice accompaniment in lieu of a gewurz. The soup of the day was a fresh broth-based asparagus, which hit the spot. I couldn't pass on the chocolate cake and an espresso in a French bistro. My friend did the Prix fixe dinner at $45, but upgraded to the sea scallops and the dessert special, adding $6, so dinner for the two of us with 2 drinks and dessert worked out to $136 before tip.

Madison Bistro
238 Madision Ave (Btwn 37 & 38 Streets)
New York, NY 10016
212-447-1919