Upstairs At Bouley Bakery & Market

[SobaAddict70]

...a succulent roasted chicken breast against a backdrop of grilled fava beans; a salad combining asparagus, divine blue crab and a dressing of parsley and tomato waters, lime juice and purées of fennel, sweet onion and celery. Although the food at Upstairs never tasted convoluted, it was often built in a complex, layered fashion, resulting in bewitchingly subtle shades of flavor.

The basement-level meat, fish and cheese counters; first-floor bakery; and second-floor restaurant here are the "Honey, I Shrunk the Dream" outcome, much delayed, much diminished.

Upstairs (Frank Bruni)

Related discussion regarding Mr. Bruni's style of restaurant reviewing and the New York Times star system can be found here.

For a thread regarding discussion about Bouley, click here.

A thread on Danube can be found here.

An archived discussion of Bouley (prior to Mr. Bruni's tenure as the main NYTimes restaurant critic) can be found by clicking here.

Soba

[adamru]

My girlfriend and I had dinner last night at Upstairs around 10pm. It was there or Bette and having read nothing good yet I opted for taking my chances as a walk-in downtown. We had the choices of sitting outside where a few of the tables were taken, or in the second floor dining room and inside was absolutely the right decision as nice as the evening outdoors was. Yes the room is cramped and we played musical chairs with another party so they could sit together, and with an open kitchen sure it's warm, but Bouley was cooking and it was an absolute party atmosphere. A packed room but no wait, we took a table for two directly in front of the chef's performance space and with him in house no one was interested in the sushi that takes up the first page of the menu.

We started with two salads, all under $10 I believe, the asparagus was laid out atop blue crab, the tuna salad came in slabs and required a knife and fork rather than the chopsticks also supplied at every table. Both delicious, although the greens with the tuna were really just garnish, the asparagus offered a lot more contrast in ingredients. The tomato salad, while we didn't get to try it was much larger and more affordable than the similar appetizer at Perry St. where we'd eaten the night prior.

I had the burger, only $12! with cucumber lettuce tomato onion, spicy ketchup and mustard on an english muffin. It was huge and cooked perfectly to order at medium rare. My date had the sirloin - they were out of chicken at 10pm, it came sliced over I believe a potato granitee. It was smaller than expected but it was under $20 too. The variety and intensity of tastes on the plate more than made up for size.

For dessert we shared a piece of chocolate / vanilla cake from the pastry tray. It was a surprise that it came with a scoop of lemon sorbet and coffee ice cream. There are limited pastry choices or you can opt for the cheese cart.

Service is uneven, but dinner for two was $65 before tip. If you want bread or if you want your plates cleared, more water, etc, you have to make yourself known. To pass the time everyone seemed to enjoy playing with the adjustable overhead lights.

I was pleased that even though so many people went up to talk with the chef he was never distracted from the task at hand.

[oakapple]

What happens when you cross three-star food with the service and ambiance of a diner at Grand Central Station? Upstairs is the answer. I persuaded a friend to join me there yesterday evening.

We misjudged our arrival time: at 6:45pm, all of the restaurant's indoor and outdoor tables had just filled up. It's all very frenzied. "Find a table outside, if you can," the host du jour advised. When none was available, he reluctantly took our name. There is nowhere to wait—no bar, no lounge. We were advised we could hang out in the bakery, or take our chances and go elsewhere for a drink. (If you're not back when he calls your name, you're outa luck.)

Luckily, we timed it perfectly, arriving back at the restaurant just a few minutes before a table freed up. Once inside, a tighter fit is harder to imagine. Some people's master bedrooms are larger than this restaurant. We felt rather lucky to have a corner table, which was cramped like everything else, but at least meant that we had the din coming at us from two directions, instead of four. So tightly were we packed in, that our server had to lean over the backs of two other diners' chairs to speak to us.

My friend and I both ordered the halibut that Frank Bruni raved about. This was uncommonly good, among the top 2-3 fish entrées I've enjoyed in New York, at any level of dining. Bouley himself was not in the restaurant, but his team is clearly knows what he wants.

Service was generally acceptable until after we finished the halibut. We waited and waited for our server to come back, before we finally caught her attention to get our check.

[Nathan]

Had an excellent meal last night at Upstairs.

The service was generally good and always warm...a snafu on the bill but easily cleared up.

Do expect to be intimate with the denizens of the table next to you.

Had some sashimi ala carte and a couple other dishes off of the sushi menu. The quality was very good -- not far off from Yasuda or other top-notch establishments...with that said, the prices were commensurate to the quality...and considering the cramped and informal nature of Upstairs I wouldn't go there for sushi.

