Ouest: My New Upper West Side Favorite
Aug 20 '01 (Updated Aug 22 '01)
The Bottom Line Ouest turns the standard meat-and-potatoes fare into an art form. Wonderful, hearty American food with some French influences served in cozy space, accented by divinely intimate, audacious red booths.
There is something inherently comforting about a restaurant full of booths. There is something inexplicably sexy when the booths are all colored cherry red. There is something infinitely inviting when these cherry-red booths, large enough for four, are occupied by merely two. All these things describe the enormous appeal of Ouest (pronounced "West"), a newcomer to the former culinary wasteland known as the Upper West Side.
Generosity in spirit is what draws me to both people and restaurants. Stinginess should be one of the seven deadly sins. I hate it when I order a crab salad and spend half of my meal raking over the baby greens in search of a minuscule piece of crab meat. I hate it when the server holding the bread basket deliberately avoids our table because we've already had one helping of rolls. I hate it when the tables are so close together that our neighbors' behinds are practically hanging in our soup when they need to make an exit. I hate it when completely empty restaurants refuse to seat us at a larger table because you never know - 50 random diners may suddenly decide to descend upon the restaurant all at once. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Basically my point is this - stinginess of all kinds is prevalent in Manhattan. So what a happy day it is to discover a restaurant like Ouest.
From the entryway, Ouest may look a bit narrow and cramped, but as Manhattanites can attest, a clever restauranteur can make even the smallest spaces seem relaxing and cozy. As you walk down the aisle to the main dining room, you'll probably start to notice all the seductive touches in the room, like the richly stained wooden wine display case that runs the length of the bar area and the glamorous track lighting used to illuminate the inside of the case. In the background, you could swear you hear Ella Fitzgerald's smooth, silky voice, but it sounds mysteriously distant like an echo from a previous era.
While the main dining room is neither the most elegant nor the most beautiful dining room in the city, it is certainly one of the most appealing. Half-moon shaped cerise booths dominate the spacious room, located down a short flight of stairs from the bar area. Cushy red banquettes line either side of the room punctuated by generously spaced tables. Bold, octagonal, red and orange lighting fixtures add a warm glow to the entire room. There are two smaller dining areas upstairs, perfect for an intimate gathering of friends wanting a little more privacy, but the downstairs main dining room far more eye-catching.
Each of our meals began with a tall glass of burn-your-fingertips hot mini-baguettes and a shallow dish of chickpea puree. The baguettes are always crusty and delicious, and the chickpea puree is a nice change from the usual hard slabs of butter. The staff will happily replenish your glass with a fresh batch of pippin' hot baguettes the minute you finish the first glass.
Speed of service will never be an issue at Ouest. Within minutes after being seated, your server will appear to take your drink order. If they see your menu is closed, they may inquire whether you are have decided on your dinner as well. The chef, Thomas Valenti, formerly of Alison on Dominick, usually provides one or two specials each evening, which your server will enthusiastically describe to you. On our most recent visit, it was Chateaubriand for Two. Although no one had his eye on the clock, we felt like our appetizers arrived in record time.
My favorite appetizer at Ouest is the Sweet Pea Broth ($9), accompanied by a parmesan custard and a parmesan crisp. The color of the soup reminds me of the green grass in Vermont in springtime. I was almost expecting the soup to be thicker based upon the color of the liquid, but it turned out to be very light and refreshing. The small island of custard sitting in the middle of the bowl had a nutty parmesan flavor, but nothing too overwhelming. It was lovely with the sweet, clean taste of the soup.
The Oyster Pan Roast ($10) is another appetizer that I would recommend. First, what is it? It sounds a lot more complicated than its tastes. Blue Point Oysters are poached and then roasted with Yukon gold potatoes, Hen of the Woods mushrooms, diced tomatoes and chives. The final product is a neat circular concoction with distinct layers showcasing each ingredient. The oysters were plump and tender and the mushrooms delectable.
The Goat Cheese Ravioli ($8) is served in a zesty tomato, basil sauce, accented by bits of pancetta. The firm yet billowy raviolis are a delight although I might have preferred slightly smaller raviolis since goat cheese can carry with it a rather strong sour flavor. The salty pancetta provided a nice earthy contrast to the goat cheese.
I was not as pleased with the Endive and Roquefort Salad ($8). Perhaps I should have known better. I have never been a huge fan of roquefort by itself although I have enjoyed it in other dishes, like salads. This salad though was plagued by the presence of too many overpowering flavors. The bitterness of the endive, the extreme pungency of the roquefort combined with the sharp bite of the mustard vinaigrette mixed in with the salad was too much to take in. I thought my overworked taste buds were going to go on strike!
