Brasserie Les Halles

[DanaT]

We're hoping to get some pictures via email from some of the other attendees (we didn't bring the camera) and permission to post to goose recipe (which was included in the press kit). Meanwhile, here's their website if you'd like to make reservations.

Joyeaux Noel, mes cheres!

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Merci, Rachel! Sounds like a delicious evening. Les Halles is just around the corner so its worth dropping in. I agree with you on the oysters. I love 'em but I always ask for the tiniest.

The website doesn't have the Christmas menu listed yet. Any idea on how much the prix fixe would cost?

[Rachel Perlow]

The website doesn't have the Christmas menu listed yet. Any idea on how much the prix fixe would cost?

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Yes, I have the menu right here, it is $58 for the 4-course prix fixe.

Here's the full menu with a la carte prices:

• 13.50 . . . Porcini Salad with Mache, Ham, Walnuts and Fine Herbs
  ***
  15.00 . . . Crispy Oysters with Truffle and Caviar
  14.00 . . . Pan Seared Sweetbread with Sauternes Sauce
  ***
  28.00 . . . Confit and Roasted Gouse with Braised Swiss Chard
  32.00 . . . Roasted Sturgeon with Sauternes and Caviar Sauce, Leek Fondue
  ***
  8.00 . . . Buche de Noel, Macarons de Saint-Emillion
  

Addition: I received the press release digitally, here it is, so that you could see the French description of the dishes and the actual names of the featured wines:

BRASSERIE LES HALLES CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS IN FRANCE

WITH HOLIDAY DINNER FROM BORDEAUX

Menu Specials from Monday, December 20 – Sunday, December 26, 2004

December 2004 – For over a decade, Brasserie Les Halles has set the standard for the authentic French Brasserie experience as a hub of conviviality, wonderful comfort food and great company.  Such spirit is especially strong at Christmas, a time for rejoicing with food and family.  This year, Les Halles is bringing the tastes of tradition home to the restaurant by serving Christmas in France dishes from the region of Bordeaux.  Owner Philippe Lajaunie explains, “Bordeaux is where I am from, therefore I am particularly pleased to take you on a culinary holiday journey through my home province, and share our memories, sites, sounds and tastes through the foods and wines of the region.” 

Enticing Christmas in Bordeaux menu specials will be available from Monday, December 20 – Sunday, December 26 and include: Salade Girondine aux Cèpes, Mâche et Noix (Porcini Salad with Mâche, Ham, Walnuts and Fine Herbs); Gavettes à la Façon du Bassin d’Arcachon (Crispy Oysters with Truffle and Caviar); Ris de Veau au Sauternes (Pan Seared Sweetbread with Sauternes Sauce); Oie aux Deux Façon, Côtes de Bettes à la Landaise (Confit and Roasted Goose with Braised Swiss Chard); Esturgeon Rôti au Sauternes et Caviar, Fondue de Poireaux (Roasted Sturgeon with Sauternes and Caviar Sauce, Leek Fondue); Bûche de Noël Traditionnelle (Traditional Christmas Log); and Macarons de Saint-Émilion.  Featured Bordeaux Wines include Yvecourt 2003 (white), Château Preuillac 2000 (Médoc), and Château Magnol 1999 (Médoc).

Diners who want to truly bring Christmas in Bordeaux home for the holidays will be able to purchase all the ingredients needed to make Les Halles specials as well as dishes from the classic menu and the Les Halles Cookbook at the newly opened Les Halles Market.  Located in the recently expanded Park Ave. location, the market offers home chefs a full array of ingredients including stocks, glace, demi-glace, pâtés, and sausages as well as breads, pastries, dry goods and other ingredients.  To complete the traditional French Christmas meal, the beautiful Bûche de Noël (Christmas Log cake) will also be available for sale at the market ($5/slice or $50/whole).  Ordering in advance is recommended.

Les Halles Market: is located at Brasserie Les Halles at: 411 Park Ave. (btw 28 – 29 Sts.) 

For reservations call 212-679-4111 / fax 212-779-0679. Open 12:00 noon to Midnight.

