Balthazar

[Bux]

my friend and i have done early walkins at the bar (early like 630 or 7) for dinner/drinks a few times.  we always kind of laugh at ourselves for going given its tourity clientele and hype but secretly quite enjoy it.

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It's the most democratic dining room in the city, in a way. At least as democratic as any place with more than one phone number.

The carafe wines are good value, but there's also an interesting and extensive wine list, all French as I recall.

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all very true, & having been there recently, i did notice the wine list WAS all French. another nice little attention to detail by McNally which continues to emphasize his attention to detail, & subtle way of reminding his clientele this is, in fact, a French brasserie!!!!!!

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Just in case they see people eating burgers and fries and forget it's a French brasserie.

It is too noisy. I obviously don't hate it, but I'd love it more if I could carry on a conversation with my tablemates.

[jgould]

quotes:

bronihk "It's the most democratic dining room in the city, in a way. At least as democratic as any place with more than more than one phone number. "

jg "all very true, & having been there recently, i did notice the wine list WAS all French. another nice little attention to detail by McNally which continues to emphasize his attention to detail, & subtle way of reminding his clientele this is, in fact, a French brasserie!!!!!!"

bux "Just in case they see people eating burgers and fries and forget it's a French brasserie.

It is too noisy. I obviously don't hate it, but I'd love it more if I could carry on a conversation with my tablemates."

in the midst of meetings & wanderings last nite, at both Les Halles & Balthazar, jules in the e. village, then just for the" hell of it" walked over to Landmarc.

never was wild about Les Halles, but since its enlargement, the "buzz" seems gone, & it now somewhat depressing (to me). Balthazar, as usual packed, & not even able to sit at the bar!!! why does this fun & unique place have to be sooo popular????? Jules & other e. village "bistros" not in same league as a Balthazar, so why go unless in the area? Landmarc is simply a GEM. maybe just better to go there directly & forget the entire east side of manhattan, certainly the most convenient (for me).

Edited February 10, 2005 by jgould (log)

[jgould]

quotes:

in the midst of meetings & wanderings last nite, at both Les Halles & Balthazar, jules in the e. village,  then just for the" hell of it" walked over to Landmarc.

never was wild about Les Halles, but since its enlargement, the "buzz" seems gone, & it now somewhat depressing (to me). Balthazar, as usual packed, & not even able to sit at the bar!!! why does this fun & unique place have to be sooo popular?????  Jules & other e. village "bistros" not in same league as a Balthazar, so why go unless in the area? Landmarc is simply a GEM. maybe just better to go there directly & forget the entire east side of manhattan, certainly the most convenient (for me).

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forgot to add, how casual all the above are - vs. - an Orsay, La Goulue, L'Absinthe, or Brasserie LCB. however among the small # mentioned, Orsay, La Goulue, L'Absinthe, Brasserie LCB, & of course Balthazar are all beautiful. i guess, in the long run, one does have to pay for their creativity, attention to detail, as well as their ambiance. generally the food is above average, & none of these trying to "reinvent the wheel" - vs. - a Jean George, Ducasse, Boulud. sounds like i'm trying to justify the high prices, but in a city with so many restaurants, these do stand out.

next "crusade" is to try & dine at each & compare the big 5: food, prices, service, ambiance, authenticity of theme.

[herbacidal]

My wife and I went there for brunch a couple of Sundays ago.  We got there around 11:30 and were able to get a table without a reservation.  I take it that's not typical?

brunch there is generally a madhouse.. but the thing is, the place doesn't start to pickup until close to eleven.. i attribute this behavior to the same thing that gets me an outdoor table at coffee shop at the same time, people have realized that there's no alcohol served prior to noon and adjust their schedules accordingly..

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Hmm, so if I wanted desperately to have brunch at Balthazar (or any similarly popular brunch location---Barney Greengrass) the best thing would be to try and walk in at 10:30 or so?

The brunch places usually open at 10am, right?

I don't mind the not drinking, I can't drink that early anyway.

On the other hand, I'm more than likely going to be going to bed late the night before, so it might be a moot point.

[jgould]

My wife and I went there for brunch a couple of Sundays ago.  We got there around 11:30 and were able to get a table without a reservation.  I take it that's not typical?

brunch there is generally a madhouse.. but the thing is, the place doesn't start to pickup until close to eleven.. i attribute this behavior to the same thing that gets me an outdoor table at coffee shop at the same time, people have realized that there's no alcohol served prior to noon and adjust their schedules accordingly..

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Hmm, so if I wanted desperately to have brunch at Balthazar (or any similarly popular brunch location---Barney Greengrass) the best thing would be to try and walk in at 10:30 or so?

The brunch places usually open at 10am, right?

I don't mind the not drinking, I can't drink that early anyway.

On the other hand, I'm more than likely going to be going to bed late the night before, so it might be a moot point.

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not exactly the string continuation i was hoping for? somewhat along the lines of comments re: my comments above would be more consistent with THIS string's revival. additionally, where would the best places be for cassolet & choucoute??

