What can I tell you about Balthazar, traditional French cuisine, bistro style, serving from breakfast to late diner, always packed, especially with tourist but New Yorkers agree that the food is worth the hassle. Opened in 1997 by Keith McNally, a Londoner that moved to NYC, and in charge are chef de cuisine Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson. What else can I add, probably they were semi finalists as 2012 Outstanding Restaurant for the James Beard Foundation awards.
The place |
Busy dinning |
Really noise, hectic, rush hour dinning service, queue to get a table and impress with the table turnover, completely mental, you couldn't hear the music with the cloud of noise from the patrons. We got a small table near the bar, some wine, and as starter Saffron risotto, and the steak tartare. Risotto comes with ruby red shrimp, charred leeks, mascarpone, and espelette pepper, pretty good, excellent flavour, nice execution, the tartare again classic, nice, good spicy touch, but the one we got in Momofuku was superior to be honest.
Tartare |
Risotto |
Then for mains the crispy Berkshire pork belly, and moules frittes. The pork belly came with creamy grits, ouef meurette, and roasted mushrooms, it was nice, the pork belly perfectly cooked, everything played well together, the poached egg perfectly cooked, drizzle with wine was a nice touch. The moules nicely cooked, fresh, and a big portion.
Belly |
Moules |
Overall a really nice meal.
French reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Strike”
Jerry: Nice cuff links, by the way
George: Office Christmas gift. I tell you, this Human Fund is a gold mine!
Jerry: That's not a French cuff shirt, you know
George: I know. I cut the button off and poked a hole with a letter opener
Jerry: Oh, that's classy
Balthazar
T: +1 212 965 1414
French Bistro
Approx Damage: $70pp
Area: Soho
Borough: Manhattan
NYC
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