It is no secret that I love all thing French. The history, the scenery, the fashion, the lifestyle, and most importantly the food and wine. So, I savor an opportunity to dine like the Parisiennes do. I fortunately have the opportunity to travel to NYC from LA for work, and a family friend turned me onto Benoit, an Alain Ducasse French restaurant near 55th Street and 5 Avenue. It is the perfect destination for a lunch in the middle of shopping, or dinner. My mom and I chose the later. We arrived, walked through the revolving doorway placed under the red awning and was transported to a French bistro. We slide into our booth and were met with the most delicate gougeres, a baked savory choux pastry made of choux dough mixed with cheese. After much deliberating, we finally decided on what to order. We split a light and airy cheese soufflé, loup de mer, hanger steak, pomme frites, haricots verts, and a citron tarte for dessert, all with a bottle of Bourgogne white wine.
After a delectable meal, we stepped outside and were met with brisk air and and barking taxis, and this was our reminder that we were not in France, but in NYC. We enjoyed the evening so much that we are hoping to go back tonight before seeing Gigi on Broadway!
Benoit Exterior
(photo courtesy Bullfrog & Baum)
Benoit Interior
(photo courtesy Bullfrog & Baum)
Benoit Gougeres
(photo courtesy Bullfrog & Baum)
Cheese Gougeres, Bread Basket, and a glass of Bourgogne Blanc Wine
Soupe a l’Oignon
(photo courtesy Bullfrog & Baum)
Cheese Soufflé
Another shot of the soufflé
Roast Organic Chicken
(photo courtesy Bullfrog & Baum)
Steamed Loup de mer with fennel, tomato, zucchini, olives, and Meyer Lemon
Haricots verts with shallots and pomme frites
Hanger Steak
Lemon Tart
Bio:
“”I have very special ties to this beautiful establishment, because of its generosity; it has so many delicious stories to tell. Benoit is all about conviviality, memories, and a shared pleasure around the table. It shows a certain lifestyle and tradition, that both have very bright futures.” Alain Ducasse
Alain Ducasse’s bistro evokes the charm and pleasure of the original Benoit in Paris, which opened its doors in 1912. Named after Benoit Matray, the restaurant remained in his family for 93 years, spanning three generations, until Matray’s grandson, Michel Petit, handed it over to Alain Ducasse in 2005.
As the authentic Parisian bistro fare has the quality of seducing beyond borders, Benoit opened its doors in Tokyo in the fall of 2005, followed by two other openings in 2008, Le Comptoir de Benoit in Osaka, Japan, and Benoit in New York. Drawing influence from the repertoire of 100-year-old recipes that originated from la Mère Marie’s secret recipe which book and have become the hallmark of Benoit, Alain Ducasse and Chef Philippe Bertineau have composed a menu that celebrates traditional French cuisine with modern technique, seasonal ingredients, and a lighter hand.”
If you are in NYC, France, or Hong Kong, I hope you give Benoit a try. Alain Ducasse also has many other restaurants around the world. Browse them here: http://www.alain-ducasse.com/fr/restaurants
Location:
60 W 55th Street, in between 5th and 6th Avenues
646.943.7373
Make Open Reservations on OpenTable.
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Stay hungry…