Cafe d'Alsace

Cafe d'Alsace

Owner

With Cafe d'Alsace, Simon Oren (Nice Matin, Marseille) brings his expertise in regional French dining to the Upper East Side. Chef Philippe Roussel (Montparnasse, Chelsea Bar and Bistro) interprets the cuisine of his father's native Alsace with a contemporary New York flair including harcuterie platter, foie gras terrine, a fine hanger steak and frites. Complementing the cuisine is one the city's most distinguished beer selections - including a dedicated beer sommelier to assist you in selecting the perfect lager, ale or bock to compliment to your meal.

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
A roaring scene of grownups fills this mustard-colored dining room adorned with a seltzer bottle collection, vintage French beer ads and distressed mirrors reminiscent of a downtown brasserie. Neighborhood dwellers pack the place, happy that high-caliber dining doesn't require a cab ride.

The Food
The restaurant's namesake, Alsace, is the French region bordering Germany that favors hearty cuisine. Sharable starters include a warm, cheesy German potato salad, a pizza-like caramelized onion and bacon tart and a variety of sausages--veal, seafood and traditional pork. Entrees are no less formidable, including a large black kettle of choucroute garni--pork sausage, pork belly, and boudin blanc (veal and pork sausage) over a mound of satiating sauerkraut. Addicting fries and pesto spaetzle vie for attention even after the main course, though a grand finale of a cream-filled puff pastry with berries wins out.