Daniel Boulud has made an impact on our dining tables on land and at sea. It should come as no surprise that he has built an empire of restaurants, cafes and bars bearing his name, because of his culinary techniques, as well as his ability to create menus that reflect his French roots, while incorporating international flavours. A dinner enjoyed at Cafe Boulud in New York shares the same qualities as in his Le Voyage restaurants on the Celebrity Cruise Ship line. And yes, every dinner ends with Boulud’s signature Madelaines.
Entering Cafe Boulud from the busy street, I am at once in an approachable, yet sophisticated atmosphere. My guest has already arrived and is seated in the white tablecloth dining room, enjoying a signature cocktail. The menu offers both a la carte and prix-fix presentations to consider. The restaurant has earned a Michelin Star, and I have the feeling that if I close my eyes and point, I will be a happy diner.
I’m in a New York state of mind, as we’re seated at a corner table with a view of the beautiful dining room and the cosmopolitan vibes that imbue it with a Manhattan pulse. Our menu, like a passport, or a Choose Your own Adventure book, is a trip around the world by theme. We can choose La Tradition of classic French dishes; La Saison of seasonal ingredients and preparations; Le Potager of vegetarian dishes emphasizing fresh produce; or Le Voyage of dishes inspired by the flavours of various world cuisines.
Delicate yellowtail, cured in pomegranate juice, and marinated in pomegranate molasses and vodka is as pleasing to the eye as to the palate. Colourful accents of magenta are enlivened with pearls of amber, ruby and jade. Silken slices of unctuous fish are bejewelled by pomegranate seeds, a pistachio-wasabi coulis, preserved lemon gel and thinly spiraled watermelon radish. A refreshing and auspicious opener.
The Velouté aux Champignons is a rich and decadent seduction. A base of freshly plucked alyssum flowers, butter-roasted maitake mushrooms and a lush scoop of black truffle cappuccino cream luxuriate in a table-side pour-over of smooth, umami-rich ambrosia of mushroom and chestnut. Each ladling is a velvety nourishment. A tuile of crunchy malt bread enlivens the bowl with a welcome contrast in texture.
Every dish that we see being whisked by to appreciative tables is so impeccably artful, as though it should first be displayed in the MOMA. Their colours and designs are a totally unique indulgence for our eyes first, as we admire the imagination of a kitchen that is so far beyond the norm in flare and finesse with global palate of ingredients and techniques, and a passion to stimulate all our senses with them.
One of the classics of Daniel Boulud is the Crispy Paupiette of Sea Bass. His signature dish of tender meat enveloped in a crust of thinly sliced and crisped potato, wraps a crunch around a melt-in-your-mouth sea bass that is elevated by a mouth-puckering savoury Barolo sauce. True to form–this is a classic that lives up to it’s reputation, and is not to be missed.
I have been told that when dining at Café Boulud, ask for the Tarte Tatin. This classic French dessert, mythologized, caramelized, is beautiful and simple, and in the right hands, perfect. The acidity of the calvados-roasted apples marries the sweetness of the caramel and the delicate buttery pastry crust to make our taste buds dance as we close our eyes, sink back in our chairs and say, “Oh mon dieu c’est tellement délicieux.” They look like glowing embers. An opulent scoop of smoked vanilla ice cream only enhances this culinary serenade.
Daniel Boulud’s mark on the Manhattan culinary skyline is lauded and legendary, and his Cafe Boulud does not rest on those laurels. It continues the tradition of pushing the envelope while respecting the recipes and flavours that meet the demands of an every sophisticated dining cognoscenti.
Cafe Boulud, 100 E 63rd St, New York, 212-772-2600
