The Simone
“Every item was delicious – from the goat cheese soufflé & sweetbread appetizer to all three of our entrees, filet mignon, duck, and rack of lamb.”
“Seared duck breast (with excellent crispy skin) and thigh, with a vegetable croquette.”
“I also appreciated her occasional drop-bys to check in on the pairings and top off our glasses (yessss).”
The Simone
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$$ Price range Above $61
8 reviews
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(A Haiku,)
What a stunning place.
Next level impeccable.
Yes, Get the sweetbreads.
KenScale: 8.5/10
It's been a while since my last visit to The Simone, a quiet French restaurant in Upper East Side. I was very impressed with the quality of food in a cozy mom-and-pop style setting (you have to call to get a reservation, and all menus are handwritten). For my year-end dinner with best friends, I figured a revisit was in order. Overall, another very good meal, but perhaps not as magical as last time.
There is nothing fussy about the food at The Simone, but you can see that each dish is very well thought-out to make for a satisfying feast. The cheese soufflé was an excellent start to the meal, as was the crispy sweetbread, which had a nice, smooth texture to it. On the other hand, homemade gnocchi was a bit underwhelming (I was expecting a bit more hearty feel to the dish), and boudin blanc (white sausage) was somewhat predictable. Things got progressively better in main dishes. The flounder this time came in the form of "paupiette" stuffing; I did prefer the more straightforward dish that I had last time. On the other hand, the sea bass special was excellent, with perfectly cooked fish, while both duck and filet mignon were also very juicy and tender. Overall, however, I felt that one punch line was somewhat missing from the meal this time. The desserts were even more mixed; the two chocolate desserts were more or less pedestrian, although the Basque cake was quite delightful, with moderate level of sweetness that was just to my liking.
The manager and wife of the chef, Tina Vaughn, is still around greeting and entertaining diners. Her presence makes this place sort of a elegant supper party. I was certainly not disappointed with my second visit, but perhaps I'll take another visit next time to see how the food evolves again.
This place is a gem! Such a cute little restaurant, with great food, great service, and excellent wine! The atmosphere and decor were quaint and cozy. We had a fantastic dinner. Also, the location is just steps away from the Met! Perfect for an evening out on the town 🙂
Very lovely restaurant where you spend the night dining, not just eating out. Service is impeccable and the food delicious (savory tart and salmon special stand out). I do, however, wish I knew the average age of the diners is 65+. Not the crowd and vibe my date and I were expecting, nor are used to. This is a perfect spot for a culinary experience where you aren't expecting an energetic atmosphere. Was surprised the wine list (which was very good) was pretty affordable, because the food is quite pricey. All in all, a very special night out.
One of the best meals I've had in New York, hands down.
Was looking for a special place to take my lady, and we had decided on French. I needed some place near our hotel or near Radio City where we were seeing a show, and out of the limited options, this looked like the best. Unfortunately, when I called at the end of November for a reservation, their outgoing message said they were booked for the entire month of December. Well, I knew I chose right at that point, but what to do? I left a message hoping there would be a cancellation, and they called me the next day to tell me they could squeeze me in at 5:45 for a pre-theater dinner (meaning they knew we'd be out in an hour or so). Score!
This is a very small restaurant – only a handful of tables. Very minimalist decorations, but extremely classy and a dress code that if they don't need to enforce, because the patrons know better. Our waitress knew the menu inside and out – i was thoroughly impressed with the breadth of her knowledge. She was extremely helpful in making our choices as we were both a bit stuck between a couple of items.
I was stuck between the duck and the chicken, but leaning toward the duck. They had a special on braised short ribs that sounded interesting, too, but the duck was calling my name. She emphatically suggested the duck – not that the chicken wasn't good, but apparently this chef was becoming known for his duck. That the good lord that I went with her suggestion. This was a plate with sliced duck breast, a portion of thigh, and another portion of…lets just call it duck leftover (liver, etc). It was served with stuff but I don't remember what else was on the plate and it doesn't matter. The duck practically melted in my mouth. It was without a doubt some of the best I have ever had.
Its amusing to me, but I didn't eat duck for the longest time until a few years ago, Melissa and I went to the Epcot Flower and Garden festival at Disney and I decided to try the duck at the French emporium and fell in love with it. Since then, duck has become something of a go-to when I eat French, but I have never had it as good as here. Forget you Disney, I love you, but NYC has you beat.
