New York: King Daniel’s

He has been at the top of the bill for over thirty years. Lyonnais faithful to his roots, trained in France with Georges Blanc in Vonnas, Nandron in the town of Gones, Roger Vergé at the Moulin de Mougins, Michel Guérard in Eugénie-les-Bains, he joined the big apple forty years ago already , to launch the cuisine of the Plaza-Athénée NY new wave, was above all, for six years, the chef of the Cirque whose first place he took over, sumptuous, in the style of a neo-Byzantine palace revisited modern where he officiates under his first name.

Amuse-bouche © GP

Daniel Boulud, is developing, in parallel, an empire, in New York, with his Café Boulud, his DB Brasserie, his Boulud Sud, his “grocery store” in several copies, his bistros including the recent Gratin, his Pavillon, which we told you about there are hardly any, spreading to Toronto, Montreal, Dubai, Singapore, the Bahamas. Crowned as “best restaurateur in the world” by his friends at Grandes Tables du Monde. But it is, of course, in its great restaurant, affiliated with Relais & Châteaux, that it must be discovered clearly.

Scallops in carpaccio, spinach, hibiscus leaf © GP

The master here shines, supported by a solid team: Eddy Leroux, his second-in-command, who notably worked for Alain Senderens at Lucas-Carton in Paris, Karim Guedouar, who worked for Ducasse at Dorchester and Adour, but also at Aqua in San Francisco with Laurent Manrique as well as at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay with Xavier Salomon and, on the wine side, by the young sommelier Erin Healy, trained in Champagne and who praises the best French wines, as well as those from California or Virginia. We don’t forget the sweets created by the pastry artist Shaun Velez, recently crowned by the List.

Monterey oysters, crepinette, broccolini © GP

What will you taste there? High-end Franco-American cuisine, combining French techniques and exceptional US products – or elsewhere, particularly from the Pacific. Thus, very digestible appetizers like a certain variation on Jerusalem artichoke, in truffled vichyssoise, candied, in brunoise, with Mornay sauce and hazelnuts. A great start-up! Then there is the hamachi tuna (or “Japanese amberjack”) from Hokkaido Bay marinated in vodka, with its red beet chutney, wild blueberry, wasabi crème fraîche. Tonic !

Montauk sea bass, celery, champagne sauce © GP

Consistent things? They start, all in finesse and lightness, with scallops in carpaccio, spinach, Gala apple, hibiscus leaf, cider vinaigrette with walnuts. And this piece of bravery that constitutes Monterey Bay oysters, with pork crepinette – taking up the principle of the Arcachonese tradition mixing oyster and fine sausage in crepinette –, plus a lemony broccolini chutney and an arugula coulis.

Lamb chop, black garlic, vadouvan, squash © GP

Then there is the local bar in Montauk, the famous port of the Hamptons in the state of NY, with Oregon matsutake mushrooms, celery, lemon thyme champagne sauce. The predatory moment? A tender Pennsylvania lamb chop with oriental flavors with black garlic, vadouvan, butternut and kabocha squash, Zucca pasta stuffed with braised shank, lamb jus with sage: beautiful art.

Sommelier Erin Healy © GP

Thereupon, the lively Erin offers you selected wines, like nuggets to discover: Blanc de Blancs champagne, reserve cuvée, the Californian chardonnay from Sonoma “Littorai Mays Canyon Vineyard” in 2017, the surprising and so flattering pinot noir 2020 “Occidental” from Bodega Headlands Vineyard” vintage Elizabeth signed Stephen Kistler in Sonoma, finally the solid and very “ Bordeaux » RdV Lost Mountain 2020 and cabernet sauvignon from Middleburg in Virginia.

Glazed pineapple Vacherin, prickly pear sorbet © GP

We don’t ignore Shaun Velez’s sweet treats, like the very fresh and delicious pineapple glazed Vacherin, with prickly pear sorbet, smoked cinnamon meringue and Kalamansi lemon syrup to melt on the spot. And again the “Madirofolo”: a creamy dark chocolate from Madagascar, with tamarind punch liqueur ice cream. Without forgetting to make a point of the exquisite sweet treats and hot little madeleines. A big party for a big house!

Karim Guedouar, DB, Eddy Leroux © GP

Daniel’s