Cafe Boulud
New York, NY 10021-2643
Phone: (212) 772-2600
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- Directions:
- 6 at 77th St
- Hours:
- Mon 5:45pm-11pm, Tue-Sat 12pm-2:30pm, 5:45pm-11pm, Sun 5:45pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Cafe Boulud – by Ben Williams
The Scene
Cafe Boulud is much less grand than its owner's flagship, Daniel, but it cedes little in quality (or price). The medium-sized, simply furnished room is filled with a very Upper East Side buzz. Service is formal and exceedingly attentive, but not intimidating; ask questions and you'll get excellent advice.
The Food
Cafe Boulud offers no less than four menus--seasonal, traditional, vegetarian and global--and diners are encouraged to mix and match between them. Most will gravitate toward the traditional and seasonal menus, the highlights of which include soft, crispy codfish matched with a fricasee of beans, pickled ramps and rough-textured mustard sauce, and a remarkably tender duck with spicy greens, wild rice and Vidalia onions. But the vegetarian option should not be overlooked: It offers exceptional clarity and freshness of ingredients. The global menu is probably the weakest--which means it's just very good, as opposed to transcendent.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
The ExtrasIf you're feeling flush, the best way to experience the food is via the tasting menu. Running nine courses and at least two hours, it's a real adventure.
Where to SitTry to get a table at the opposite end of the room from the bar. Waiting diners can make some tables slightly cramped.
Know Before You GoThere are a few tables in front of the restaurant, but they feel a little too close to the street for comfort.
User Reviews for Cafe Boulud
05/12/2008 Posted by pffff
Arrived this past Saturday (5-10) with my wife to a busy and energetic dining room. I have lived in New York for about 6 years and been to Cafe Boulud once before and I love it then...so now how was it with the new Chef and new team....amazing. The experience from start top finish was not only what I was hoping for but it was what was delivered. The front of the house took care of us in a way that made us feel like we were the only ones there. I would highly recommend this restaurant, it is also fun to people watch being on the UES and all! We will be back soon.
Pros: Everything
Cons: Hard to get reservation
05/10/2008 Posted by LarrySF
One lacks the words to illustrate the concept of "rip-off" when referring to this restaurant. Sunday evening afforded us a good reservation slot. The atmosphere was extremely stuffy, but not unexpected. The service was polite and formal. We chose the biscuits and gravy appetizer with Foie Gras, truffles, etc. It was good, not much too it, but good. We ordered the roasted rib eye. It came with Pomme Port Neuf, ie French fries. The steak was OK at first but the more I soaked up the Bordelaise sauce, the madder I got. This was not the Bordelaise sauce I loved so much in the past. Then, I came upon a large piece of gristle. My wife turned with a sly grin and said, "How's the steak?" At that point, I realized it wasn't that great at all. In fact, for $55, it sucked! And come to think of it, for $20, the supped up Egg McMuffin sucked as well! At that point, we both just laughed at our foolishness. How silly we were to think that a meal for, at that point $275, would taste three times better than an ordinary night out. I just shook my head. What a great lesson learned. We didn't order dessert and left as quick as we could. This place is like a white on white painting in the Museum of Modern Art - just stupid and a great way for Daniel to separate money from the rich and naive. Someone should tell this emperor he has no clothes but I suspect that won't happen.
Pros: Elegant
Cons: Small servings, tasteless and unbelievably overpriced
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