Ever since Betony burst on the scene last year, I wanted to experience it. With a team that hails from Eleven Madison Park (both chef Bryce Shuman and front-of-house Eamon Rocke) and a James Beard “Best New Restaurant 2013” nomination, I knew it would impress.
Betony is adult dining at its best. Impeccable service plus delicious food with attention to detail in a setting with tables far enough apart that you couldn’t hear the conversation at the next table if you tried. I love that.
A dear friend took me for my birthday. I was impressed that each service personal knew that fact and wished me a happy, from the maître d’ to the sommelier. Our secluded table was on the top level near the banister where we could look down on the bar and other tables. The perfect location.
We began with a heavenly 2006 vintage Marguet champagne as we browsed the offerings to build our own tasting menu while nibbling their housemade salted breadsticks.
Betony’s four cigarette-shaped lobster roll crisps with crème fraîche ($17) arrived — to quote the restaurant — atop “reinterpreted persillade” of parsley and dehydrated potatoes. Next was a mushroom chill with spring herbs as our first amuse bouche.
NY Times critic Pete Wells’ review did have some influence over my selections, as did 
my dining partner who has dined at Betony many times. Both raved about the hot slice of seared foie gras ($32) under a crisp kale leaf, and so would I. After placing it on the table the server pours a ham-hock consommé over it. Ethereal. Foie gras lovers do not miss.
Our main was their signature dish of grilled short rib with grilled artichokes, grilled lovage and a lovage pesto with a smoked potato mousseline on the side with smoked (yes smoked) butter ($40). Perfectly respectable to pick up and get the last of the meat off the sandpaper-cleaned bone.
We were served a sweet amuse bouche to finish tickling our palate before dessert. It consisted of a rhubarb sorbet over rhubarb topped with a squiggle of crème fraîche.
Dessert was beyond divine – a chocolate ganache ($14) with liquefied graham cracker enrobed a milk gelato as well as some choc0late foam and housemade graham crackers – which, of course, arrived replete with a lit candle. With that we enjoyed a glass of Mas Amiel Muscat (2011).
Do not miss this extraordinary dining experience!
– bonnie
Betony
41 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
212.465.2400
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