Edible enlightenment from our eatery experts and colleagues Monie Begley, Richard Nalley and Randall Lane, as well as brothers Bob, Kip and Tim.
The Lounge at Le Bernardin
An elegant, very comfortable and much less formal alternative to the main dining room. There’s an array of caviar offerings, as well as a luxurious smoked salmon croque monsieur with golden Osetra. The à la carte menu can change, but restaurant classics are usually on offer: glistening oysters, including East and West Coast varieties; the LB lobster roll, teeming with generous pieces of lobster on a black truffle bun; the yellowfin tuna pounded into delicate layers with a drizzle of olive oil; and the LB signature salmon rillette. Also on the menu are beautiful works of art created with salmon, scallops or hamachi. But the topper to this meal is the Egg—a sinful concoction of chocolate and caramel served in an eggshell. Service is impeccable. As you float out the door, you know you’ve had a vrai Le Bernardin experience.
Quality Bistro
A big and bustling place with large portions and robust prices. The smoked salmon Lyonnaise has more frisée than fish, but the tuna carpaccio is first-rate. The Dover sole is excellent—moist and perfectly deboned. For something unexpected, try the Moroccan fried chicken—think Colonel Sanders in the casbah! Three favorite desserts are the apple tarte tatin sundae, the floating island and the pistachio crème brûlée (rave-worthy).
