Vaucluse
“So it was with mixed feelings that I decided to try out chef Michael White's new French outpost in the Midtown East.”
“I had the Paris-Brest which was a ring of puff pastry dimples, each filled with a luscious filling and it came with ice cream.”
“The chicken entrée and leek appetizer were both very good but not overwhelmingly memorable.”
Vaucluse
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$$ Price range Above $61
8 reviews
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I love marea (ricci anyone?) and have been many many times, but hated my one experience at Nicoletta. So it was with mixed feelings that I decided to try out chef Michael White's new French outpost in the Midtown East. In spite of its not-exactly-prime (other than for after work crowd) location, this place was buzzing, and my table for two was unable to score a reservation on a Friday night (admittedly with only a day's notice). We chose to battle with the masses in the lounge area – it was a bit of a disorganized free-for-all, but we managed to score ourselves two seats at the bar after waiting for about twenty minutes. Everything after that went swimmingly..
My bourbon and elderflower cocktail was delicious. I told the bartender that it might have been the best cocktail i've ever had. My date also enjoyed her poire fizz (in spite of hesitations of it containing raw egg, she does not appear to have food poisoning today!).
The food was pretty phenomenal. We split a chicken and truffle soup, a duck confit ravioli and a seafood bouillbaise (daily special) with a side of brussel sprouts with lardons. Pretty much everything hit the spot. The soup was rich and delicious (a very generous portion of truffles dominated the flavor profile), and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The duck within the pasta might have been some of the best I've tasted. The bouillbaise was a little classed up with the plates arriving with a selection of seafood, and the soup being poured in table side. Brussell sprouts were well done, and the bits of lardon (bacon) never hurts!
Definitely more Marea than Nicoletta; I was very glad to have gone.
Swanky spot & posh pick for RW2016. It's all banquettes here at this sumptuous, oval room.
The lunch menu is a right deal- though it felt very rushed and the coordination of service and food delivery was a bit muddled. Food wise, it's a French trip via the UES.
Ate:
Housemade whole grain bread
Grilled leeks with mustard seed vinaigrette
Local bluefish with corn succotash
Gateau au chocolat, mocha creneux, choc. Grenoise & caramel glaze
Beaujolais wine $8
The waiter was super knowledgeable about the wines on the RW menu. The leeks were lovely with a bit of anchovy. Bluefish also delish and the wine was a perfect compliment. The gateau was also top- notch. tre Bon!
Finally got to try Michael White's French destination for Mother's Day with the family, and we all loved it. First of all, the vibe is perfect. Extremely upscale without being stuffy, populous without being loud. We somehow got the best table in the house and my mom was thrilled with this. To start I had the beef tartare: OUT of this world. Definitely best beef tartare I've had, and I'd highly recommend it! My step-dad started with the royale, and he said it was delicious. For the main I did the scallops, which were perfectly cooked with a buttery texture. They were served with trumpet mushrooms and an addicting green sauce-both perfect companions. Other mains at the table were the Entrecôte, Porkchops, and Sole; there was not a complaint to be heard. We also tried vegetable sides, namely the carrots, mushrooms, and spinach, all classic and great. Also worthy of note, my cocktail was incredible. I don't remember the name, but it had gin, lemon, egg whites… try it, you'll love it. Vaucluse is pricey, but definitely worth it.
Just as this space has been elevated far above that of a traditional brasserie, so, too, has the food achieved a polish not often found in a simple brasserie. That is not to say that the dishes aren't traditional, for they are. But everything from plating to ingredients seems top notch.
A standout was the salad Lyonnaise, the best I've ever had, with an absolutely perfect poached egg and sinfully good fried croutons. And the pomme frites that came with the burger were superb, crisped with duck fat, and almost hollow.
A compact selection of wines by the glass manages to offer a little of something for everyone. The "house" Altamarea wines are a good bet, especially the Oregon pinot noir.
Service is well intentioned and professional, if not quite at the polished level of the food.
Came with a Gilt City credit voucher because this restaurant is definitely pricey French cuisine. If you enjoy a classic fine-dining experience, this is a good option to try. Think small portions, multi-course meal, prim and proper service, a tinge of pretentiousness.
The bread is amazing! Get everything in the bread basket. For a light appetizer, the Poireaux Vinaigrette (grilled leeks, toasted almonds, mustard seed vinaigrette) was delicious. The leeks are cooked down to a soft, sweet, and mild vegetable; the topping was deliciously nutty and lemony. The Chef is somewhat known as a pasta genius, so I had high expectations for the Épaulettes (rabbit & reblochon cheese ravioli, black truffle). It was definitely tasty, but a bit too precious for me. Filet de Veau Façon Rossini (veal tenderloin, foie gras, caramelized onion tartine, black truffle jus) was my favorite – highly recommend. Perfect coins of tenderloin alongside a ridiculously unctuous tartine/tower of foie gras, crunchy toast, onions, who knows what else but it was so delicious I didn't think about it too much. A PERFECT bite altogether. The turbot was rather disappointing, a little too simply prepared and a little too acidic. The Paris-Brest (pâte à choux, caramelized white chocolate, praline croquant) was more of a breakfast pastry-type of dessert, like a cream puff filled with nutty mousse. Really light and airy yet satisfying.
4 stars for food, 3.5 stars for service, 4 stars for atmosphere.
The service was alright, perhaps not as warm and welcoming as I'd hoped (especially after the voucher was mentioned). The food is classic rather than unique and interesting. However, I can't really justify the high price tag and I would probably return to other restaurants where I've had a more memorable experience.
3.5 stars, given my high expectations since it is Michael White. Throughout the evening I tried the pea soup, duck a l'orange, and the turbot. My recommendation is, because it's Michael White, order seafood. The turbot was one of the best seafood dishes I've had in 2016. Service had slight hiccups but is always polite, and for the first hour or so there was a fly roaming around in the dining room.
Vaucluse has tough shoes to fill. It is housed in the former location of the infamous Park Avenue Restaurant. Although the same classy feel still resides, the food is very different. Vaucluse delivers modern, yet classic French fare. Let me start from the beginning:
After being seated and searching the menu, we were served our drinks (dirty martini for me), a selection of breads (the best baguette I've ever had), and an amuse bouche (salmon on a cracker, but fancier).
My friend and I started with the beef tartare which was a good portion size. I love the pickle and toasted baguette accompaniments.
As our entrée, we shared the veal tenderloin and the entrecote, both of which were delicious.
The best part of the meal, however, was the duck fat French fries. They literally melted in your mouth.
We couldn't decide on just 1 dessert so we got both the Tarte Vaucluse and Soufflé Chaud Chocolat. Both were decadent and rich, in their own way.
Overall a fabulous meal and very tentative, 5 star service.
Spot is all about French cuisine but the standout on the menu is the White Label Burger. Aged beef blend topped with fontina cheese, tomato jam, dijonnaise and served with some of the best frites going. Well worth the sticker price and on par with the highest rated patties in the city.