While waiting for my friend to arrive, I sipped a glass of chilled Lillet blonde, a French aperitif, ($8). I also made chit chat with one of the owners by asking what they were known for. He mentioned a few things. We each ended up ordering one of his recommendations for our entrees.
I devoured my entire salad of red and yellow beets — even though the beets were sliced a bit too thick. I cut them into small bites that I dipped in the whipped goat cheese that accompanied the mixed green salad — not the menu-stated arugula that I would have preferred ($18). My friend enjoyed the large mixed green salad with Granny Smith apple slices, slivered almonds and toasted bread slices topped with melted Brie ($18). She didn’t finish, saving room for her entree. She shouldn’t have.
Sadly our food was so overcooked, we couldn’t eat it. Feeling sorry for the restaurant at first, we were hesitant to point this out to the owner. Dining out during COVID is more about the company than the food. And, our restaurants are holding on by a thread.
We wondered whether the roasted half chicken ($26) was leftover from last night’s dinner. It was that dry. The sauteed fingerling potatoes were edible, not so the demi-glace sauce nor the ratatouille. The latter even needed to be sent back to get it hot.
Another disappointment was the steak frites ($34). To me, steak frites ($34) means a juicy cut of steak with pomme frites. This overcooked dry piece of meat was inedible. It first came with potatoes pieces so greasy, that I asked them to drain them. Ends up they were not French fries, but what they called “home fries.” The entree came with salad and a ramekin of skin-on peppercorn sauce that I left along with the steak. I ate a couple of potatoes.
As the owner removed our almost still full plates, asking if everything was alright, we finally said something about the inedible food. We decided that he should know about the issues. He did remove one entree from the bill.
I’d only recommend a stop here for a glass of wine and one of their salads. You might also stop at their small food shop adjacent to the restaurant offering French foods and linens. We need to support our local small businesses.
OCabanon
Chelsea
245 West 29th
New York, NY 10001
I think you should have given them the opportunity to make it right before leaving. I have had this happen to me before..