Brasserie Les Halles Downtown: 15 John St. (btw. Bway & Nassau)

For reservations call 212-285-8585 / fax 212-791-3280

Edited December 9, 2004 by Rachel Perlow (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

For those that were intrigued by the goose description, here's the recipe:

GOOSE TWO WAYS

Executive Chef Gwenaël Le Pape

Brasserie Les Halles

SERVES 6 PEOPLE

1 WHOLE  GOOSE

½ BUNCH  THYME

½ BUNCH  ROSEMARY

1 PIECE  GARLIC HEAD

4 LBS    GOOSE FAT

3 BUNCHES  CLEANNED SWISS CHARD

6 SLICES  SMALL DICED BACON

1 SLICED  SPANISH ONION

4 CUPS  MIREPOIX OF VEGETABLES

1 GALLON  CLEAR CHICKEN STOCK

2 CUPS  WHITE WINE

¼ CUP  MIXED SPICES

1 HANDFULL CORSE SEA SALT

TO TASTE  CRUSHED BLACK PEPPERCORN

• BONE THE GOOSE, SEPARATING LEGS FROM BREAST FROM CARCASSE

• CURE THE LEGS WITH COARSE SEA SALT, HERBS, GARLIC AND PEPPER FOR 24 HOURS

• CRUSH THE CARCASSE, ROAST IT UNTIL BROWN WITH MIREPOIX

• DEGLAZE WITH WHITE WINE AND ADD CLEAR CHICKEN STOCK

• SIMMER AT VERY LOW FIRE FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS

• STRAIN THROUGH FINE STRAINER AND REDUCE AT LOW FIRE UNTIL CONSISTENCY IS SYRUPY

• WIPE CLEAN THE GOOSE LEGS AND COOK AT VERY LOW FIRE IN GOOSE FAT FOR 4 HOURS UNTIL VERY TENDER, AND SET ASIDE

• SWEAT BACON IN A LARGE RONDEAU, ADD SLICED ONION, COOK UNTIL SOFT THEN ADD CLEANED SWISS CHARD, WET WITH CLEARED CHICKEN STOCK, SEASON AND DRAIN

• SEASON AND ROAST THE GOOSE BREAST ON SKIN SIDE ONLY AT MEDIUM FLAME FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, FLIP OVER AND SET ASIDE FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES

• SLICE THE BREAST ALL ACROSS AS THIN AS POSSIBLE

• PLACE THE SWISS CHARD IN THE CENTER OF THE DISH, LAY THE LEGS CONFIT ON ONE SIDE AND THE BREAST ON THE OPPOSITE

• CHECK SEASONING OF THE SAUCE, DRIZZLE ON TOP OF THE MEAT AND SERVE HOT.

BON APPETIT, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Reprinted with permission. Good luck making it, I'll get mine at Les Halles!

[jgould]

ok, what's the deal. les halles is:

a) too noisy

b) lousy service

c) living off its laurels

d) the branches are simply terrible (wall st should be closed)

e) absentee owners & exec. chef too busy promoting

d) all of the above

OR:

a) one of the very few honest-to-goodness French bistros in NYC

b) a menu that is both varied & interesting, although many stay with the beef

c) hey! its a bistro/brasserie - don't sweat the other stuff

d) is park bistro across the street better or not worth the effort

have only been back to les halles once AFTER the enlargement, & only for drinks at the larger bar. is it now easier to snag a table without reservations? of course, the smaller version took reservations, but it meant nothing

[oakapple]

I had dinner at the John Street branch on Friday night. I ordered the most basic thing on the menu: New York Sirloin and French Fries. For under thirty bucks I had a very respectable steak and deliciously crisp fries. I've no complaints about the service.

I've never dined at the uptown branch, so I'm not in a position to make any comparisons, but it struck me as respectable food at a very attractive price. Although I live nearby, I haven't gone to Les Halles very often—for some reason, I just never got around to it. I think that's about to change.

[rozrapp]

ok, what's the deal. les halles is:

a) too noisy

b) lousy service

c) living off its laurels

d) the branches are simply terrible (wall st should be closed)

e) absentee owners & exec. chef too busy promoting

d) all of the above

Definitely "a." I stopped going to the Park Av. S. location because I couldn't take the eardrum-splitting decibel level. Another turn-off for me is the truly uncomfortable sardine-like seating along the banquettes. I did like the hanger steak and frites. But good versions can be had elsewhere (see below) without the (literal) headaches.

