Food

La Grenouille

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*Revised on March 19, 2016

Upstairs

When I first moved to New York over two years ago, La Grenouille was one of the first restaurants I wanted to try. I recently went for my birthday dinner and was blown away. This was probably the best traditional French restaurant I've been in New York. It is expensive but I've yet to discover another place with similar food in New York. You cannot compare it to Jean Georges, Le Bernardin or those type of places because they serve a more modern, nouveau type of French cuisine. If you are looking for solid traditional French food then this is the place for you.

Food/Quality

The food overall is very good and well made. The ingredients are fresh and you can taste the dedication and attention to each dish. I've been here four times now, both dinner and lunch. I have to say that everything I've tried so far was fantastic. The only dish that I wasn't really fond of was on the lunch menu, the spinach and cheese souffle. It just didn't quite suite my taste. I thought it was too "cheesy" and overwhelmed the spinach. But maybe I didn't add enough sauce to balance out the intensity. It is however one of the most popular dishes, so I'm not opposed to giving it a second chance.

Also note that the dinner and lunch menu varies slightly. 

Dinner highlights:

1) Mushroom and truffle souffle—the sponginess and lightness of the souffle was perfect. It felt like I was consuming a delicious cloud. 

2) La salade gourmande—this dish is a fresh string bean salad that I love. There are arugula, frisee salad and foie gras. A classic French salad done right. 

3) Creme de celeri rave au foie gras—simply delicious. The celery cream was perfectly created and was complemented by the heaviness of the foie gras. The flavors intertwined nicely. Great starter and a classic French dish. 

4) Chicken with champagne sauce and mushrooms—the chicken was cooked as it should, tender with no inch of dryness. The champagne sauce went very well with the chicken, it added just the right amount of seasoning. The side of mushrooms acted as enhancer to increase the intensity of flavors.

5) Chateaubriand —this was probably my favorite main course. The steak paired with potatoes and grapes went so well together. The steak itself was cooked medium rare and went excellently with the truffle sauce. I want to emphasize that the truffle sauce really complemented the dish and wasn't used for the sake of using truffles. There's been a recent trend to use truffles on everything because it has a stigma of "taste" and "pretentiousness". This is not the case. The grapes also added to the overall flavor profile and made it unique. I highly recommend!!

*Slight update: I recently went back again for dinner and unfortunately they've changed the Chateaubriand  recipe. It is not the same. Without the grapes it is not as special. Hopefully they'll change it back...

6) Oxtail au vin de bourgogne—this dish is perfect for a cold winter evening when you are in need of iron and energy. Very tasty and deep in flavors. The softly braised oxtail cooked in burgundy red wine was thick, creamy and tender. The celery root puree mixed excellently with the heavy oxtail to give it a slight hint of sourness.

Lunch highlights:

1) Lobster salad—I was craving lobster when I ordered this dish and it satisfied my cravings. The generous pieces of lobsters were served on a bed of thinly sliced beets and various vegetables. The lightly candied lemon dressing was subtle and did not overpower the salad.

2) Roasted chicken with baby artichokes—I ordered chicken again for lunch and it was served with pearl onions, potatoes and artichokes. The chicken was tender and juicy. The waitors presented the full chicken on a platter before serving. Overall, it was light and tasty—but I have to say that the chicken with champagne sauce and mushrooms on the dinner menu is better.

Dessert highlight:

Souffle—this is their signature dessert and for good reasons. Delicious and not too sweet. They really know how to make souffles. Well I'd hope so. They have many different flavors and so far I've tried the passion fruit, pistachio and white chocolate. They are all good and it just depends on your mood. 

Ambiance/Decor

The decor is very classic French and upscale. There are white table cloths, high ceilings and amazing floral arrangements. La Grenouille uses fresh florals regularly. The entire place is filled with flowers and looks so beautiful. At dinner the setting is intimate and lively. Especially on  a weekend —dinner is packed. Lunch on a Saturday was not as packed as I'd expect when I went.

The dress code is definitely proper and a jacket for men is required. The crowd is generally much older, like in the 50s+. It appears to be people who've been coming here for the last 10-20 years. Can you believe this place has been around since the 60s? And it's still poppin' even today. I think its legacy is proof of what a solid restaurant it is. 

Reservation

Friday and Saturday evenings are the most popular days so I'd recommend making a reservation two or three weekends in advance. They are very French so naturally they are closed on Sundays. 

Lunch is more casual so you can make the reservation a few days to a week in advance. Walk-ins for lunch might also be an option.

Price

They've recently increased the dinner menu to $138 from $109 per person and lunch is the same at $60 per person. For this caliber of food, dedication and attention to detail I think it is worth it and not any more expensive than a lot of other places in New York. If it is your first time I recommend coming for dinner to experience its full liveliness. 

*On a side note, since I last went, I feel the food has slightly gone done in quality and craftsmanship, thus no longer justifies the high price tag. I still recommend if you've never been. But I personally won't be coming back as often. Maybe just once a year.

Mushrooms and Truffle Souffle

Baked Little Clams

Chateaubriand

Braised Oxtail in Red Wine with Celery Puree

Cote de boeuf with fried celery and foie gras

White Chocolate Souffle

Apple Tart

Lobster Salad

Cream of Celery Root with Foie Gras

Roasted Chicken with Baby Artichokes and Pearl Onions

Chicken with Champagne Sauce and Mushrooms

Passion Fruit Souffle and Chocolate Creme Brulee

Chocolate Souffle

 

Afternoon Tea at the Dorchester

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Afternoon tea at the Dorchester was one of the most relaxing, delicious and elegant experience. They only offer afternoon tea on the balcony on weekends. It is a must. The service and food were unlike the other tea services offered.  I highly recommend this specific service on the balcony. The ambiance is much more intimate, bright and exclusive. With only 4 tables on the balcony, it offers a peaceful and relaxing setting with very intimate one on one service. The hotel resides conveniently across from Hyde Park, slightly away from all the tourist hustle. 