The other great part of this meal were the drinks. I ordered an old fashioned, and I've never had an old fashioned this smooth and tasty. I don't understand why they all can't be like this. Melissa, however, asked for a drink menu and our waitress told us the bartender was a wizard. Just tell him what you like, and he'll make it. So she told him that she wanted something seasonal – something wintery – sweet and made with vodka. The drink he came up with was amazing. He told us what was in it and I don't remember. Something to do with home made ice cream, I think, but whatever it was, this guy is a genius. I'd say he was wasting away at Simone, but seeing as how good Simone was, I guess he's right where he should be.
Not a place I could come back to often. Don't be fooled by the $$$. If it is $$$, then its just barely missing the fourth. But for a special event or a special day or if you have some organs to sell, then this is the place to eat.
Fine dining at its best!
Fresh food, properly prepared with a service staff that is absolutely nothing short of amazing.
I'll admit, I'm no wine expert. Nevertheless, we opted for the wine pairing, and I was blown away. Each bite was perfectly complemented by the wine. I never realized that food and wine when paired correctly could so enhance the flavors of an entire meal. It is without question that Tina is an artist in this regard.
Furthermore, Tina did a wonderful job of coordinating the staff and the overall pace of the meal. Everything simply flows. From food to decor to service, I'd be hard pressed to find flaws with any of it.
The seafood tasted as if it crawled out of the ocean onto the plate. I was particularly impressed by the crabmeat salad that was beyond refreshing. My only regret is that it was a special for the evening, as everyone should be so fortunate to sample it.
My duck was spot on cooked to perfection–a sampling of both breast and thigh. Perfectly seasoned and garnished. To steal from Gordon Ramsey, I was tempted to lick the plate. The chef is a true master of his craft. There was not a bite of food with which I was not impressed.
The dessert was decadent. Even this course was enhanced by just the right wine.
The space of the restaurant is small. There are a dozen tables give or take. The intimate setting. The fine food. The attention to detail by the the owners and staff. Dinner for two–2 apps, 2 mains, 1 shared dessert and wine pairing with tax and tip were over $300. However, even at that price point, I felt that the experience of this establishment was well worth it. I was that impressed.
My fiance and I went here about a month ago on a Friday night for dinner. Definitely one of the best dining experiences that we've had in NYC. The hostess, which happens to be one of the owners, makes you feel right at home and the service was excellent.
We each had the 6 oz filet mignon as our main course. It was amazing and I inhaled mine, however, I honestly think the filet was really 4-5 oz instead, which was a bummer considering how expensive it was, but nonetheless, it was delicious. I cannot recall which wine we had, but it was very good, and the waiter even allowed us to sample a few of them, and the selection is excellent. Without a doubt, one of the best wine menus we've seen in NYC. The owner was even so kind to give us a bag of dinner rolls on our way out when my fiance mentioned how much I was enjoying the bread while we were waiting for our entrees to arrive!
Anyway, this place is definitely worth going to if you're looking to have a quiet, intimate dinner with that special someone. I highly recommend!
We came here later on a Saturday evening and were very impressed.
Note that you must make a reservation by phone (but they return voicemails promptly). The reservations are very accommodating and we didn't have trouble getting a table one week out.
Decor was simple and elegant, like being in a home. As noted by others, the crowd is a little on the older side, but it's overall a nice atmosphere, and very well-suited for a nice couple's dinner or dinner with friends. Do be sure to dress a little nicer.
The service was excellent. We showed up about 15 minutes early, and were seated right away. The staff was very friendly, professional, helpful, attentive and accommodating.
The food itself was also excellent. This is what we had (all shared between two and a good amount of food):
-Savory tart, with caramelized onions, prosciutto, egg yolk and mushrooms. Possibly our favorite dish of the night, it's terrific – savory and sweet and with the best crust.
-Trio of crabmeat appetizers. We enjoyed this a great deal too, especially the crabcake. The sauces went well with each preparation, and there were good chunks of meat.
-Sweetbreads. Our first time with them, and they were fantastic. A little on the heavier side of appetizers, but really great at soaking up the flavors of the delicious mushroom and hazelnut sauce, with a great crust.
-Duck entree. Seared duck breast (with excellent crispy skin) and thigh, with a vegetable croquette. Cooked perfectly, plenty to share for two.
To complement it all, we had the wine-pairing with our dinner (as others have suggested) and were blown away. We've never really done wine-pairings with food, but this really opened our eyes to how good it can be. Each wine was selected specifically for our dishes and really highlighted and accented them. It's really a must-get and must-try.
Overall, an excellent little restaurant on the UES that we will be back to try soon.