To me, Eric Kayser connotes crispy baguettes, crusty breads and decadent patisserie items so I was surprised when the publicist invited me to dine at Maison Kayser. I chose to try the one in the flatiron district.
Lina, their attentive, warm and friendly French manager assisted us in sampling much of the menu. We began with their rillettes ($12), a rustic pâté originally made of pork cooked in fat. Maison Kayser offers two distinctly different ones, each served in re-sealable crock with appropriate accompaniments and toast slices. I preferred the Rillettes de Saumons, of poached and smoked Atlantic salmon with lemon slices to the fattier Rillettes de Canard with cornichons.
Next we shared the unusual lightly dressed fall kale and mesclun salad — Salade d’Automne — ($15) with roasted apple yams and hazelnuts, sliced chestnuts and grapes, dried cranberries and crumbled Feta cheese. If it’s on the menu, don’t miss the seasonal creamy c
hestnut soup – the Potage du chef ($9.75) to warm your innards.
I loved the flavor of the teeny ravioli stuffed with Comté cheese, fromage blanc and parsley (Ravioles du Royans), but was a bit disappointed with the dish as the ravioli were swimming in a watery sauce, not the Parmesan one mentioned on the menu ($15). I’m sure that’s not the way they intended to serve it!
We did sample the two classic French entrees casseroles: The Coq au Vin ($21) or chicken cooked in red wine sauce with pearl onions, accompanied by a ramekin of mashed potatoes. Oddly the traditional bacon mentioned on the menu was missing, with mushroom chunks instead.The bean stew with duck confit and sliced sausages — Cassoulet de Castelnaudary ($23) — was flavorful. Nothing special. BTW, these come with a sliced baguette bread basket.
Lina then brought out what turned out to be our favorite of the evening (other than the pâtisseries, of course): a new-to-the-menu tartine on sourdough bread spread with goat cheese and simply topped with fresh mission figs, sliced chestnuts, walnuts and apple batons of apple ($15)
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What is not to be missed is what Eric Kayser is known for — his dessert goodies. My favorite is the decadent Moccacino, a milk chocolate and coffee mousse cake on an almond and coffee biscuit, with coffee center topped with chocolate glaze. A bargain at $6.50.
Second favorite is the caramel tart ($5.50) in an almond biscuit, with toffee caramel and milk chocolate mousse, all topped with milk chocolate & salty caramelized pine nuts. Also good are the seasonal ones we sampled, available only until the end of the year. That includes both the pecan and chocolate tart and the pumpkin one ($6.50 each).
I’d suggest stopping by one of the Maison Kayser’s locations for a delicious patisserie and an espresso during your holiday shopping, or better yet, grab a larger version to it bring home or as a hostess gift.
– bonnie
Maison Kayser
Gramercy/Flatiron
921 Broadway
New York, NY 10010
(212) 979-1600
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