L'Absinthe

[Geepsie]

I will be in the city soon for a conference. We have reservations at L'Atelier, Felidia (truffle menu, yum!), and Gotham

Bar and Grill. After having rediscovered the city several years ago (it helped to have an income), I've dragged my

willing husband to Jean-Georges ****, Daniel (old location)***, Aquavit***1/2, Gotham***(welcoming, satisfying on a visceral level), Picholine***1/2(good cheese, best wine-by-the-glass with tasting menu experience in several cities), Lespinasse***(under Kunz, average wine-by-the-glass experience), Veritas****+, March***, dbBistro**, and Patria**.

Looking for a Tuesday evening reservation. It's been hard to find reviews of L'Absinthe. Is it not on the foodie map?

Other choices on the cheat sheet are Rhone, Montrachet, Park Avenue Cafe, ILO, Cafe Boulud. We are staying

in midtown.

Geepsie

[mogsob]

L'Absinthe is one of my favorites. It is the only restaurant in NY that comes close to replicating a Parisian bistro/brasserie (the food is bistro, the decor is brasserie). Of the restaurants you list, I would go to L'Absinthe in a heartbeat (Cafe Boulud a close second, but an entirely different restaurant indeed).

Here is the perfect L'Absinthe experience. Start with a glass of champagne. Progress to starter of your choice. Then, the perfect roast chicken (for two, carved whole tableside, as in Paris) with frites and haricots verts on the side. A nice Burgundy or Rhone to accompany. The dessert souffle (pray for pumpkin). Calvados. Pay the bill with your eyes closed.

The sole meuniere is the only decent rendition in NY, if you want fish.

[marcus]

I like l'Absinthe as well, but probably not quite as much as Mogsob. It is really an everyday restaurant for moneyed upper east siders rather than a destination restaurant which is how I would characterize your list of references. It is also very expensive for the level of preparation which is quite simple. In fact, you need to avoid the few elaborate dishes which mostly appear in the daily special, as they can be quite unsuccessful. One of the virtues of lAbsinthe is that you can typically walk in and get a table, but of course a reservation is to be preferred. What they do provide are simple well prepared French bistro dishes using excellent ingredients which they treat well. I particularly like their duck breast preparations and they probably have the best steak frites in the city, much better than Les Halles for example, the steak not necessarily the frites.

[Suzanne F]

The only places from your list that I know are Montrachet and ILO. Haven't been to either one since the summer, though. But I love them both. Montrachet has always (through all the various chefs) had very, very flavorful food, and good wine selections. ILO has very inventive food, great desserts, good cheese selections, and I like the space even though it is rather starkly modern.

[baruch]

although out of your way (although u did have rhone on your cheat list), i would suggest Pastis &/or Balthathar. maybe not the "foodie" experience, but both are a lot of fun with that "joie de vivre" that u "may" be looking for.

[robert brown]

Geepsie, I liked Ouest a lot when I went last week for the first time. I am returning for another dinner this Tuesday. See what others may say now that I have thrown it into the mix. It's a fairly tough reservation to get, but I was able to change my time without a problem when I called yesterday. I agree with the assessment of L'Absinthe: very good at what it is designed to do, but expensive for the kind of place it is. Good evocative bistro atmosphere as well. Cafe Boulud I found to be all over the place in terms of the quality of the food and without much heart and soul in terms of feel. It may be the space since all three restaurants that have been there have felt that same way to me.

Edited December 1, 2002 by robert brown (log)

[Robert Schonfeld]

For me, the principal attraction of L'Absinthe has always been the very pleasant room, and the fact that you can get a decent choucroute garni. Some places are just fun to go to.

[azlee]

I found the roast chicken at L'Absinthe very tasty, indeed. But the meal overpriced for what it was, mostly simple foods, prepared very simply. Maybe it's like paying more for organic raw milk?

[mogsob]

You know, I have seen the overpriced tag applied to L'Absinthe many times, but I really think it is entirely without justification (with the notable exception of their wine list, which is in serious need of repricing).

