Bouley
New York, NY 10013-3803
Phone: (212) 964-2525
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Duane Street
- Directions:
- 1, 2, 3; A, C at Chambers St
- Hours:
- Daily 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-11:30pm
Editorial Review for Bouley – by Kathleen Squires
The Scene
Fresh-picked apples line the loge at the entryway, and their wonderful scent lingers inside. Two vaulted rooms, one an elegant ivory, the other a warmer crimson, offer plush chairs, fresh flowers, and odd--though not necessarily loud--acoustics. The feel is less stuffy than many restaurants of this caliber, but the service is no less polished.
The Food
Chef David Bouley's strength lies in layering flavors yet always preserving the essence of a dish's centerpiece. Silky black bass with porcini mushrooms carries smoky, earthy and buttery overtones that somehow never overpower the fish, and whole-roasted baby pig includes belly meat, braised for 24 hours in five spice-ginger glaze, and yet the pork flavor is still fully present. A bright, colorful terrine of lobster, mango and artichoke wrapped in Serrano ham and drizzled with a passionfruit, coconut and tamarind dressing represents the chef at his best.
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Insider Tips
Know Before You GoFor prime-time tables, call a month in advance for reservations.
Save MoneyThe lunch prix-fixe bargains, $48 for four courses or $38 for three courses, are almost too good to be true.
What to DrinkThough the sommelier is willing to pair wines with the tasting menu for $70 per person, a '95 Prado Enea Grande Reserve rioja, nicely priced at $90, drinks quite well with every course.
User Reviews for Bouley
10/04/2008 Posted by nh230504
Visited Bouley this week for the first time. Service was poor; waiters were slow and unpleasant. The food was below average. It lacked both the flavor and the presentation. The best part of the food was their bread. Afterward I was left with severely upset stomach. One more thing, the place does not look clean and in fact there is a distinct fishy odor in the air. I will never go back.
Pros: wide variety of breads
Cons: everything else
09/20/2008 Posted by seanPP
While I will say that the food was extraordinary and gets 5 stars, at the end of the meal an extremely frustrating event occured. Therefore, my rating is unfortunately reduced to 2 stars. After a fulfilling and pleasant meal, the waiter brought a bill which included the items we ordered (2 tasting menus, 1 mineral water, 1 bottle wine) along with extra items (embedded into our other items on the receipt) that we had not ordered (2 beef soups, 2 wine pairings, 2 teas, etc). How could this happen?? Was this by accident?? Can't assume so. Who would coincidentally choose the exact same items we ordered? I believe this was deliberately done by the waiter(s) who served us. After I pointed out the error, they came back with the correct receipt and they didn't even apologize. We first considered that they brought us the bill for a different table, but the new bill showed the same correct number of the table we were seated in. Did being non-French affect their treatment of us? In a wonderful restaurant like Bouley, I am regretful to say that the actions of the waiters were extremely disappointing and degrading.
