Pastis & Balthazar
This weekend was a food lover's paradise for me. It consisted of: On Saturday, Pastis for brunch (after being turned down by Merkato 55, but I did have to make a reservation at Pastis just for a back up), then Buddakan for dinner (in the main dinning room!). Then the next day, while nothing interesting for lunch, I did venture off to Balthazar for dinner. First I'll start with Pastis. Pastis is your always packed casual-elegant French restaurant. Reservations are 100% necessary as if you walk in the wait time can easily exceed 45 minutes. But, once sat in this small yet Meatpacking District chic French restaurant, there are no gimmicks...just great food. Once seated you will notice you have two menus, one on your table, and one written on the mirrors. I told my server I was allergic to peanuts and all nuts, and the was knowledgeable enough to tell me right then and there, that Pastis uses peanut oil to fry their fries. So that eliminates Steak Frites. So instead, I had the Eggs Benedict, and for a person who dislikes eggs, they were very good. The portions are big and worth the price, which is actually moderate for the Meatpacking District ($17 for Eggs Benedict). To drink, I had this beverage called citron press, which is a shot of pure lemon juice, water, and sugar. You basically make your own lemonade, which I thought was a pretty good idea. I didn't have desert, but I'm actually regretting not ordering the crepes (only $8). All and all Pastis is a great spot for brunch and I'd definitely return in the future. Final bill for a brunch for one: $23 w/tax.
Balthazar (located in SoHo), is Pastis' sister restaurant. Balthazar is the less crowded, more typical French restaurant. This place is much bigger than Pastis which could be why it doesn't seem as packed as Pastis. The ideas are basically the same however, cook good food in a chic environment and don't make it too overpriced so we don't have to rival Le Cirque. The main difference is Balthazar's clientele seemed a bit older than Pastis' young Meatpacking District crowd, but never the less its still a great place to go with friends for a good dinner. Balthazar also cooks with peanut oil, but they are very attentive and alert in altering your meals and making sure that your food doesn't have any allergens. Just putting this out there, Balthazar's bread is not anything special, just so you don't get disappointed when the bread isn't spectacular...because it just isn't and Pastis hypes it up WAY too much for what it is. Now on to the real food. For an appetizer I had the Seafood Ceviche, which was basically a chilled seafood salad. A bit peppery, but the seafood (lobster, shrimp and squid) was very tasty and fresh. For an entree I had the Duck Confit. The portion was generous and the confit was very moist and tasty. The potato chips (fried in the duck's fat instead of peanut oil), complemented the dish very well. Desert, well, wasn't possible as everything had some form of nut in it, but I did enjoy my cafe au lait. Balthazar is worth a visit, but isn't the best place to take your friends on a Saturday night if you're under 30. Final bill for dinner for 2: $126 w/tax.
And as for Buddakan, I've been there in the past (and have also posted a review on this blog if you care to check it out) and I'm in love with this place...and want my room to resemble their main dinning room. Everything last night was phenomenal. The food, atmosphere, crowd, and service was spectacular! And I finally got to sit at the giant communal table that seats over 30 people! Final Bill for dinner for a party of 2: $202 inc. tax (4 appetizers, 2 entrees and 2 deserts).