With that said, the halibut and the lobster entrees were amazing; preparation and technique were at a very high level...I'm not sure how the sauce (laden with seasonal corn) with the halibut had such a silky, semi-gelatinous feel...but it was superlative. the lobster was extremely good as well. Bouley himself appeared to be manning the seafood station. the best part: the halibut was $16, the lobster was $21.

in summary, these were 3-4 star dishes in a no-star setting...at one-star prices.....more than worth it.

[BryanZ]

What an excellent meal. After a slightly delayed flight from North Carolina, I decided that my first meal back from school should be at Upstairs at the Bouly Market & Bakery. We waited about half an hour for our table inside the tiny restaurant, and to pass the time we claimed one of the open tables outside and ordered ordered a couple glasses of wine, including an especially good pinot noir available by the glass.

Between the two of us we had:

Sea eel, uni, and lobster gelee - An excellent, light starter that reveals itself as you literally dig deeper into the contents dish.

House made tofu w/ truffle sauce - This dish was reminiscient of truffle infused savory custards I've tried at other restaurants. The tofu base, however, gave it a silkier mouth feel that didn't have any kind of egg-y heaviness.

Squid Salad - One of the better squid salads I've had. The squid was the ideal balance between firm but still satisfyingly yielding to the tooth. The amount of squid served on the bed of Bibb lettuce was also rather generous.

Mushroom Salad -A simple salad that was elevated with what I think was a light application of a very good balsamic and delicately sauteed mushrooms that matched perfectly with the salad's subtly sweet undertone.

Halibut - This dish is excellent and I echo the sentiments of the above poster. The gelatinous sauce is so flavorful and nearly steals the show from the piece of fish itself.

Lobster - A very interesting play on lobster served within the context of a sweet flavor palate. This dish epitomizes an early fall lobster dish with its sweet, rich, and warming nature.

Pistachio-Cherry tart - Another surprise. Although there were a couple of cherry pits in the tart, the richness of the nuts worked very well with the tart cherries. An excellent end to an memorable meal.

Chef Bouley was working, and it was really cool to see him in action. The restaurant is ridiculously cramped but more than makes up for it with food that is, in my opinion, unmatched at the price point. Between the two of us we spent $105 for a ton of food with tax, tip, and a glass of wine each. We jointly decided that we had paid nearly that much per person for meals that weren't as enjoyable. I'm usually bored with a la carte restaurants on the whole but a quirky place like Upstairs restores my faith in the entire genre.

Edited October 7, 2005 by BryanZ (log)

[gaf]

Pistachio-Cherry tart - Another surprise.  Although there were a couple of cherry pits in the tart, the richness of the nuts worked very well with the tart cherries.  An excellent end to an memorable meal.

I would imagine that finding cherry pits in the tart would constitute a surprise! I just hope that the lights were not turned down too low. Maybe Chef Bouley considers pits to be nuts.

This makes our chef sound a little like Frank Lloyd Wright: what a magnificent building, if only the roof didn't leak!

[BryanZ]

Pistachio-Cherry tart - Another surprise.  Although there were a couple of cherry pits in the tart, the richness of the nuts worked very well with the tart cherries.  An excellent end to an memorable meal.

I would imagine that finding cherry pits in the tart would constitute a surprise! I just hope that the lights were not turned down too low. Maybe Chef Bouley considers pits to be nuts.

This makes our chef sound a little like Frank Lloyd Wright: what a magnificent building, if only the roof didn't leak!

←

In a restaurant that billed itself as a true high-end dining destination, I would find this type of mistake nearly unforgivable. By this point in my meal at Upstairs, however, I was already so overwhelmed with the quality of the dishes that the two pits almost endearingly reminded me that I was dining in a room not much larger than my bedroom. And besides, at a place like this, who wants to make mountains out of mole hills?

[raxelita]

Ate at Upstairs two Saturdays past. I implore all to go while Bouley is still manning the stoves. You know that feeling when food is so good you sort of giggle? The mushroom salad had that effect on me. My boyfriend's main, a mustard crusted veal chop with red wine reduction and favas did too. I had the Pennsylvainia Chicken, and it was one of the tenderest birds I've had, though it still was chicken.

There's a funny feeling in the dining room: Crowded from the strike of six on, but half of the people didn't seem to know why they were there, or who that guy was who kept tasting the sauces in public view (never double-dipping, but some remained incredulous). It's kind of an akward, chaotic scene.

From prior reviews, I surmise the service has improved. I ordered a Cote de Nuits from Bouley's list and it was but five minutes until we had it in our glasses. They have a Maitre D now, and what seems like a lot of supporting staff. Nonetheless, our presets were practically thrown at us, and the busboys lurked annoyingly throughout the meal.

