During dinner with Laura Calder at the Fullerton Hotel, advertisements by Daniel Boulud were running continuously on 2 large screens. That reminded me of our dining experience at Chef Boulud's db Bistro Moderne in New York City - a modern French-American bistro where Chef Boulud displays his contemporary interpretation of French classics. The bistro is, incidentally, Zagat-listed.
On the menu is the original db burger priced at a cool US$32. It is a sirloin burger filled with red wine braised short ribs and black truffle served on parmesan buns. We didn't get to taste the famous burger. Instead we ordered the 3-course restaurant-week meal.
Darling wife had tartare of tomatoes, grilled mahi-mahi and a tropical sorbet dessert. I had the soup with black truffle oil, gnocchi with ragout of veal, and chocolate mousse.
There was nothing exceptional about my soup. Darling wife's tartare of tomato, on the other hand, was creative and good to the taste. It consisted of layers of thickly sliced Brandywine and Dixie Golden Giant tomatoes, topped with green olives, jalapeno chili, feta cheese and an assortment of beans, seasoned with herbs and drenched in olive oil. The combination of oil and herbs enhanced the fresh taste of the fruits and vegetables.
Being the lover of pasta that I am, I couldn't really find any fault with the gnocchi which was, for a start, of the right texture. Although the Italians normally would dress gnocchi with either tomato sauce, pesto or melted butter, Chef Boulud had chosen a gravy that was richly flavoured by both the stock of veal and oven-roasted summer vegetables. It was so good, I slurped up every last drop of the gravy.
The sub-tropical mahi-mahi fish has large moist flakes and are perfect for grilling. Unfortunately, it was a tad overcooked and tasted dry. Its presentation was also uninteresting.
The desserts were excellent. It was both well-presented and tasty and gratefully not to sugary sweet. Needless to say, they received top marks from us.
Although db Bistro Moderne claims not to be an haute cuisine restaurant, I must say that the food presentation and style of cooking are of definitely very high standards for a bistro.
Its decor is simple and modern. We were seated in the more casual front section which features a stone-tiled floor and Wenge wood-panelled ceiling. On one wall, hangs a series of floral photographs by Christopher Beane, who after being diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma in July of 2005, went on to produce a new book entitled 'Flower'. The book was descibed as "a passionate celebration of both the beauty of the natural world and the indomitability of the human spirit".
On the menu is the original db burger priced at a cool US$32. It is a sirloin burger filled with red wine braised short ribs and black truffle served on parmesan buns. We didn't get to taste the famous burger. Instead we ordered the 3-course restaurant-week meal.
Darling wife had tartare of tomatoes, grilled mahi-mahi and a tropical sorbet dessert. I had the soup with black truffle oil, gnocchi with ragout of veal, and chocolate mousse.
 |
| Soup with black truffle oil |
 |
| Tartare of tomatoes |
There was nothing exceptional about my soup. Darling wife's tartare of tomato, on the other hand, was creative and good to the taste. It consisted of layers of thickly sliced Brandywine and Dixie Golden Giant tomatoes, topped with green olives, jalapeno chili, feta cheese and an assortment of beans, seasoned with herbs and drenched in olive oil. The combination of oil and herbs enhanced the fresh taste of the fruits and vegetables.
 |
| Gnocchi with ragout of veal |
Being the lover of pasta that I am, I couldn't really find any fault with the gnocchi which was, for a start, of the right texture. Although the Italians normally would dress gnocchi with either tomato sauce, pesto or melted butter, Chef Boulud had chosen a gravy that was richly flavoured by both the stock of veal and oven-roasted summer vegetables. It was so good, I slurped up every last drop of the gravy.
 |
| Grilled mahi mahi |
The sub-tropical mahi-mahi fish has large moist flakes and are perfect for grilling. Unfortunately, it was a tad overcooked and tasted dry. Its presentation was also uninteresting.
 |
| Tropical sorbet |
The desserts were excellent. It was both well-presented and tasty and gratefully not to sugary sweet. Needless to say, they received top marks from us.
 |
| Chocolate mousse |
Although db Bistro Moderne claims not to be an haute cuisine restaurant, I must say that the food presentation and style of cooking are of definitely very high standards for a bistro.
Its decor is simple and modern. We were seated in the more casual front section which features a stone-tiled floor and Wenge wood-panelled ceiling. On one wall, hangs a series of floral photographs by Christopher Beane, who after being diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma in July of 2005, went on to produce a new book entitled 'Flower'. The book was descibed as "a passionate celebration of both the beauty of the natural world and the indomitability of the human spirit".
DB Bistro Moderne
55 West 44th Street
Manhattan, NYC
Ambiance: 7
Food: 7
Service: 6.5
Pricing: $$$$
Recommended Dishes: The menu changes with the season so it is not possible to make any recommendations.
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