OR:

a) one of the very few honest-to-goodness French bistros in NYC

b) a menu that is both varied & interesting, although many stay with the beef

c) hey! its a bistro/brasserie - don't sweat the other stuff

d) is park bistro across the street better or not worth the effort

c) Just to clarify, its formal name is "Brasserie Les Halles," so it's a brasserie, not a bistro.

d) We've been going to Park Bistro with some regularity for more than 10 years. Despite the changes in chefs over the years, the cooking has mananged to remain pretty consistently solid. I've had some truly sublime meals, as well as an occasional disappointment with a particular dishes. The hanger steak and frites are fabulous! I've always liked the interior's very Paris bistro ambiance, and the recent refurbishment has the place looking stylish and refreshed. While seating is fairly close, as it usually is in bistros, it's way more roomy than at Les Halles (no great feat!). The noise level is conversation-friendly. The staff knows us, and service is always very pleasant and efficient. But I have observed that they are that way with all patrons -- as it should be!

[jgould]

c) Just to clarify, its formal name is "Brasserie Les Halles," so it's a brasserie, not a bistro.

d) We've been going to Park Bistro with some regularity for more than 10 years. Despite the changes in chefs over the years, the cooking has mananged to remain pretty consistently solid.

thx for the correction, i do know les halles is a brasserie, but u, like me, know "its in the details..."

used to love PB, but it was going downhill so fast, that i stopped going. do u know who the new owners are & who the current chef is?

Edited December 14, 2004 by jgould (log)

[DanaT]

If you live in Murray Hill, you're graced by the sounds of ambulances, firetrucks, and assorted other sirens from the neighborhood fire station, hospitals, and police station at all times of the day or night. By the time you get to Les Halles, your hearing is already shot.

Edited December 14, 2004 by DanaT (log)

[goshi]

Before I begin, I just want to say that I do like Bourdain a lot (whatever that really menas since I only know him from his books and his television programs)...and the guy obviously knows his food. It's evident in his cookbooks and his comments.

Too bad all of it went out the door by the worst service I have had in quite a while. I at least got a smile when "Ms. Marple" gave me the clap! Yes yes I know Zagats said this regarding service and others as well...but seesh, since when has service gone this pear-shaped? The service is the equivalent of finding out your T cell count is drop drop dropping! (okay that was bad...)

I had the cassoulet and my fiance had the blood sausage...let me tell you, they were both really nice. The best, even!!! I cannot believe how good the meat is at this place. The frites however were late and burnt...bad, hey two out of three isn't bad. Why did I have to order these things twice, oh because my server and his helpy fella are first class idiots!

Faster than you can say"Buffalo Bills" (or 'titanic") here's where the meal sucks. Our server never saw to us how our pork confit was (it was bad, grainy and tasted like cold poultry gone bad salad). He never got me my second drink because he never came back. I only saw him at the very end of the meal half-heartedly saying, "So How'zit?") His helper pretended to ignore me when I wanted something else to drink (hey jackass I wasn't asking for an iced tea...it was another Chimay! Chimay!!!)

I used to be a server and trust me when I say this...I am a server's dream, you can upsell me a bottle of anthrax with a splash of lemon if you make it sound good. I'll never scoff at the wait for food since I know sometimes the kitchen gets backed up nor will I blame the food on the waiter. Hey it happens...but so does getting the worst case of Herpes.

With that said, the service ruined it all for me. If this was a Denny's then yeah, I'll take a side of "F you" with my meatballs. But seriously Bourdain, you need to go back and kick the service's @$$ so hard, they can only crap blood for months.

My review; Food is good but luckily the service overcompensatesfor this and ensures you a ruined evening. "How'zit?" It sucks you moron (Not you Bourdain, your server)!

[bpearis]

This review has in spades what is missing in Bruni's -- multiple references to sexually transmitted diseases.

Les Halles has the best fries I've ever eaten. My weren't burnt, though.

[Mulcahy]

My review;  Food is good but luckily the service overcompensatesfor this and ensures you a ruined evening.  "How'zit?"  It sucks you moron (Not you Bourdain, your server)!