Go for the food. Go early and often.

Oh, and don't ask about dessert wine. Trust me on this.

[BryanZ]

I happened to go back to Upstairs last weekend. I got there right at six and found the restaurant to be packed from that point on.

Chef Bouley was not working the stove this time around, but I noticed absolutely no drop in the quality or food. I had the pleasure of being seated right in front of the stove, and it was great to see two young cooks banging out top-notch food that everyone seemed to enjoy.

I really, really enjoy this restaurant for its bustling, nearly chaotic atmosphere. Again, not the place to go for a lengthy meal, but a great value for the quality of food offered.

[docsconz]

In town for a few days, so I met my buddy, Joseph B for an early dinner at Bouley Upstairs. Our feelings echo most of the sentiments above. If one wants elegance, go elsewhere. If one wants a place that rocks and serves excellent food at an amazing price with a great vibe, this is the place. Watching David Bouley himself man the stoves and cook our dinner was a particular treat. Chatting with him even moreso. Eating the output of the kitchen better yet. We struck up a number of friendly conversations with those seated near us. The epitome of the evening though was watching two children about 8 & 10 years old standing in front of the open kitchen watching Chef Bouley cook and watching him converse with them while effortlessly doing what he was doing - a golden moment.

I started with a cocktail and Joe with Champagne. While I do not remember the name of the cocktail it consisted of sake, Belvedere vodka, yuzu and grapefruit sorbet. It was spectacular with just the perfect balance of acidity, bitterness and a sweetness. It also happened to be a great accompaniment to the food that immediately followed.

We opened up with sushi. We shared a a couple of pieces of O Toro, uni and kobe beef. The uni was silky, cool and delicious, as good as any I have had. The toro was buttery and flavorful. Neithe of us thought that the beef fully worked in this context, however. While it was good, I felt that not only was the combination with the rice not synergistic, the sum was less than the total of the parts. I would not order that dish again.

The highlight of the meal, however was the nanzenji, steamed homemade tofu with truffle dashi. This dish had incredible depth of flavor with a truly silken consistency - superb.

Joe had the Stage harbor day boat scallops with fresh coconut juice, ginger and wild mushrooms, while I had Chatham day boat lobster, rosemary, apple and parsnip puree and red wine sauce. Both dishes were very good and certainly stupendous values. The scallops though I felt were somewhat overwhelmed by the mushrooms and my personal preference would have been for a bit less sweetness with the lobster preparation. We shared a half bottle of 2004 Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner, an excellent accompaniment to the food.

Thinking that we might eat again elsewhere we forewent dessert and set out trekking on an emotional and gastronomic high.

One can eat very well and inexpensively here, but the price can climb fairly quickly too if one particularly enjoys the sushi and wine - fair enough. While I too wouldn't come here just for the sushi, it does make a nice adjunct to the rest of the meal.

I took some photos and depending on how well they come out I will likely post some early next week.

[Sneakeater]

Forgive me if this is repetitive, but I'm still unclear about how easy it is to eat here. Do you have to go expecting that you might have to wait a long time and well might not be able to get a table? Is it, get there at six or else forget about it? (In other word, is this one of those places like the pre-expansion Spotted Pig or Freeman's where you really can't plan to eat at meal times?) Or am I exaggerating how hard it is?

Edited December 9, 2005 by Sneakeater (log)

[BryanZ]

If you miss out on the first seating at six you're going to be pretty screwed. The restaurant seems to be full by 6:30, so if you can't make it at six perhaps go at seven and try to get the first free table after that initial turn. I went at around 8pm on a Thursday night once and had to wait about 30 minutes. This type of wait seems typical.

The sushi is about the only thing on the menu that doesn't represent a great value. The Japanese dishes are small but very well prepared, especially the tofu with truffle sauce that Docsconz recently mentioned.

[oakapple]

If you miss out on the first seating at six you're going to be pretty screwed.  The restaurant seems to be full by 6:30, so if you can't make it at six perhaps go at seven and try to get the first free table after that initial turn.  I went at around 8pm on a Thursday night once and had to wait about 30 minutes.  This type of wait seems typical.

←

The other problem is that there's no waiting area, and as of two months ago they wouldn't take a cell number.

[Sneakeater]

Do you know when their last seating is? And do things tend to thin out around then?