First, roast chicken is $18 per person. Certainly, this is not overpriced, given that you are served the entire bird, which is roasted and carved to order ($36 for two). Indeed, it is far less than comparable roast chickens in Paris -- the only suitable comparison here. The roast chicken for two at Allard is approximately $25 per person, and that is reasonable by Parisian bistro standards. Moreover, you don't need to fly to France.

Second, $10 for a huge dessert souffle. This is not some coffee cup souffle that is served at most restaurants, but an old fashioned football sized souffle. I think $10 is pretty reasonable, given the that it is by far the best souffle in NY.

Granted, you do need to order side dishes and that is an extra cost, but the frites are excellent, and they are not that expensive.

It is really not fair to compare L'Absinthe to other bistros in NY, as it is far and away superior in every respect. The only comparable bistros are really in France. And compared with the cost of comparable Parisian bistros (Allard, Chez Georges, Benoit, D'Chez Eau etc.), L'Absinthe is certainly well-priced indeed.

[baruch]

(with the notable exception of their wine list, which is in serious need of repricing).

but isn't it true that wine is an integral part of the meal? & if u agree, then, regardless of being able to justify the price of l'absinthe's food dishes; the wine makes the ENTIRE MEAL adsurd! &, if the wine list "is in serious need of repricing", why do customers continue to put up with prices that cannot be justified??

p.s. have eaten @ all the mentioned paris bistros - love them all!

[marcus]

The chicken may be inexpensive, many restaurants offer a single well priced dish, but it doesn't represent the average price of main dishes. My recollection the last time I ate there was $26-32 per. Anyhow Mogsob, aren't you changing course here. In your original post you said "pay the bill with your eyes closed".

[mogsob]

Jeez -- I never said it was not expensive, just that it is not overpriced. Therein lies the difference. I close my eyes at ADNY as well, but I wouldn't say that it is overpriced (although their wine list is also in serious need of repricing). Anyway, you can always find a bottle or two that are good value on any list.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Do they allow BYO?

[jaybee]

For me, the principal attraction of L'Absinthe has always been the very pleasant room, and the fact that you can get a decent choucroute garni. Some places are just fun to go to.

...and a few other very authentic well made brasserie and bistro favorites. My take on the place exactly.

[baruch]

jaybee - what are the few others u are including?

[jaybee]

jaybee - what are the few others u are including?

APPETIZERS

Moules Marinieres de l'Ile du Prince Edward $12.00/$24.00

Prince Edward Island Steamed Mussels

Suppl French Fries $3.50

Cervelas Poche aux Truffes et Pistaches, Salade Tiede de Pomme de Terre $14.00

Homemade Poached Black Truffle Pistachios Garlic Sausage with Baby Gold Potato Salad

Pieds de Porc Farcis au Foie Gras et Pommes, Reduction de Cidre $13.00

Stuffed Pig Feet with Foie Gras, Apple, Cider Reduction

MAIN COURSES

Poularde Truffee et Ses Legumes Poches $34.00

Poached Free Range Chicken in a Black Truffle Broth and Vegetables

Aiguillette de Boeuf au Vin Rouge, Tagliatelle Fraiche au Beurre $30.00

Slow Braised Beef in Red Wine, Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta

Sole Meuniere Market Price

Classic Dover Sole Meuniere

Steak Frites, Beurre Maitre d'Hotel ou Sauce au Poivre $29.00

Sirloin Steak, Beurre Maitre D'Hotel or Peppercorn Sauce, French Fries

Tartare de Boeuf, Salade de Cresson $22.00

Beef Tartare, Watercress Salad, French Fries

Choucroute Royale Alsacienne $28.50

Assorted Sausages, Pork Loin, Ham Hock, Sauerkraut

[dimitri steinberg]

For what it's worth, I notice on the l'Absinthe web site that the chicken for 2 is $44 not $36 and that it is, by a substantial margin, the cheapest main course offered.