[Oceangroveguy]

We walked into Balthazar yesterday (Sunday) at about 11 am and lucked into a table for 5 with no wait. The place was packed.

We all had eggs of one sort or another, except for one order of the day's special crepe, a buckwheat item filled with ham, gruyere and scrambled egg. The egg people had poached with polenta and pancetta, eggs benedict and an egg dish with smoked salmon. No one drank anything stronger than coffee.

The food was great, the service was wonderful, the cafe au lait just what we needed after a long visit with the Gates in Central Park. Two of our 5 had always wanted to try the place but had never been - they loved it, and so did we.

I've never had anything but a great time there.

[frogprince]

spending several days cooking and notsleeping, once we had done with that, i feared for the survival of my appetite; food had assumed a different form, one tied to back breaking labor and the catalyst for a severe case of pillow estrangement.

ah. balthazar. i owe you so much. who wouldve thought that a poached and then deep fried egg contain a yoke of such unctuousness, a richness that completely overwhelmed(!) the truffle dressing (never would i have thought that i would believe this to be true) on those verdant harbingers of spring, asparagus. and a glorious piece of desiccated pancetta never did anyone no harm at all.

as to all this tomfoolery regarding vips and walk ins and what not, i cannot attest. reservations were made by my boss for 4; we showed with 12 and in a matter of minutes, not even long enough to suck down a preprandial jameson's at the zinc bar, we had been seated.

i loved this place.

[DanaT]

Good story :)

Before I knew what Balthazar was, I and 3 friends walked in at 6 one night. I brazened my way through it (the two girls were visiting from Spain and it was our only night out) and said, "Do you possibly have a table for 4 of us who have absolutely no reservations whatsoever?" The maitre d' was young and glanced puzzledly from one to another of us before saying yes.

I think it was the two stunning looking girls in the group that got us the table.

The small oysters were delectable. and the lamb was heaven. After we went, I heard about the reputation and have been scared to go back. I think a second time will not live up to that first time.

Edited May 6, 2005 by DanaT (log)

[gaf]

SoHo on the Seine Journal's Diner New York Entry #31

What makes New York the only truly global city in the United States is its ability to contain the best of the world's culture on its streets and avenues. Many cities - Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Miami, once-and-perhaps-again New Orleans have worthy restaurants, but only New York has the range of restaurants that if they are not quite truly transplants, at least can pass for authentic if one is a gentle critic.

Balthazar in Soho is a adequately faithful rendition of a fin de siecle Parisian brasserie (the distinction between a brasserie and a bistro is perhaps most evident in that Steak Frites is the signature dish at the former and a bar is much in evidence. The brasserie is a bistro with balls).

Balthazar is not demure or restrained. Bustling is a fitting adjective. Loud is another. The food lacks subtlety, but makes up for this absence with robust charisma.

As a starter I selected Grilled Sardines with Roasted Eggplant, Arugula, and Basil. It was everything that might be wished. I particularly enjoyed the smoky grilled fish. If not delicate, it was as boisterous as Balthazar itself. The flavorful, pungent eggplant salad matched the sardine bite for bite.

My entree was Roasted Monkfish, Apple Smoked Bacon, Creamed Leeks, and Bordelaise Sauce. The combination of bacon and leeks merged two heavily marked tastes with a hearty monkfish. In such company the Bordelaise Sauce was a good match, not overpowering the other ingredients.

As dessert, I selected the tarte du jour: Fig-Raspberry Galette with Frangipane and a scoop of Toasted Almond Ice Cream. The galette was a disappointingly tough pasty sheet, but the fruit, almond cream, and almond ice cream were a soothing ending to a meal that succeeds in its terms, encouraging for a moment the fantasy that one was dining in SoHo on the Seine.

Balthazar

80 Spring Street (at Broadway)

Manhattan (SoHo)

212-965-1414

My Webpage: Vealcheeks

[larrylee]

Bump! The last message about Balthazar is from 2005. How's the food doing here these days? Still reliable? Is brunch still the best meal? Do they serve any dishes tableside (specifically steak tartare and the cote de boeuf) or is everything brought out from the kitchen?

I'm hoping any regular diners can provide updated perspectives on favorite dishes. It's a brasserie, so I'm not seeking nor expecting any culinary ground to be broken. I just some well prepared, hearty fare for a winter day.

Here are some dishes off the dinner menu I'm curious about in particular (according to the menus on their web site). A simple thumbs up/down and perhaps a comparison to a similar dish at another establishment would be great.

- steak tartare (in comparison to Les Halles)

- choucroute garnie (in comparison to Les Halles)

- moules frites (we usually like getting them at Cafe des Bruxelles)

- Roasted pumpkin ravioli

- Chicken liver and foie gras mousse

- paupiettes de sardines

- cider braised pork hock

- The fish dishes in general. Any particular standouts? How's the salt crusted whole fish?