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We had a great experience at Les Halles about six months ago (I can't find my post about it). But I had a very similar experience to goshi about two weeks ago. Husband and I showed up on a Wednesday night when the restaurant was fairly empty -- lots of available tables. Seated at a table and then left there. 32 minutes went by before we saw our server. When our server appeared I ordered a bottle of burgundy. He returned with it and then disappeared for another 15 minutes. By this time the restaurant is mobbed. The server then comes over and proceeds to tell us how he is in the weeds, how unhappy he is with the expansion, how much of the regular staff has quit, then blessedly finally takes our order. The reason, if you're wondering, my husband and I stayed is because a) we really wanted steak frites b) we had traveled from the wilds of the Upper West Side to get steak frites and c) neither of us (we were tired from work) felt like having to wandering around to find another restaurant to eat at. The apps (escargots for me, fried oyster special for husband) were excellent. The steaks were very very good, cooked mid-rare as we ordered them. My hubands fries were way too salty, while mine were undersalted. It took, not surprisingly, forever to get our check. We were not the only table having this experience -- all the tables around us were.

I love the food there. Really love it. But the service was so bad it outweighed my prior "good" visit. I am not sure that we will go back.

[DanaT]

I have reservations for Les Halles for Monday, Dec. 20 for their Christmas menu.

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Oops, forgot to come back and report.

When we went the Monday before Christmas, the place was not too crowded and the service was fine. I did mistakenly think from Rachel's review that there would be a wine pairing offered with the meal but I was wrong and a bit surprised that the waitress didn't know right away whether they offered a pairing or not.

The salad of Porcini mushrooms, mache, fried ham, candied walnuts, and herbs was delicious. The only complaint we had was the timing. A salad before the main course seems odd in a French meal. We would have enjoyed it much more after the main course.

The crispy oysters were quite frankly disappointing. I agree with Rachel that the breading was overdone. Alas, I have less refined tastebuds than she for I could not taste the caviar.

The goose with confit was simply amazing. Now I know why Jason was sopping up the sauce. Thick, a little sweet, very pungent, it made everything it touched delicious. The goose was tender and fell apart in the mouth. Rich, delicate all simultaneously.

The Buche de Noel was moist, yummy and everything that a buche should be.

This was the second menu I have partaken on recommendation from the New York board. The first was omokase at Sushi Yasuda. With alcohol, the price of the two meals were comparable. I think the overall quality of the food was more consistent at Yasuda. Perhaps its not fair to compare a Japanese and French restaurant but those were our impressions.

So far we have enjoyed each meal that was recommended and look forward to picking out our next choice on this board.

[Seand04]

Like everyone else who loves French bistro meals and who loves AB's books, I was in NYC this past weekend and I wanted to eat at Les Halles. The food was excellent and exactly what I expected. I kept it simple and had the Steak Tartare, while sampling from my group of friends dishes I also tried the Steak Frites, and the grilled calamari with shaved fennel salad, and others. That is not really the point of this post, the food was great. I am posting to see if anyone else who has eaten there has ever experienced poor service. I am hoping what happened to us last weekend was a fluke as I would love to go back there.

There were six of us, everyone ordered, got their main course, except one of us, we did not see the waiter again, and we assumed he would be returning with the one missing entrée, about ten minutes go by, some of us were actually done with our main course at this point, when the waiter walked by, we flagged him down and asked about the missing dish, he went back to the kitchen, and came back with a salad, and said, “your calamari, is being prepared now, here is a salad so you have something to eat with your friends”. Not kidding.

We were all done eating by this point and my friend really didn’t want the salad at all and I think the waiter should have just said, "look, no charge for the calamari, sorry for the mess up" rather than bring out a salad while we were all finished. The dish came out, after everyone was done eating. Anyway we ended up explaining the situation to the manager, something I hate doing, I have never even done it before and I was very embarrassed about the whole thing, however, I did not feel right about my friend having to sit there while we ate, and then having to pay for his meal. The manager took it off with out a question, and obviously we still left the waiter a 20% tip. My question is, is this normal for Les Halles? They were not even busy and the restaurant was barely half full.

[zeitoun]

I've always received lousy service at Les Halles in about 4 or 5 visits, but that still didn't keep me from going again obviously. Waiters with bad attitudes, wrong orders making to the table, spills... none of it was significant enough to keep me from a good steak frites.

More recently though, I personaly chose to give it an indefinitive pass since my last trip there after the renovation (in March I think) was a disaster. Soggy fries with Cote de Boeuf that was fatty, chewy and overcooked. That night alone managed to kill everything I loved about the place.

[Laura B]

I frequent the downtown location, and I am sorry to say that the service there can be very bad. We go anyway because it is so close to our apartment and we love the food, but I think it is about a 50/50 chance that we will get bad service on any random day. I think some days it is just bad waitstaff and others the restaurant seems to be understaffed.