[Bond Girl]

I've been there twice and both times I was disappointed. The dishes are expertyly cooked but none of it was really very exciting. All the flavors are very traditional and rustic in pairing. My dining companions on both occasions complained of the portions being really small for the price. Service was, and still is, a huge issue so frequently my food either arrived cold or melted. Desserts are the pits with traditional cakes and pastries that seemed to have been frozen for ever and tasted like it. For the price and hassle, I'm not sure eating at a restaurant with David Bouley in the kitchen is really worth it.

[docsconz]

I think whether one is disappointed or not depends to a certain extent on expectations. This is not Bouley, it is Bouley Upstairs, a very informal bistro serving good food at a fair price. The night we were there it had a very happy vibe with people enjoying their food and each other. We got into a few fun conversations with our neighbors and I managed a nice chat with Chef Bouley while he was at the stove (He didn't miss a beat). I promised some photos and here they are:

This yuzu/sake/vodka based cocktail was superb. It was a perfect refresherand accompaniment to the sushi:

The nanzenji was incredible. This was a very hearty, fulfilling soup.

The lobster was very good and an excellent value, although I would have preferred a little less sweetness in the balance. That is my fault as re-reading the menu description I should have guessed that is what it would have been like.

Joe's scallops were tasty, but they were overshadowed by the assertive mushrooms.

A neighbor's Bouley Burger:

What really made the place fun and special was watching David Bouley cook and interact with his clients. These photos, I think, convey what I believe makes this place special.

[cchen]

wow, incredible pictures!

Edited December 17, 2005 by cchen (log)

[JosephB]

Yes, a skilled home cook could execute all of the dishes we ate at home, except for the sushi. So what your get is very good quality homey bistro food at a reasonable price. Add to that the fun atmosphere and David Bouley's presence and accessibility and it adds up to good recommendation.

[Noodlebot]

I went to Upstairs at Bouley with my boyfriend tonight, expecting a night full of good food and lots of hassle. Fortunately, the night lived up to expectations food-wise but not hassle-wise. My boyfriend and I arrived around 9:00 and were told that there would be a half hour wait. The hostess asked us to wait inside the Bouley Market section, where we could hang our coats with the attendant, grab a glass of wine from a waiter, and, if we were really starving, order something from the market. It was hard to resist buying one of the market's pastries, but I held out. With a glass of wine and the uncrowded atmosphere of the market, the half hour wait passed by pretty effortlessly.

Within the half hour predicted, we were seated. We got an unfortunate seat--one of the four middle two-tops in the restaurant. These tables are not separated one from the other, so we were often knocking elbows with our neighbors. Fortunately, once everyone got to know each other's boundaries, they were very respectful, so this was only a minor inconvenience.

We began with a basket of Bouley's famous bread, including a tomato bread, a pistachio and hazelnut loaf, and an onion bread, all delicious. As an appetizer, I ordered a wild mushroom salad, cooked mushrooms over wilted micro greens topped (almost drenched) with a truffle oil dressing and a few slivers of parmesan cheese. This generously portioned and rich appetizer gave a whole new meaning to salads to me. My boyfriend ordered the calamari salad. The calamari were deliciously cooked on the restaurant's plancha--toothsome but not at all chewy. The salad also included some pieces of avocado, tomato, bibb lettuce, and various other greens. He was very happy.

I wanted to order the halibut as my main, but the restaurant had run out, so I opted for the day boat scallops instead. My only regret of the evening was that the scallops also came with wild mushrooms, which I, a HUGE mushroom lover, had already had my fill of in the appetizer. In any event, I was still very happy with my choice. These were not the best scallops I've ever had, but they were very good and original. They had been somewhat flattened and textured (by a butcher's mallet?) and flavored with ginger and coconut milk, which gave them an interesting taste. The scallops were served with slightly shrivelled peas, in addition to the wonderful mushrooms. My boyfriend ordered the sirloin, which he and I really enjoyed. The sirloin was topped with raisins, currants, and pepper, and served with green beans and potatoes. The sauce was infused with cognac.

Although the portions at Upstairs are generous, I couldn't do without dessert. I had heard underwhelming reviews of the desserts, but I was happy with mine, a strawberry jam, chestnut, and cream concoction from the market downstairs. I got two mini-scoops of rose water ice cream with my pastry.

Overally, I highly recommend a visit to Upstairs. The food was top-notch, and the prices (under $130 for 3 glasses of wine, 2 apps, 2 entrees, 1 dessert, 1 coffee, and tax and tap) were not. I will be back, next time perhaps for the sushi bar selections.

[Sneakeater]

OK, this has got to win the award for Least Enticing Opening Of Restaurant Report:

I ate at Upstairs at Bouley last week, during what proved to be an attack of acute appendicitis.