Edited February 16, 2007 by larrylee (log)

[weinoo]

Still good - we ate at the bar not long ago and it was as good as always - fine service, great fries, brandade is awesome, etc.

[Sneakeater]

The last time I was here -- a couple of weeks ago -- I had the cider-braised pork hock. It was fine.

It's only brasserie food. Calm down. Try it. How bad can it be?

[Nathan]

the steak tartare is quite good.

can't speak to the others since when I go to Balthazar I'm generally in a mood for the "classics"...

(the duck shepherd's pie is superb)

the frites are some of the best in the city (if not the best).

if there is one word that most definitely and clearly applies to the food at Balthazar, it is "consistent"

[weinoo]

if there is one word that most definitely and clearly applies to the food at Balthazar, it is "consistent"

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I believe that applies to all the McNally properties as well.

[larrylee]

The last time I was here -- a couple of weeks ago -- I had the cider-braised pork hock.  It was fine.

It's only brasserie food.  Calm down.  Try it.  How bad can it be?

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You're right, of course. The only things to lose are money and time. I was just curious to see if I could elicit any reactions. As for "it's only brasserie food," I could say "a burger is just ground beef." And yet burger discussions can become heated.

[Sneakeater]

Buger discussions get heated. But if you feel like a burger, even the worst burger in the burger discussions is gonna go a long way toward satisfying you.

But I guess my point was more, here's a place that nobody really ever has anything bad to say about. Seems like a lot too much work to do micro-level comparisons to other places, with such a straightfoward type of food.

Edited February 16, 2007 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

if there is one word that most definitely and clearly applies to the food at Balthazar, it is "consistent"

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I believe that applies to all the McNally properties as well.

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Yeah.

[Nathan]

there's nothing there that's especially memorable. (except for maybe the frites.)

but neither is there supposed to be. but I've never had a bad dish. not one. that says something.

[Sneakeater]

there's nothing there that's especially memorable. (except for maybe the frites.)

but neither is there supposed to be.  but I've never had a bad dish.  not one.  that says something.

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Exactly.

[larrylee]

Well that's good enough for me.

[Nathan]

the Bruniblog visits Balthazar as a warm-up for Morandi:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=100738

he apparently had a very dry roast chicken (plausible enough...I've never ordered it)...and noted that it's not a comfortable place to linger (that's true enough..except for mornings).

what's interesting is the outpouring of comments (most of them asinine) followed by comment #50 from a Balthazar co-chef (its the only restaurant in NY to my knowledge that has two co-equal exec chefs):

he notes that with a 1000+ covers a day they will make mistakes but implores any diner who has an issue to say something...and further says he will take the criticisms to heart. that's impressive (and I think genuine) PR on the part of a kitchen.

[Fat Guy]

Bruni's indictment of the meal was pretty comprehensive -- not just dry roast chicken but also tough steak and inedible risotto. My own experience with Balthazar's non-breakfast food has been similar -- steak au poivre with so much pepper even I couldn't eat it, etc.

I've also not found that the restaurant is particularly responsive to customer criticism. The servers I've dealt with didn't really seem to know what to do in response to dissatisfaction with a dish.

In general, though, I agree with the chef. Restaurant reviewers are too passive-aggressive that way, preferring to complain in print than to give a restaurant the chance to correct a mistake.

[larrylee]

Nathan, the URL you used above sends people to the Gama thread.

I think you want this one instead.

[weinoo]

Bruni's indictment of the meal was pretty comprehensive -- not just dry roast chicken but also tough steak and inedible risotto. My own experience with Balthazar's non-breakfast food has been similar -- steak au poivre with so much pepper even I couldn't eat it, etc.

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Well, it's comprehensive for the items he ate...all 3 of them.

FWIW, he did say the steak was "a little tough," which usually is the case with a hangar or entrecote - whatever the steak part of the steak frites is. They tend to be chewier cuts.

He also seemed to like the vegetables that came with the chicken, as well as the oysters, the desserts and the wine list.

And I haven't been out to a restaurant with my sisters in a long time - but lingering in a restaurant with them isn't high on my list either.

So basically he had a dry roast chicken (no excuse) and shitty risotto...and was crowded near the door...wow. Hardly a wholesale indictment, imo.

[Megan Blocker]

So, Balthazar's tenth anniversary is coming up next week...guess that means Pastis' isn't too far behind, eh?

Seems they're handing out free champagne (Balthazar = 16 magnums) to celebrate the occasion...the details:

How it Works:

Monday, April 23, 2007 – all day.

Breakfast – Complimentary glass of champagne or a Mimosa, with a meal.

Lunch, Late Lunch, Dinner and Supper – Complimentary bottle of

champagne for parties up to 5 people, with a meal. Parties of 6 or

more will be offered two bottles.

Woohoo, free booze!

Whoever goes, please report back on whether it's totally nutso with people clamoring for free champagne. Frankly, I wouldn't mind a bottle of champers with some oysters right about now. Mmmmm...