Lunch in Alain Ducasse’s Benoit
NEW York City’s Restaurant Week is such
an exciting deal. For the last 20 years,
New York City has been celebrating this great
epicurean experience. For the budget
conscious, this is the best way to experience and indulge in dining in upscale restaurants, especially the three- and four-star Zagat-rated ones. Over 300 restaurants are participating this year with a three course Prix Fixe dining: lunch at $ 24.07 and dinner at $35.00 plus tax. The NYC Restaurant Week is usually offered in
winter (January) and summer (July), when the business slows down.
I have been lucky to be in New York City during these seasons. So my daughter
Patricia, who works for top New York celebrity French chef Daniel Boulud and knows the Manhattan restaurant scene like the palm of her hands, does the reservations for us. Our first stop: Alain Ducasse’s Benoit in the heart of mid-town Manhattan on 60 West 55th street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Benoit is one of the last remaining authentic bistrots (bistro) in Paris. Founded in 1912, Benoit had belonged
to the Petit family for nearly 100 years
before they sold it to Alain Ducasse in 2005 in order to perpetuate classic bistrot tradition with the right twist of modernity. From Paris to New York, Benoit still celebrates traditional French cuisine.
Alain Ducasse was born in Southwestern France in Sept. 13, 1956. He has, however,
become a Monegasque chef after he became a naturalized citizen of Monaco. He is known for his Provencal cooking. Metro Manila maybe more familiar with this chef since
Enderun Colleges, a hospitality and culinary arts college in Taguig City has partnered with the ADF or Alain Ducasse Formation where students hope to learn cutting edge culinary principles and techniques after foundation training in classical European tradition.
We had a late lunch reservation at 1:30 p.m. Due to midtown Manhattan traffic (Patricia chose to be driven instead of taking the
subway), we were a bit late and our friend Marivir Montebon had to wait for another 15 minutes. Marivir, a former lifestyle editor of The Freeman who is now working in New York, was excited to join our exquisite dining pursuits. Benoit’s General Manager Aris
Malcolm, a former colleague of Patricia, gave us a warm welcome and a sparkling chilled flute of sparkling white wine. The dining area was very elegant and I immediately noticed the sconces (ornamental lights attached to the walls) and cartoon medallions to give the place the looks and charm of chic brasseries in Paris.
While waiting for our selected items from the menu, we enjoyed the goodness of Gougeres or warm cheese puffs. Marivir started with Cream of Carrot Soup while
I chose an appetizer, Spinach and Goat Cheese Tart.
Patricia had the Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil, Red Onion and Goat Cheese. The entrees, however, were a bit disappointing. We chose Moules Mariniere–Bouchet Mussels (our local tahong) in white wine, garlic and
parsley and Black Angus Beef Skirt Steak with Potatoes Lyonnaise and Bourdalaise Sauce. We agreed when
Patricia claimed that they were too simple and did not meet her expectations. My previous Restaurant Week dining experiences were always filled with gustatory
delights that surpassed Benoit’s. The regular menu, though, was impressive. I still enjoyed the dessert–Red Plum Tart, Chocolate Mousse and a Cheese
Selection of Roquefort Blend, Camembert and Comte served with grapes and walnuts, with an addition of $5 to the prix fixe lunch.
