Daniels Bar Boulud

douceur
salted caramel tart, espresso foam
dolce de leche sorbet....the most amazing desert ever invented


Desert...I think I should state from the beginning of this piece that desert was the most amazing experience I have almost ever had. The number one experience of course was child birth...this was without the pain...but almost as moving.
From the first morsel touching my taste buds I felt a flow of emotion as if I was under a spell.
How can food bring such enormous pleasure and memories and feelings of true bliss.
I have of late had some amazing meals.
Taste encounters that have been orgasmic. Memorable. Note worthy.
Food moments that will live in my heart and head for a lifetime.
This moment of true, pure heavenly bliss brought tears to my eyes.
Unexpected, surprising emotions on a volcanic proportion.
I know I use the term heavenly often...and I should perhaps critique a bit more harshly...but i have had the fortune of choosing amazing restaurants.
Remember this was started as the Finer Things...so my quest was making that list of must sees.

Jen came up to the upper west side. She was taking me for my birthday dinner. I had expressed how much I wanted to go to Daniels...the posh no sign on the door Daniels on the upper east side.
Knowing that it was on that Per Se kinda ridiculous high priced dining experience you have to take a small loan out for kind of place. I suggested we go to Daniels Bar Boulud as a nice alternative.
They actually print the prices on the menu here.
We started with an appetizer...really...if i had known about the desert I would have started with that.
Naturally we started with the pork belly. I seem to have pork belly everywhere they serve it. Comparing it to the first time.
Harold's restaurant..Harold the first season winner of Top Chef. Perilla. Still one of my favorite places. Perilla was our first Finer Things. We also caught a glimpse of Harold that night.
Harold made the most amazing pork belly. Of course this was my first time and as we know you always remember your first time fondly. Or at least you hope to.
I have since tried Tom Collichio's at Craft, pork belly in Vail, Pork belly uptown, downtown, east side, west side...and am lately considering attempting my own culinary talents and testing it in my kitchen in queens.
It's bacon...how can it go wrong ?
Bar Boulud's was lovely.
They also gave us, compliments of the chef this amazing puffed bread thingy that, if on the menu I would have order 2.
We split the coq au vin...this was chicken like I have never had.
Chicken is chicken right...wrong. You can ruin chicken so easily.
When it's great it's really great. When it's bad...it's well...mine.
I could never cook a good chicken on purpose.
Now and then I surprise myself and make a lovely chicken...i don't know what I did...nor could I do it again. I try and remember what mistake I made that created a moist flavorful breast...but even now...nothing.
My first fight with my ex was over chicken.
I tried giving up red meat for a while...but everything tasted like chicken.
Well...I have had coq au vin maybe twice in my life. I have had chicken and vegetables...chicken stew, chicken pot pie and the chicken at Baltazar is one of my favorites. hmmm...is that coq au vin ?? maybe. They put spitzle in it...which i think is my favorite part.
Bar Boulud's chicken is melt in your mouth, flavorful, balanced and I can still taste it. This has been over a month ago...but this was one of those food memories.
We had a side of the Brussels sprouts...also quite lovely. But I have had better. I actually make better.
Mind you...when I did it was by mistake and will never be repeated again. Perhaps with enough vodka...but then with enough vodka it doesn't really matter.
I thought it couldn't get better than this.
I was wrong.
Desert was the best present...the best desert...the best thing I ever ate.
I can't say anymore...you must if nothing else...have this before you die. It would be on my last meal list. the what would you take on a deserted island list...the would i choose a hot date or this for dinner list...the i would give my right arm for list.
Yes...it is that good...and yes it did make me cry with joy.



SOUPES ET SALADES

soupe de chou-fleur
cauliflower velouté, quatre épices
colza oil, chervil
10


garbure
gascon style soup, braised oxtail
beef consomme, winter root vegetables
12


salade roquette
baby arugula, blood orange, radish
fennel, black olives, citrus vinaigrette
11


betterave et escarole
salad of roasted red beets, escarole
hazelnuts, farm cheese, shallot vinaigrette
12


frisée lyonnaise
chicory, chicken liver, poached egg
lardons, sourdough croutons
15



