NYC Tastes

We celebrated our anniversary this year at Bâtard, Drew Nieporent's charming and elegant French restaurant in Tribeca. After having just eaten at Frenchette and Le Coucou, I was a little hesitant on choosing another French spot.  But Bâtard not only meet all of our expectations, it stood out among the three as our favorite.   I began with a lovely Steak Tartare dressed with horseradish cream and everything bagel spice.  Mr. T had read the description from the menu, commenting that this dish was meant for me and he was absolutely right.  It had all the ingredients I love, with the heat from the horseradish pairing perfectly with the silky ribbons of steak and spice.  He chose the Carrot & Coconut Soup dotted with crispy sweetbreads, vadouvan and spiced peanuts.  There was a wonderful interplay of spicy and savory with the curry powder teasing the richness of the coconut and sweetbreads. Lobster Tagliatelle ($8 Supplem...

My final birthday celebration was a solo lunch at Gabriel Kreuther.  Located right off Bryant Park on 42nd Street this restaurant is like a hidden oasis of calm and beauty right in the middle of busy Midtown East.  Long wooden beams surround the main dining area with a bright platinum ceiling and luxurious ivory banquettes dotting the floor.   The menu is described as Alsatian inspired cuisine and lunch offers a two course prix fixe for $58 with the option of additional savory courses at $29 a plate.  My meal began with a classic Austrian Kugelhof; a springy sponge like cake flecked with raisins and citrus.  I'm not a huge bread person but this was incredible.  I loved the light fluffy texture of the dough and the creamy chive butter that arrived alongside could make just about any dish a five star experience. Four small amuse bouche followed including a creamy corn chowder croquette, a crispy scallop chip and green tea black pepper ge...