As one of the servers cleared away our appetizer plates, I noticed to my great dismay how many baguette crumbs were liberally sprinkled on our tablecloth. In a most discreet fashion, I started sweeping the crumbs to Mr. Epicure's side of the table. Being ever perceptive, he saw what was happening and began sweeping them back in my direction. Thank goodness one of the servers came back to clean off the table. Otherwise, we might have engaged in a full-blown match of bread crumb hockey! Seriously though, it was a thoughtful touch that they tidied our table in between the first and second courses. With the exception of the really upscale restaurants, most places only clean up once before the dessert course.
If there is one main dish at Ouest that I would recommend without hesitation, it would be the Braised Short Ribs with Fava Beans and Soft Polenta ($25). The short ribs are incredibly tender and succulent, and the flavorful juices from the meat are perfectly captured by the homey pool of soft polenta.
A restaurant's chicken dish is sometimes the best gauge of a chef's skill because it requires real talent to take such a commonplace meat that is inclined toward dryness and make it into something memorable. Chef Valenti's Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes ($17) is a fine specimen of a well-executed chicken dish. The slightly charred skin holds an appealing array of herbs and spices, and the chicken is moist, tasting of roast garlic jus. The addition of the mashed potatoes reminded me why this all-American combination is so popular at bistro-like restaurants all over town.
Truffles! I could smell the unmistakable aroma of truffles in the Roast Halibut with Fava Bean Puree in Mushroom Broth ($24) before I even took a bite. I think it was in the crust coating the top of the halibut. An ingenuous way to liven up this dish being that halibut tends to be somewhat mild-tasting and nondescript.
And finally, the Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin ($23), another of Mr. Epicure's favorites. This is the answer to your craving for hearty comfort food with a sophisticated twist. The bacon lends a wonderful smoky flavor to the slightly salty pork, and both flavors are complemented beautifully by the peppercorn sauce.
I definitely advise you to order one of the sides, not only because they are delicious, but also because they are served in such appealing white ceramic pots. All over the dining room, we noticed servers carrying around these little pots, and we kept wondering what was inside. Ah, you see their cleverness - people are always intrigued by closed containers. Finally, we saw our server coming toward us with our own little white pot, and we grinned. The soft polenta ($6) inside was subtle in its flavoring, not as robust as the polenta we've tried in Italy, but nonetheless tasty. I also recommend the fluffy mashed potatoes ($6) unless these sides are already included as part of your main course.
Michael Moorhouse, Ouest's pastry chef, does a superb job on the dessert offerings. We have not been disappointed by any of the desserts that we have sampled thus far. The one possible weakness that I can think of with respect to the dessert menu is its lack of variety. Among the six choices on the restaurant's regular dessert menu, four are fruit-based desserts, one is chocolate-based and one is a plate of assorted cookies.
My top recommendation is the Plum Crisp ($7). It has the most scrumptious layer of crumb topping covering a delectable plum filling. The crisp is surrounded by a pool of strawberry juice and topped with a scoop of buttermilk sorbet. It is the perfect summer dessert. When we ordered it, the plums were at the peak of ripeness, and the buttermilk sorbet provided a tangy, refreshing contrast.
The Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta ($7) is also quite a memorable way to end a summer meal. There is something magical about the flavor of creme fraiche. This panna cotta is so light yet creamy with an almost buttery taste. Mr. Moorhouse serves this dessert in an ice cream goblet with a heavenly fresh passion fruit glaze.
Reminiscent of the chewy rectangular patisserie treats in Paris, the Almond Raspberry Financier ($7) is a sugary, dense almond cake set off with ripe raspberries bathed in a citrus sauce. To the side is a scoop of lemon ice cream. Lemon and berries - always a wise combination.
Perhaps my least favorite of the lot is the Peach Almond Tart ($9). Both the tree-ripe peach slices and the fragrant almond filling are delicious by themselves, but I don't think they make the best companions. The almond filling is too rich for a simple summer fruit like the peach. And peaches by themselves are so luscious and juicy, it seems almost criminal to dilute that taste with anything else except perhaps a little creme fraiche.
Other than the overall outstanding ambiance and food, Ouest stands out in my mind for another reason. Although it is swank and trendy, it can actually be considered child-friendly, provided the child is well-behaved. During one of our visits, we happened to sit next to a family of three, and overheard the young boy remarking on the tastiness of his dish. The manager stopped by later to introduce himself to the family, and I saw him shaking the boy's hand. "This is the best dining experience that we've ever had on the Upper West Side!" the mom told the manager. My thoughts exactly.
Address: 2315 Broadway (b/t 84th and 85th), New York, NY
Telephone: 212-580-8700
Reservations: 2 weeks in advance for weekend dining
Attire: Casual but stylish
Child Friendly: Yes, if well-behaved
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Epicure
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 88
Trusted by: 100 members
About Me:
I generally avoid temptation....unless I can't resist it.
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