[baruch]

many thx jaybee. appreciate the list, & quite frankly the prices u list don't seem to be too outrageous, but re: dimitri's observation, $44 for 2/roasted chicken is pretty damn hi - its NOT l'ami louis!

as to moqsob's comment - should one HAVE to search to find "something of value" on a wine list? why the wines are priced so extraordinarily hi seems odd.

p.s. i noticed u mention the steak frites is a sirloin steak. aren't "real" steak frites generally an entrecote, i.e. a boneless rib steak (not the ribeye) ? it would seem that a bistro of l'absinthe's style would not serve from the sirloin, but only from the loin or rib sections.

however, what i meant is: what other bistros/brasseries in nyc do u consider on par, or just above or just

below l'absinthe?

Edited December 3, 2002 by baruch (log)

[Suzanne F]

what other bistros/brasseries in nyc do u consider on par, or just above or just below l'absinthe?  

Maybe because it's close, and maybe because it's still open when I'm done with late meetings -- but I enjoy the John Street branch of Les Halles. The meat is good; the roast chicken is good; the frites are very good; the charcuterie is good. The back room is reasonably comfortable (although you could be in the back of a non-descript bar there). And it's a lot cheaper than places uptown (i.e., above Chambers Street )

[mogsob]

baruch -- expensive for roast chicken, yes. Expensive for great roast chicken, no. And roughly half the cost of L'Ami Louis, btw. And as for the wine list, name me 10 restaurants in NY where you don't have to hunt for a good deal (below 100% mark-up). You can't. Also, real steak frites is steak with frites. There is no particular cut that is appropriate. Moreover, I'd rather have L'Absinthe's sirloin than Les Halles poor entrecote any day of the week. Really, is there a more overrated restaurant in NY than Les Halles? Moreover, there are no other bistros in NY that are on par with L'Absinthe (although I will note never having been to Orsay, which is a FG fave). The test is whether the bistro would succeed if transplanted to Paris -- L'Absinthe would (indeed, its clone has been doing great business in the Marche St. Honore for years).

[baruch]

ok, even though i live crosstown from l'absinthe u have convinced me to return, merci!

as for wine in general, i would be happy to find places that have "just" a 100% markup. seems to me the typical markups are more like 3-400%, particularly @ l'absinthe, orsay, etc... don't think i have ever seen a vin carte that has ANYTHING less than 100% - pls provide an example!

as to steak frites, i have a minor disagreement; in paris & most french cookbooks, steak frites IS usually an entrecote. sirloin in france is a touch different than sirloin in US, but that is an entirely different topic.

couldn't agree more re: les halles. can u name ~5 other nyc bistros that u like with the understanding that l'absinthe would obviously be #1.

thx for the passion & follow through!

[Wilfrid]

I'm sure I've posted this elsewhere, but I entirely agree with the comment: "It is the only restaurant in NY that comes close to replicating a Parisian bistro/brasserie (the food is bistro, the decor is brasserie)."

Shame the tete de veau, sauce gribiche is no longer on the menu, but that poached, truffled chicken is good stuff. I also know of no other New York restaurant where you find bulots on the raw bar.

That's whelks in other words.

[Geepsie]

Thanks, eGulleteers! I'll report when I get back.

Geepsie

[mogsob]

Ok, my top 5 NY bistros:

1. L'Absinthe -- really feels more like a brasserie, but what the hey.

2. Le Gigot

3. Bistro Margot

4. Le Charlot/Le Bilboquet

5. Chelsea Bistro

Honorable mention to Jubilee.

On the brasserie/bistro front, Artisinal rates highly, as does Brasserie. I like Balthazar for breakfast (not brunch, and certainly not for dinner -- too many tourists/posers).

[Robert Schonfeld]

Jubilee is hampered by an undistinguished room with several uncomfortable tables, and a classic Franco-arrogant hostess, not to mention the awkward curtained entrance, beyond which one finds onesefl directly in among the tables. The Sutton Place crowd loves it, though. Must be the bargain moules/frites.