Food

The food was very good. The artisanship put into the sandwiches, scones and dessert were noticed. Each piece was perfectly crafted. The food was not only visually appealing, but its quality and taste were on point. The best part was the unlimited servings. However, that was not needed as I was beyond stuffed half way through.

Ambiance/Service

The service was absolutely impeccable. The attention was on point. The servers were so polite and courteous but not overly pushy or fake. Instead of serving a three tier plate, you received each course individually with unlimited servings. This was honestly one of the best high tea experiences. The combination of the setting, exclusivity, elegant decor, quality of food and service made it a five-star experience. Not a single place I've been to in New York or the Pacific Northwest can compare.

Reservation

You will need a reservation far in advance as it is a popular spot. I reserved almost two months in advance! The earlier the better, especially during tourist season. Also, note that you are allotted 1 hour and 45 min. 

Price

The afternoon tea on the balcony is fixed at 59 pounds per person, not including the 12.5% service charge.

 

Hibiscus

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Hibiscus is a two michelin star restaurant that serves modern French cuisine in the heart of Mayfair, London. The restaurant is small, cozy and very elegant. I was especially impressed by the seating arrangements where couples/duos can sit next to each other as opposed to facing one another.

Food

We ordered the 6 course option. The food was delicious and creative. The taste profile was very unique and well done. We began the meal with foie gras ice cream that was so fun and delightful.

My most memorable courses were:

1) Veal with mushrooms and peaches — the veal was phenomenal, I don't think I've had better quality veal. The combination of the mushrooms and peaches went exceptionally well together. The flavors were amazing.

2) Molten chocolate — what made this so special was the side effects. With each bite of chocolate combined with the vanilla ice cream produced a chemical reaction of pop rocks in your mouth! Do you remember pop rocks as a kid? It was fun and nostalgic. Kudos for cool special effects.

Everything was good, creative and tasty. You won't be disappointed. 

Service

The service was amazing. I have to say that I was most impressed by the service. Compared to Eleven Madison Park in New York, Hisbiscus's service blew EMP's out of the water. The staff was just so attentive and genuine. They key was genuine. They were so polite and it was natural and not forced. 

Quality

The quality of food was superb. In general I was rather impressed by the quality of ingredients in London. Everything just tastes so much more natural and fresh than in the US. 

Reservation

This place is surprisingly easily to get a reservation. I think you only need a week or a few days before to secure a reasonable time and date.

Price

I have to say that the price is very reasonable compared to New York given the impeccable service, quality and quantity of food. They used to offer 3, 6 and 9 course options, but now it seems they only offer 3 courses for 100 pounds and the tasting menu for 135 pounds. I selected the 6 course option for 110 pounds at the time, and it was MORE than enough food. In addition to the base price, a discretionary 12.5% tip was tacked on to the bill. Hey it's cheaper than what we tip in the US! 

Foie gras ice cream

Soup dumpling

Devonshire crab

Escargot with crushed almonds

Veal with mushrooms and peach

Panna Cotta

Pop Rock Molten Chocolate

Nougats

 

Eleven Madison Park

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Cheddar - Savory black & white cookie with apple

Our long awaited lunch began in a very interesting manner. After being ranked the 5th best restaurant in the world, I had to find out for myself.

For some odd reason, Eleven Madison Park's electricity was out and unable to prepare 3 out of the 14 highly anticipated courses. At first I was a little sad but I realized that 11 courses were more than enough. Apparently we missed out on the veal and warm foie gras that was served cold instead.

But nonetheless the taste profile and food were impeccable. I enjoyed every moment. It wasn't absurd or overly done. And given our special situation, our meal was only $125 per person—this adjustment alone made the experience 10x better.

Food

I didn't have the highest expectation initially because several friends have told me that it was good but not worth the price. I, however, thought the food was very excellent and the overall 3-5 hour lunch experience was worth the cost.

Morel

We began with a teaser, salty cookie with apple that was relatively neutral and a good opening act to the rest of the meal.

My favorite courses were the Caviar Eggs Benedict, Asparagus, Lobster, Sichuan Peppercorn Duck, Whey Yogurt Sorbet and Strawberry Edel Flower dessert. 

Their play on eggs Benedict with caviar was not only picturesque but it was possibly the most elegant eggs Benedict I've ever had. The mini english muffins were too cute. The caviar was a very nice touch.

The Sichuan peppercorn duck was absolutely delicious. The skin was perfectly crispy with hints of peppercorn that made every bite so delectable. 

I was very impressed with the food overall and must say that I genuinely enjoyed almost every dish. The flavors really suited my taste profile.

English Peas

It wasn't over the top or flashy—which I preferred because the emphasis was really on the food and overall experience of a proper 3 hour meal.

Ambiance

The space is rather large with very high ceilings. It is spacious enough to allow each party privacy. The decor is classic and elegant with white and warm tones.

Duration

Expect at least 3-5 hours.

Price

$225 per person fixed menu.

Reservation

Advanced reservation ~1-2 months.

Radish

Caviar

Eggs Benedict

Foie Gras

Carrot Tartare

Carrot Tartare

Lobster

Lobster

Asparagus

Sichuan peppercorn duck

Duck

Whey sorbet 

Strawberry vanilla ice cream

Sea Salt Pretzel

Sea Salt Pretzel