our wonderful drinks
Written: May 27 '01
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Pros: decor (I love those antique mirrors), excellent cocktails, SOHO location
Cons: service is decent, but not excellent -- crowded and noisy, prices are steep
The Bottom Line: In the end, I loved the food more than the ambience (which was crowded and noisy with beautiful people everywhere)...even though the ambience is what I initially sought
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| cristine's Full Review: Balthazar |
A friend and I were visiting Manhattan for a brief break from our hectic jobs in the Silicon Valley.
The trip was completely on whim, so many of our activities in NYC were also spontaneous affairs. We did not have reservations at Balthazar on a beautiful Sunday evening in spring, but we managed to find seating at this trendy French Bistro in SOHO. Amazing, we thought!
Tired from all the day's walking, we collapsed into a very small wooden booth near the bar (we did not have reservations, so we found this less-than-prime location acceptable). We barely had room for our purses and a shopping bag, and scooched in as much as we could to avoid bumping from folks at the bar. Even so, we were exhilarated to be seated, and promptly ordered our drinks as we gazed at the interior decor (the antique, "authentic" French mirrors, the aged glass) -- both of us have been in France, and we were quickly transported off the Manhattan streets into another time and era (although the clientele in their New York Chic kept us in check).
I ordered a French Martini (vodka, chambord, and pineapple juice), and it was possibly the best cocktail I have ever had. The martini was served very cold (probably due to a thorough and proper shaking), and was crisp and sweet and refreshing...great, if you like martinis but are craving some sugar. If you are a cosmopolitan fan, you will love this martini!
We had had a late lunch that day, so we opted to have a very light dinner of appetizers (although the table next to us had an oyster tower that looked incredibly appetizing and impressive). We ordered a goat cheese tart and blinis (with salmon). The goat cheese tart surpassed even that of Lulu restaurant's in SF (which had, until then, been the best goat cheese tart I've ever tasted). The goat cheese in the tart was light, the texture was almost like a very light whipped cream, but the taste was a rich and salty goat cheese. That combination was surprising and decadent. I suspect that they whipped the goat cheese before baking? The tart/crust itself was flaky and light and complemented the cheese filling perfectly.
I normally do _not_ like lox/salmon, but impressed by the tart, I braved a taste of the blinis and lox/salmon.
Excellent! The blinis were light and fluffy and the salmon melted in my mouth.
We finished with a plate of cheeses and another order of french martinis.
The service was earnest and friendly (our server was very charming), but it took awhile to get water for our table, and we felt a bit ignored in that little corner. Perhaps he was busy? Or perhaps we were not ordering a 4 course meal that had big tip potential?
What began as a foray of curiosity into one of Manhattan's trendiest and most popular restaurants, ended in a new culinary standard for dining. In the end, I loved the food more than the ambience (which was crowded and noisy with beautiful people everywhere, who were constantly preening)...even though the ambience is what I sought.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
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Epinions.com ID:
cristine
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Member: Christine Lee Zilka
Location: California
Reviews written: 21
Trusted by: 11 members
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