“I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
For our 16 year Wedding Anniversary, the hubby and I wanted to treat ourselves to a French fine dining experience at Daniel’s in NYC. Owned by Chef Daniel Boulud, this French restaurant offers a contemporary, fresh twist on traditional recipes. It’s located at 60 East 65th Street (between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue), on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, in New York City.
Phenomenal White Cosmopolitan- Vodka, Elderflower, White Cranberry, Lime
From the second you walk in, the experience begins. The atmosphere here is cozy, romantic and elegant. After we were seated, we were greeted by our sommelier (she was so knowledgeable and friendly) and ordered some drinks. My “White Cosmo” cocktail was gorgeous and delightful, featuring a large round ice cube with an encased orchid. I felt like I was drinking a work of art! My husband ordered a non-alcoholic drink called “Spring in Corsica,” which was refreshing and not over the top sweet.
So before we commenced on our nine course adventure (we had the choice of the five course prix fixe or the nine course tasting menu. We went for the nine. Why not? 😁) We started with what I thought were palate starters. Omg, they were bite size fun in your mouth. From light and citrusy to salty and creamy… so many flavor profiles from these starters. So delicious and off to a great start! (Unfortunately I could not recall what the ingredients were. I was living in the moment😉)
Can’t forget the excellent selection of fresh breads: multigrain, garlic, olive, butter, sourdough, baguette. With amazing creamy sea salted butter!
The presentation for the first three courses were delicate and elegant. The taste on all three dishes was amazing! The Oxtail and Cheeks were delicious. I excepted an “earthy” taste, but far from it! It was creamy and savory. The Red Mullet had an amazing sear to it and well seasoned. The Wine Vinegar Emulsion I loved because I felt it enhanced this dish and balanced all the flavors. The white asparagus…cooked to perfection! I loved how it is was paired with the “Brie de Meaux,” (very popular gourmet cheese found in France … first time trying it!) which provided a rich, creamy, buttery flavor to this dish.
The courses keep coming! Four, Five, and Six were more filling, but ever so delicious! Loved the braised Kona Abalone (It is scientifically part of the Haliotis family of sea snails, a marine gastropod mollusk) and it was our first time trying it! The abalone looked small, but sliced and put back into the shell with a nice crust on top. Every bite was sublime, especially with the caviar. The caviar added a nice saltiness to the dish and paired with the yuzu, provided lovely citrusy notes. The halibut dish was exquisite. It melted in your mouth! Loved the Curry Emulsion. It was not overpowering and it added a different dimension to the dish. The lamb was a decadent and delicious type of meat. Amazing flavor, not at all gamey and loved the way the spinach was cooked. I do want to note that if this dish was any bigger, I would not have been able to finish it. A tasty dish, but very heavy.
The Seventh course was cheese! (By this point, we were getting full, but were going to see this till the end!) They literally roll over an entire cheese cart and park it next to your table. You’ll be stuffed at this point, but if you love cheese as much as I do you will find room!
By this point we had reached the 9th course and beyond! The desserts were amazing! Loved the Mango Milk Jam Mousse. It was delicate, creamy, and not over the top sweet. Venezuelan dark chocolate mousse was lovely. The dark chocolate had a bitter taste (which I love) but paired with the lightly sweetened, velvety, airy Crème Légère it provided a beautiful balance to this dessert. Loved the edible chocolate paper. 😊 Loved the warm freshly baked Madeline cookies too!
The service is incredible from the moment you walk in until you leave. What made Daniel so great, was the experience that the staff created. Service was synchronized, warm, attentive to each individual’s need without being encroaching and never a prolonged wait between courses. Our sommelier was awesome! The presentation of each dish was carefully laid out and presented in a choreographed way. The 9 course Chef’s tasting menu was divine and every single dish was delicious. Ingredients harmoniously blended where each dish was equivalent to the next in unforgettable tastes. What a great culinary experience. It can be a pricey, but well worth it. Definitely a place you must experience at least once. I will definitely go back! Thank you for reading my review and continue to chomp away!
Chomping Chica