Given the aftermath (and my current intense discomfort), I'm obviously uninclined to discuss the food I ate in detail.

I'd been wanting -- and, indeed, trying -- to eat at this place for so long, though, that I didn't want to lose the chance to say it's a great value, and a great experience.

This is recognizably David Bouley food. You'd know it was his if you were led into the place blindfolded and had the dishes put before you, with no further information. It's not quite as good as the restaurant Bouley at its best -- but it's cheaper and the whole experience is, obviously, much less preposessing. To be be able to get this kind of food, at a casual walk-in place, at reasonable (which is NOT to say cheap or even moderate) prices is what makes New York so great.

Of course, that presupposes that you can get a table. In the past, I've been faced with at least a 45-minute wait no matter when I went. This time, hoping to avoid a crowd, we went the day after Memorial Day, at about 7. The place was nearly empty. It was just beginning to fill up when we left about two hours later. I hope I don't have to wait until next Memorial Day to be able to get into Upstairs at Bouley again, preferably at a time when I'm not suffering excruciating abdominal pain.

Edited June 7, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[docsconz]

OK, this has got to win the award for Least Enticing Opening Of Restaurant Report:

I ate at Upstairs at Bouley last week, during what proved to be an attack of acute appendicitis.

Given the aftermath (and my current intense discomfort), I'm obviously uninclined to discuss the food I ate in detail.

I'd been wanting -- and, indeed, trying -- to eat at this place for so long, though, that I didn't want to lose the chance to say it's a great value, and a great experience.

This is recognizably David Bouley food.  You'd know it was his if you were led into the place blindfolded and had the dishes put before you, with no further information.  It's not quite as good as the restaurant Bouley at it's best -- but its cheaper and the whole experience is, obviously,  much less preposessing.  To be be able to get this kind of food, at a casual walk-in place, at reasonable (which is NOT to say cheap or even moderate) prices is what makes New York so great.

Of course, that presupposes that you can get a table.  In the past, I've been faced with at least a 45-minute wait no matter when I went.  This time, hoping to avoid a crowd, we went the day after Memorial Day, at about 7.  The place was nearly empty.  It was just beginning to fill up when we left about two hours later.  I hope I don't have to wait until next Memorial Day to be able to get into Upstairs at Bouley again, preferably at a time when I'm not suffering excruciating abdominal pain.

←

At least you didn't attribute the appendicitis to the food! Seriously, I hope you are recovering well and can return soon to enjoy a meal there without that annoying ache!

[BryanZ]

I was wondering where Sneakeater had disappeared to and wish him a quick recovery so that he may unleash his usual flurry of posts and meal reviews.

I have to get back to Upstairs? Has the menu changed at all or is it fundamentally the same dishes?

[Sneakeater]

It looked to me to be fundamentally the same dishes people have been talking about since it opened.

[Sneakeater]

Since my first visit here was marred by my unknowingly undergoing an appendicitis attack while I was trying to eat and appreciate dinner, I resolved to return as soon as I was again able to eat solid food and stand a crowd. Since I'm still an invalid, I was able to leave work early enough yesterday (Friday) to actually arrive here at a time when I could get a seat (about 6:45, a solo seat at the sushi bar without waiting). By the time I left at 8 or 8:30, they were only announcing 15-minute waits, though. So perhaps it's cooled down a bit -- or perhaps the summer weekend slow-down has started.

This place is terrific.

I started with an appetizer from the Japanese menu. Kamo, marinated duck with sliced eggplant. The duck was extraordinary. The marinade was very spicy, but did not completely mask the flavor of the duck. Rather, it gave it depth and a kick.

With the kamo, I had a sake unlike any I've previously tasted. I can't remember its name. The menu described it as tasting like a riesling, with green apple overtones and a yoghurty finish. Amazingly, that was absolutely accurate.

For my main, I had the halibut that everybody has liked so much. I have nothing to add to what's been said about it. An excellent dish.

Desserts seem to fall off a bit here. I had a very deeply chocolately brulee, which I liked very much. But it didn't rise to the heights of the rest of the meal.

My three courses, cocktail, and glasses of sake and then of wine came to about $66 before tax and tip. That may not be cheap, by some people's lights. But for David Bouley food -- even slightly simplified David Bouley food -- beautifully prepared, inventively assembled, it's a true value. The restaurant Bouley (where I last ate about two years ago) has its problems. But Upstairs is a complete win.

Edited June 25, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Sneakeater]

One thing that's slightly bothersome, though, is that they're still serving the halibut dish (with the corn) and the lobster dish (with the apples) now in early summer. So they're not exactly going for seasonality (is that a word?).