Bouley Bakery Will Take You to New Heights
Written: May 31 '01 (Updated May 31 '01)
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Pros: The service is unparalleled, and the cuisine is divine.
Cons: Somewhat crowded reception area makes waiting difficult if there are even slight seating delays.
The Bottom Line: French cooking that takes you to new culinary heights. David Bouley's magic should be sampled at least once (and hopefully more than once) in everybody's lifetime.
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| theclaw's Full Review: Bouley Bakery |
Bouley Bakery is star-chef David Bouley's flagship restaurant, located on 120 W. Broadway / Duane St. in New York City's Tribeca district (212-964-2525). Armed with reservations made a month in advance and an appetite for haute cuisine aggravated by a week's worth of New York restaurant deprivation (due to some unfortunate circumstances), my companion and I made our way through Bouley Bakery's tinted entrance and into... heaven!
David Bouley's reputation in New York stems from a number of key successes: what he has accomplished at Bouley Bakery; the instant success of another high-profile venture, Danube, across the street; and the countless number of talented chefs spawned from his kitchen, each of whom are making their own distinct impact on New York's culinary landscape. So it was with giddy anticipation that my companion and I approached our first (and certainly not our last) meal at Mr. Bouley's namesake temple to French cuisine.
ARRIVAL
Arriving promptly for our 9:30pm reservations, we discovered there was something of a backlog, with an extremely apologetic maitre d' and his two equally effusive assistants assuring us our table was just minutes away (I should note this is not something we take for granted, after encountering the exact opposite behavior at some other fine dining establishments). We were immediately brought two flutes of Champagne for our trouble. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a waiting area at Bouley, nor is there a bar (we discovered later that guests who arrive early are asked to wait at Danube's bar next door, where they are called when their table at Bouley is ready). At one point, there were 10-12 people crammed into the tiny receiving area; some checking coats, others retrieving checked items, and still others (like us) sipping Champagne and waiting for tables. In comparison, another Tribeca foodie destination with a tendency for seating delays, Chanterelle, also lacks a bar but provides a small seating area where one can sip Champagne and happily gaze at walls covered with interesting art. It's important to note that in the event of such unexpected delays, the receptionist at Bouley will offer to seat you in an area across from the main dining room, in what is the bakery cafe during the day. Here, the light is somewhat brighter, the atmosphere more casual, and turnover a bit faster. I suggest you pass, and await a place in...
THE MAIN DINING ROOM
Bouley Bakery's dining room is swathed in deep shades of red, and is quite dark with strategically-placed lights in key locations. Where we sat in one corner, the walls curved into the room so it almost felt as if we were sitting under a large tent. There are small paintings throughout the room that depict quaint images of (what I assume to be) the simple, tranquil life in old French villages, and each table is set with a solitary candle that we managed to outlast as the night simply flew by. Tables for larger parties are placed in the middle of the room, while tables for parties of 2 or 4 are lined up against the wall. Although the spacing between tables is not as generous as, say, Chanterelle, diners tend to keep their voices down and you won't even notice your neighbors once your food arrives.
THE SERVICE
While many restaurants claim to offer superior service (and many of them certainly back up those claims), Bouley's staff exceeds even the best of its peers with a certain intangible, indescribable touch. The man assigned to our table was more than a waiter -- he was a sommelier, an advisor, and a conversationalist (if you so choose) and yes, he did take our orders. He was gracious and informal (but not exceedingly so), and was friendly (but not uncomfortably talkative). On the other hand, the same man serviced the adjacent table with much more candor and irreverence, which they clearly liked. And so I suppose that is Bouley Bakery's "touch" -- their ability to customize and fine-tune their service to accommodate the preferences of each of their guests.
THE WINE LIST
Bouley Bakery has a decent wine list that is, not surprisingly, heavily-slanted toward French selections. I noticed it lacked some of the overall depth and range we have seen at other establishments, but it contained most of the bottles my companion and I could have wanted and would have considered. While the list also has a reasonable selection from California, the International section (Italian, Australian) is a bit thin -- this did not bother us as we tend to favor French wines, but is something to consider if you feel otherwise. The mark-up in price is in line with other reasonable wine lists around town, and we settled on a mid-priced Bordeaux from the St.-Estephe district. It was a wonderful bottle that we savored the entire evening and will remember for a long time to come.
BREADS
What's dining at Bouley Bakery without sampling the wares from their famed boulangerie? Upon being seated, you are automatically offered the traditional baguette found in many other restaurants. It's warm and satisfying, and the accompanying butter is top-notch. But after ordering dinner with the waiter, a second bread basket arrives with a selection of four Bouley Bakery specialties -- this is where your meal really begins. We decided to sample the garlic bread, the apple raisin bread and the pistachio bread. While breads at most restaurants are an afterthought -- something to nibble on in-between courses, or a crust for soaking up the sauce at the bottom of an entree -- Bouley's breads compose a single course all by themselves. It required a determined effort, with frequent mutual reminders, for my companion and I to avoid stuffing ourselves before the first appetizer even arrived. They're really that good.
DINNER
Dinner was, predictably, delicious. My companion and I both opted for the Special Degustation Dinner Menu, which is a five-course meal including a pre-dessert and dessert. The Degustation Menu allows each person to choose among an array of possible choices for each of the five courses (except the pre-dessert) without insisting everyone order the same thing (in the end, my partner and I gravitated toward the same dishes anyway!). We started with a Phyllo-crusted Florida shrimp, scuba-dived sea scallop, and baby squid in an ocean herbal broth. The shallow broth was clean, pure, speckled with freshly-chopped herbs and, true to its name, tasted of the ocean. The scallop was sweet, the squid was (uncharacteristically) not rubbery, and each bite of the shrimp was accentuated by the crunchiness of the thin shreds of Phyllo dough surrounding it. The second course was a generous portion of Chatham lobster, both tail meat and claw meat, in a simple lemon and butter-based sauce. The lobster was soft and sweet, and each bite left a strangely cool and pleasant feeling in your throat. The third course was rabbit loin atop liver wrapped in greens, accompanied by sliced rabbit leg and a wonderful mushroom tart. The rabbit meat was tender and mild (not gamey) and the presentation of the dish was beautiful. The pre-dessert was a rhubarb soup accompanied by three sorbets: rhubarb, fromage blanc and passionfruit. This dish was refreshing, and a great palate-cleanser for the richness of the upcoming desserts. In the fifth and final dessert course, my companion and I diverged in our selections: she chose the hot Valrhona chocolate souffle surrounded with various ice creams, and I chose the pineapple panna cotta. The chocolate souffle was rich and decadent, the panna cotta light and fruity. It was a very nice contrast.
EPILOGUE
After the last course was cleared away, and we were served our cappucinos and petit-fours, we found it difficult to leave. We sipped our coffee slowly and savored each dessert, finding any excuse to linger a few minutes longer in Bouley's wonderfully comfortable dining room. The waitstaff never rushed us, and graciously offered us more coffee and water until we were ready to depart. It was obvious a few other tables were reluctant to go as well. Each party, upon departing, is offered a small bag of treats to commemorate their visit to Bouley Bakery. Unfortunately, our departure was too late and they had run out. I suppose that leaves us with no choice but to return another day and do it all over again...
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Make reservations weeks in advance, and take advantage of the seasonal tasting menu (known as the Degustation Menu). If you arrive early, check in with the reception desk and you will be able to wait at the bar next door at Danube, Bouley Bakery's sister restaurant.
Best Suited For: Romantic Evening
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Epinions.com ID:
theclaw
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Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 5 members
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