Same great location, attentive service, and a beautiful hotel you enter through called the Four Seasons. So, what's different about the newly renovated Cafe Boulud? For one, it's the newly designed space that is modern and cozy; another is a wide range of new menu items that is traditionally French but with influences that Chef Daniel Boulud soaked in from cooking and dining around the world in different cultures.
The new space was designed by award-winning designer, Martin Brudnuzki, who they named a house cocktail after - a refreshing take on a gin & tonic (try it!). I immediately noticed the casually luxe interior style and compared it to Drake One Fifty, which was indeed designed by him as well.
The banquets and 1950s-shaped chairs are definitely inviting - once you sit down, you won't want to get back up. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the food, drinks & the company!
The banquets and 1950s-shaped chairs are definitely inviting - once you sit down, you won't want to get back up. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the food, drinks & the company!
Let's talk food. What ties together all the menu items is not the fact that both chefs are traditionall French chefs but allowing the experiences that Chef Boulud and Chef Assié had travelling and working with international chefs to influence each dish in a unique way. They wanted to create a menu that diners would love to order again and again.
The Quenelle de Brochet is a dish that both Chef grew up on in the French countryside while the Bouillon Pho from Vietname has its Eastern influences from Chef's travels.
pork, chicken, goose, duck, rabbit
beer battered, pickled hot pepper
Parisian steak tartare ($19.00/ $29.00)
prime angus beef, pickled condiments, mustard egg dressing & romaine
Kale grille & romaine ($16.00)
carrots, cumin, black olives, spiced yogurt
lamb ragu, broccolini, pecorino cheese
Poulet a la broche ($29.00/ $63.00 with 2 sides)
rotisserie chicken, potatoes, greens salad
lyon style northern pike quenelle with cognac lobster sauce
veal stew with herbs and green vegetables
Homard aux choux ($55.00)
rotisserie lobster, bok choy, ginger beurre blanc
pacific halibut, cauliflower, capers
rum-baba, raisins, coconut sorbet
Ile flottante
steamed meringue, maple-caramel, creme anglaise
There you have it! Almost everything from the menu. My top 3 choices would be the charcuterie, Fletan grenobloise (pacific halibut) and the Vacatelli Ricotta (lamb ragu). If I was to go with a group of people, I would definitely recommend sharing the rotisserie chicken with a few sides!
I'm also going to have try the Bouillion Pho, because when's the last time you've had Pho at a French restaurant?
I'm also going to have try the Bouillion Pho, because when's the last time you've had Pho at a French restaurant?
- Our meal was complimentary but opinions are our own -