Thursday, July 13, 2006

Birthday Blowout!

It only comes once a year - go on, enjoy it.

I had the pleasure of becoming 34 last weekend. Although I don't really lke getting any older (I always feel like I shold be doing so much more with my life every added year) it is a great excuse to go hell-for-leather at fine food, wine, and of course cocktails. My girl took me to one of NY's older and snobbier French temples of gastronomy. 'La Grenouille' is in Midtown East, and looks at first glance like a florist! I am then told that La Grenouille ("The Frog") is famous for it's floral displays. I must admit, the air smells really good in there, although we have just entered from stinking, humid East 52nd at 5th Ave. I have an excellent Martini at the bar - Grey Goose with just enough vermouth and 3 olives, chilled down (is there any other way?) and we're shown to our table, in the middle of the dining room. The menu is VERY French, and VERY expensive. I, rather traditionally, go for the roast quail, and then brochet (Pike) which is served in a 'quenelle' with rice. To be brutally honest, I've never tried pike before and I didn't know what to expect. It was OK. My quail was tasty and moist, although there is only scant amounts of food on my plate. (I had starved myelf all flippin day too). Serena goes for lobster and tarragon ravioli, which was well cooked and sauced beautifully, and then oxtail and old classic, which is also executed with aplomb. The meat is rich, moist and utterly tasty. I watch her eat that for the next 5 minutes, wishing I had not been so adventurous with the pike. Cheese follows pike and oxtail, and the remainder of our rather expensive wine. I like the dining room at LG, but the menu was not as extensive as I would have liked, and the food is somewhat expensive, But, for hardened Francophiles, this is the THE place.

www.lagrenouille.com

Teddy, June 06

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