Dinner at Benoit NYC: Next Best Thing To A Trip To France
In the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the contemporary French bistro Benoit offers diners a virtual culinary journey through France.
Opened 15 years ago by famed French-born celebrity chef Alain Ducasse, Benoit has overcome the challenges many restaurants faced during and after the pandemic, a testament to its resilience.
Since its opening, the kitchen, menu, and dining room have undergone numerous changes and improvements, including a significant redesign in 2018.
A new wine bar greets guests just inside the entrance, with a residential feel that enhances the restaurant’s ambiance.
The Menu: Sophisticated But Approachable
Many menu items are French classics with a modern twist. However, the innovative menu offers sufficient choices to please any palate, including vegetarians and Italophiles.
One section of the menu is exclusively devoted to Italian dishes, which are favorites of Executive Chef Alberto Marolongo, who helms the kitchen at Benoit. A native of Verona, Marolongo previously worked with Ducasse and his team at restaurants around the world.
Given the limited options for indulging in French cuisine in Westchester County (where we live), we decided to sample some of the classics at our dinner at Benoit.
We ordered the savory Tarte Flambee appetizer, which we had enjoyed in Strasbourg. The famous Alsatian specialty is a thin-crust flatbread topped with white cheese, onions, and bacon. It’s often described as French pizza.
The duck foie gras terrine appetizer was rich and buttery, served with toasted brioche and fresh chutney. The serving size was large enough to share, and the delicacy brought back memories of dining in the Dordogne Valley.
My husband first tasted quenelles at Chef Paul Bocuse’s restaurant L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, in the French countryside outside of Lyon. The delicate Quenelles de Brochet at Benoit is also made of finely chopped pike and flour shaped into small dumpling-like footballs, bathed in a rich Nantua sauce made with lobster, cream, and crayfish.
I enjoyed a delicious Dover Sole a La Meuniere, prepared in a butter and caper sauce, deboned and plated tableside. And when in France (or an authentic French restaurant), who can resist a side order of crispy pommes frites (French fries)? Not me!
Our servers were helpful, professional, and attentive but not overbearing.
A Chef And Bistro With Unique Backstories
With an impressive collection of 21 Michelin stars earned throughout his illustrious career, Chef Ducasse honed his skills in Provençal cooking techniques under the tutelage of Chef Roger Verge, a pioneer of nouvelle cuisine.
He’s opened dozens of successful restaurants worldwide, including ones in Paris, London, Monaco, Japan, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Doha, Qatar, Lebanon, Italy, and Sint Maarten. His first New York restaurant was at the Essex House Hotel, which received three stars in 2005.
Benoit New York is the sister restaurant of the chef’s Paris establishment. Its coveted location at 60 West 55th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues is storied. For 45 years, this location was home to La Côte Basque, an iconic sanctuary for the rich and famous, as depicted in the recent drama series Feud: Capote vs.The Swans. The restaurant was considered a temple of French gastronomy and a place to see and be seen.
Dinner at Benoit: A Contemporary Approach to French Dining
The inviting space bears no resemblance to the stuffy dining room of its predecessor. Collaborating with New York-based Dekar Design, the Manhattan-esque dining room feels airy with light colors, white-washed wood panel walls, and soft lighting.
A mix of red velvet banquettes and mid-century table seating is nicely spaced. Brass and glass dividers offer privacy, coupled with large mirrors and vintage sconces that reflect the traditional look of a Parisian cafe.
Once black and white, the bar is now an intimate lounge with antique club chairs from Ducasses’ personal collection. An outdoor shed, a remnant of the pandemic, provides additional outdoor seating.
The restaurant has three tastefully designed and furnished private rooms on the second level, perfect for intimate business meetings, special celebrations, and get-togethers. Truly unique is the 12-seat L’Officine, set in a 19th-century apothecary that Ducasse brought from Bordeaux by boat, suitable for a bespoke epicurean dinner.
The libations at Benoit include creative cocktails and an extensive wine list with some 4000 bottles.
Dinner at Benoit offers a unique and memorable French dining experience in the heart of Manhattan. Its sophisticated yet approachable menu, elegant ambiance, and attentive service make it an excellent choice for a romantic evening, special occasion, or business lunch.
Whether you’re a fan of French cuisine or looking to try something new, Benoit New York is worth a visit. Close to the theater district, it’s a great option before or after the theater.
It’s an aperitif for the Paris establishment!
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