Recently, to celebrate my husband Stu’s birthday, we ventured into Manhattan to dine at his two favorite French restaurants, La Grenouille and Café Boulud – and continuous favorite, Fabio Piccolo Fiore.
For decades La Grenouille has repeatedly been rated in the top 10 restaurants in Manhattan – probably the most competitive market in the world. We were there for lunch in a flower-filled room with every table taken.
The Masson family has guided their “great haute” French cuisine into the stratosphere. It has earned the accolades by providing superbly-consistent, beautifully-prepared dishes, splendid service and an enchanting atmosphere.
There is something celebratory about dining there, even if their $22 martini is the most expensive in the city. There is a prix-fixed menu for two or three courses. The day we were there we chose the three courses so we could have the pistachio soufflé – a knock-out. Although the meal breaks the bank it was worth every penny!
The next evening we met friends for dinner for another birthday celebration at Café Boulud in the Surrey Hotel on the Upper East Side. It’s a sibling of the famous Daniel, where I had my last birthday celebration.
The café has a more informal setting than Daniel and a slightly less expensive but no less superb meal. I can still relish the memory of the meal. My favorite dish was the black linguini surrounded by fried calamari, mussels and shrimp.
The gray walls, waiters and captain in subdued colors made me focus on the food. We each had different appetizers; mine was a simple baby arugula, and frisee salad with slivered onions and toasted sunflower seeds in a lemon vinaigrette dressing. They have a talent in making a simple salad a grand dish.
Our friend had the mushroom and barley soup, with a rating of “the best I ever had.” Stu had an amazing broccoli velouté soup, a puree featuring a floating poached hen egg and bacon tuiles. He was so inspired he plans to attempt to make it at home.
For main courses, we had an unusual roasted Guinea Hen, an unusual dish prepared with savory cabbage, egg yolk confit, and pommes soufflés in natural juices.
Not to be outdone, Stu had the Pennsylvania veal. It melted in my mouth as I sampled it. It is great to go with friends so you can sample each other’s choices, particularly here where every dish is created by the mastermind behind the Daniel group of five restaurants.
Later in the celebratory week we visited an old favorite that is always worth a repeat visit – as often as possible – for either lunch or dinner. Whitestone friend Nick Nubile’s Fabio Piccolo Fiore on 44th Street between Second and Third Avenues is an easy fast ride from the Midtown Tunnel.
Chef Fabio will customize his menu to meet your request – or order from the tasty, consistently-superb Italian menu. The ambiance of the restaurant is enhanced by multiple huge paintings of handsome 16th century women.
Then, later in the week, I explored my “new” territory in Long Island City. Part of the fun of starting a new publication, as we did a few months ago in LIC, is getting to know more intimately the neighborhood we serve. And what better way than sampling the many unique restaurants there, such as Water’s Edge, the fusion food at Shi, and now I must share the only restaurant I have ever visited in Queens with a real wood burning fireplace, Rustica Manducatis. It is run by the LIC born and bred Gianna Cerbone-Teoli of the famous “Manducatis” family.
They are renowned for their Italian food, she has created a handsome café featuring food fresh from the market that day, all in a warm, inviting environment. I loved sitting by the fire and talking with the guests at the next table, who became friends, and then actually seeing a friend at the next table.
Then to complete the week of dining, I had a soul and stomach warming stratiatella soup at Dazies in Sunnyside, owned by the beloved and respected Lily Gavin and her family. Nowhere will you be more warmly received and served than at Dazies.
What a week of fabulous dining!