[JohnL]

I had a really nice lunch at Les halles recently.

The place was packed and the service was fine--the staff even gave us some places to go and enjoy some cigars!

The steak tartare is about as good as it gets --classic version!

as for the problems noted in earlier posts:

maybe Tony should hire Gordon Ramsey as a consultant and the film the thing!!!!

Jeeez that would be something akin to nude chef wrestling!!!

Gordon could beat up the staff, Tony could beat up Gordon then they both could beat up the.....

[JohnL]

ps

My "nice lunch" was at the Park Avenue branch!

again--

I have eaten there a number of times--always had a good experience!

[TarteTatin]

Was working in NY not far from Les Halles today, had about 30 minutes for lunch before getting back...Ran in and sat at the bar.

The place has been expanded since I'd been there last. Looks good! At least double the size that it was previously.

I was a single woman, sitting at the bar, having lunch. Not a problem at all. No one looked at me funny when I ordered a half bottle of Guigal Rhone ($16, but two glasses would have been $17).

Decided to get the Duck Confit appetizer salad ($10.50). When it arrived, it looked rather small, just a drumstick without much meat on it at all. It was served over frisee, which I love, but it looked like a bit of mesclun was stuck in there. On the side was a square of toast with, I believe, foie gras mousse on it.

Well, the tastes were outrageous! Both the duck and the mousse were so tasty, not greasy, delicious...the salad wasn't over dressed, I hate that, this had hardly a touch, if anything on it.

It was plenty, although it looked small.

The bartender that served me was pleasant, and they rushed and got me my check when I realized the time...

[Vinotas]

I have to say, Les Halles has always had good to very good food, but wow can their service be inconsistent. I've actually had 3 different people hand me a check (for the same amount) after pestering everyone for my bill!

On one visit I was sure Bourdain was in the kitchen, everything came out on time and perfectly cooked, the water glass was always full and our bill arrived on time.

Too bad, this could be so much more wonderful.

Cheers!

[Bux]

. . . .

On one visit I was sure Bourdain was in the kitchen, everything came out on time and perfectly cooked, the water glass was always full and our bill arrived on time. . . . .

←

It's not just that Tony's made his mark as a literary figure and media journalist rather than in the kitchen, but somehow I don't think he'd pride himself on seeing that water glasses are always full or that the bill arrived on time.

[dragonflychef]

i think any great chef would and certainly should be concerned with the other details of a meal that either add or dettract from the food that has been served

dining is after all an all encompassing experience

. . . .

On one visit I was sure Bourdain was in the kitchen, everything came out on time and perfectly cooked, the water glass was always full and our bill arrived on time. . . . .

←

It's not just that Tony's made his mark as a literary figure and media journalist rather than in the kitchen, but somehow I don't think he'd pride himself on seeing that water glasses are always full or that the bill arrived on time.

←

Edited December 10, 2005 by dragonflychef (log)

[Bux]

i think any great chef would and certainly should be concerned with the other details of a meal that either add or dettract from the food that has been served

dining is after all an all encompassing experience

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Absolutely, but trust me on this, I've come to admire Tony and have great respect for him. He's talented and engaging. It's just that I think he, himself, would be the first person to tell you that restaurants such as the French Laundry and le Bernardin have great chefs. Les Halles is another kind of restaurant. At any rate, as I said above, Tony's accomplishments as a writer and and as a TV host/guide are probably his greater contributions, even within a culinary context. There is some sort of celebrity thing that drives many to les Halles because it's where Tony cheffed when he became well known, just as it does to the White Horse Tavern because Dylan Thomas drank there. I guess what I'm tryiing to say is that some people seem to believe they might arrive at les Halles and find him in the kitchen.

[mikeycook]

Had lunch at the downtown location yesterday. Just went simple, steak frites with a side of bearnaise and a glass of Marsannay. So hard to choose from the many nice cuts of beef, but I decided to go cheap. Will definitely try to get back and split the Cote de Boeuf for two. As I was looking over the menu it was hard to find a steak that didn't look good (they also had a pave special).

I think, overall, there are many more things to like about the Park Avenue location and if one were to only go to one, that is the one I would choose. That being said, there are few other nice restaurants around the John St. location and it is a joy to be able to go there for lunch.