CRUS ET CRUSTACÉS

aïoli
olive oil poached cod
louisiana shrimp, mussels
garlic dip, quail eggs & vegetables
to share 29 for one 14


saint-jacques
maine diver sea scallops
brussels sprouts, concord grape
18


salade de crevette au pomme
kataifi crusted carolina shrimp
apple, hearts of palm
yogurt, cilantro, harissa
15


tartare de boeuf parisien
black angus top sirloin tartar
gaufrette chips, romaine
ap 17 mc 29


plats de resistance

omble de larctique
arctic char, glazed salsify
cippolini onions, crushed celery root bordelaise sauce
26


truite amande
local catskills trout, toasted almonds
roasted cauliflower, brown butter
verjus
27


raie aux endives et pommes de terre
sautéed atlantic skate, belgian endive
yukon gold potatoes, leeks, madeira jus
25


lotte rtie aux palourdes
roasted long island monkfish
smoked bacon
mahogany clams, shellfish cream
26

-----

boeuf aux carottes
braised flatiron steak
local market carrots, green onion confit
25


steak frites
black angus ny steak with french fries
laitue au fromage blanc
33


poulet roti
roasted chicken breast, pine nuts
braised swiss chard, currants smoked onion mashed potatoes
26


pâtes fraches
house made tagliatelle
berkshire pork bolognese
taggiasca olives, tomato confit
parmesan
25



garnitures
8 each


pommes frites
cauliflower gratin
super green spinach
vegetable jardinière



CHARCUTERIE GILLES VEROT

pâté grand-mère
fine country pâté
chicken liver, pork and cognac
10

pâté grand-père
coarse country pâté
truffle juice and port
13

lapin de la garrigue
provençal pulled rabbit
carrot, zucchini and herbs
11

fromage de tête gilles verot
head cheese terrine
gilles verots award winning specialty
13

tourte de gibiers
pheasant, wildboar, wood pigeon,canadian elk
foie gras en croûte
17

compote de joue de boeuf
shredded slow-braised beef cheek
onion confit and pistachio
11

tagine dagneau
terrine of slow cooked
spiced leg of lamb
eggplant and sweet potato
11

pâté bourguignon
guinea hen with red wine
bacon, pearl onion and mushrooms
11


saucisson sec
pork, red wine and black pepper
dry sausage
10


jambon

de paris
housemade cooked ham
12


d'italie
prosciutto san daniele
12


d'espange
spanish iberico belotta ham
38




hors doeuvre
seasoned vegetables
to accompany charcuterie
5 each

carrots with coriander
beets with horseradish
celery-apple rémoulade
mushrooms la grecque

a plate of 3
14



DÉGUSTATION DE CHARCUTERIE
TO SHARE

TODAY'S CHARCUTERIE TASTING
OF COLD SPECIALTIES HORS D'OEUVRES, CONDIMENTS AND MUSTARDS
22 SMALL | 46 LARGE



WARM SPECIALTIES

saucisse fumée façon morteau
smoked cumin-spiced sausage
lentil stew, pork jus
16


cervelas lyonnais en brioche
lyon specialty sausage
pistachio and black truffle in brioche
14


rillons croustillants au poivre
hot, crispy and tender pork belly
with cracked pepper
12


specialités de la maison

escargots persillade
wild burgundy snails garlic and parsley
potato croquettes
16

coq au vin
braised chicken with hand rolled pasta
lardons, onions, mushrooms
25



desserts

tartes classiques
11

douceur
salted caramel tart, espresso foam
dulce de leche sorbet

ébène
brandied chocolate tart
sicilian pistachio anglaise

gâteau basque
custard cake, rum poached pineapple
lime coulis

délice pour deux
rhubarb tart for two
lime créme fraiche crémeux
praline croquant, lychee-rosé sorbet
19

coupes glacées
12

musa
kalamansi poached bananas, crêpes créole
banana-black sesame ice cream

camello
grapefruit mousse, cinnamon lady finger
chartreuse macerated golden raisin
cinnamon-ruby red ice cream

l'impératrice
poached jasmine rice
champagne mango marmalade
rice pudding-mango sorbet

diva renée
passion fruit and raspberry gelée
hazelnut dacquoise
raspberry-exotic sorbet
14

ile de suzette
floating island, kumquat confit
polignac almonds, suzette anglaise
8

Glaces et sorbets
8

ceylan soprano
cinnamon-ruby red passion fruit-raspberry

tropical pépin
rice pudding-mango banana-black sesame


Assortiment de petits fours
10
macarons, bonbons and madeleines



fromages

3 pieces $14 | 5 pieces $21 | 7 pieces $28

bloomy
brillat savarin

sheep
hope farm tomme de brebis

earthy
clothbound landaff creamery

chèvre
sainte-maure de touraine

old and hard
12 month old comté saint antoine

washed and stinky
cato corner farm hooligan

blue
persillé du beaujolais

local
bobolink dairy frolic