...or the full name Artisinal Fromagerie Bistro & Wine Bar. Went with some friends, who had been there before and suggested it. In general, I have this aversion to overly commercial restaurants. You know, the celebrity chef (Terrance Brennan), the website with MBA-caliber merchandising (welcome to The Artisanal Online Cheese Shop). And after perusing the menu online, I was fairly certain that's what we was getting...
After a couple of drinks, we made it to Artisinal. Nice, very large room that, while noisy, I didn't find annoyingly so. There was a nice feeling to the room - they do the whole French Bistro thing well...
Chilled Asparagus Soup with Basil Oil
Burgundy Snails en Croute with Chervil-Garlic Butter
Rainbow Trout with Chanterelles
Orange Zest Creme Brulee
Given my penchant for allergic reactions (see the title overhead), I have effectively avoided escargot for my 35 years on the planet. I understand that shellfish are different that other things that happen to live in shells but are not fish, but let's be honest, I'm fragile. That said, after a couple of drinks and some prodding from my friends (and possibly because my wife thought I was taking a stupid, unnecessary risk), I placed the order. I thought they were okay, the actual snail at least, because let's be honest. It's all about the butter. In fact, enjoying (which I did) the escargot is the best testament I can think of to my new-found corollary that anything works with a ton of herb butter...
Overall, the meal was solid. I really enjoyed the soup, which had a fresh from the garden earthiness. The fish was good, not great, and the chanterelles didn't add as much to the dish as I was expecting. As far as dessert, while I may not have the requisite training, I am a self-proclaimed creme brulee aficionado and this one was very good. The orange was a little overpowering, but not too much so...
Sorry, forgot the wine we drank, which would make it, by definition, forgettable...
Rating: 6.5/10.0
Cost: $$$
Artisinal Fromagerie Bistro & Wine Bar
2 Park Avenue (@ 32nd Street)
NYC, NY 10016
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