[gaf]

Slacker New York City Entry #68

Brasserie Les Halles has amassed its share of critics. With über-celebrity-chef Anthony Bourdain as its animating spirit, skepticism is served slathered in butter. Since the publication of Kitchen Confidential in 2000, Bourdain has been more of a marketing phenomenon than chef, and judging from his account, even when he was a cook, he was a player; stovework bowed to other pursuits of the evening.

A few years before the appearance of Kitchen Confidential with its grand guignol yarns of culinary hijinks, I published Kitchens, a description of work in restaurant backstages, populated with men and women of a serious mien. I watched as M. Bourdain became a millionaire, while I remained, uh, a thousandaire. My imagined adventure in the wilds of TV-land was not seen fit for cancellation. "Survivor Gourmet" seemed the perfect accompaniment for the Food Network. Two teams dropped on a tropical island compete for culinary superiority. I remain convinced that an audience is waiting to watch Richard Hatch whip up a mess o' grubs in the altogether. I come to my review with several deadly sins in play.

Les Halles strives for adequacy. It usually achieves its goal, creating a thoughtless cuisine. The usual failings of a misbegotten restaurant were muted. On a Tuesday night this faux brasserie was not as loud as its reputation. Granted our server appeared and disappeared at odd moments, sometimes hovering, sometimes invisible, but we didn't wait unduly for our meal. Les Halles, not as carefully designed as Balthazar, charms as it mimics American cultural images of French brasseries. Walnut paneling and framed posters lend a touch of the Parisian night. If it felt faintly inauthentic, it was not unpleasantly so. Les Halles has a maudlin appeal.

Duck Confit with Frisée Salad could not stand up to a close inspection. The duck liver pate (assuredly not foie gras) and duck leg were soft, mild, and fatty. Simple and adequate. It was an appetizer that didn't interrupt our conversation for a culinary mind-meld.

The same applied to Hanger Steak and Frites with Shallot Sauce. How many ways to say inoffensive. Hanger steak is not a tender cut of meat, but it is flavorful, and so it served its purpose. Although Les Halles is known for its freedom spuds, Burger King comes pretty close. This generous portion was satisfying, fried in peanut oil, and they were crisp through and through. They just didn't crackle, pop, or snap. I puzzled over the shallot sauce, which I assumed would be a buerre blanc, but turned out to be barbeque sauce with chopped shallots - an odd mix that hid any subtlety that the shallots might have contributed.

For dessert, we chose Crème Brulee. The caramelized topping was just fine, if not remarkably crackly, but the creamy custard had a slight lemon off-taste (perhaps it was an unadvertised lemon brulee). The portion was so ample that four diners shared the ramekin, not quite finishing the pudding.

I have been trying to cut back on calories, but often it is hard to resist cleaning my plate. I had no trouble with this arduous resolution at Les Halles. I didn't desire to return dishes, but neither did I feel a need to finish them. At Les Halles, 60% suffices.

A critic can find much carp about. But I can't deny that I enjoyed the evening, and not only because of my company. Les Halles has figured out just what it must do to get by. It is the slacker of New York City bistros, skating by on roguish charm and good looks.

Brasserie Les Halles

411 Park Avenue South (at 29th Street)

Manhattan (Gramercy Park)

212-679-4111

My Webpage: Vealcheeks

[oakapple]

The same applied to Hanger Steak and Frites with Shallot Sauce. How many ways to say inoffensive. Hanger steak is not a tender cut of meat, but it is flavorful, and so it served its purpose. Although Les Halles is known for its freedom spuds, Burger King comes pretty close. This generous portion was satisfying, fried in peanut oil, and they were crisp through and through. They just didn't crackle, pop, or snap. I puzzled over the shallot sauce, which I assumed would be a buerre blanc, but turned out to be barbeque sauce with chopped shallots - an odd mix that hid any subtlety that the shallots might have contributed.

←

I had the identical dish on Tuesday night at Les Halles downtown. This is a pretty fair description of it. The hangar steak was not a particularly thick cut, but then, the dish was $17.50. I could have walked ten minutes in the other direction, and paid more than double for my dinner at Mark Joseph, where the steak would be as thick as you could ever want. But you go to Les Halle because you're in the mood for a different kind of experience.

February is choucroute month at Les Halles, which is a good reason to give the place a try, if only because so few restaurants offer it. I wasn't up to such hearty fare the other night, but I was impressed with last year's choucroute festival, and I assume the preparations are still up to standard.

Edited February 9, 2006 by oakapple (log)